There is no quicker way to blow your perfectly prepared personal finance statement that an unexpected expense.  From car repairs to major illnesses, it’s hard to really budget for these types of things.  Or is it?  There is a way to save up for unexpected expenses, especially when you realize that some of them are not as unexpected as you think.  Take a look at your previous year’s expenses and look for things that occur throughout the year that you may not have put in your budget.  Add those things to your current calendar if you can in anticipation of these expenses, such as birthdays and anniversaries, vacations and oil changes.  Once you have done that, include in your monthly budget a little extra money to cover these items.  Also add extra money to your budget each month to set aside for the real unexpected expenses, like car repairs, so that you are not caught off guard when they happen.