Look backward
Search last year's statements, receipts, email renewals, and tax records. Include annual memberships, vehicle costs, seasonal utilities, gifts, professional fees, and predictable medical costs.
Private 12-month planner
Make irregular bills feel less like surprises.
Add the expenses that arrive only a few times a year. The calendar totals each month and turns the full list into one simple monthly reserve—without sending your entries anywhere.
Interactive planner
Build your next 12 months.
My annual expense plan
Add an expense or load the example to begin.
Simple monthly reserve$0
Annual irregular total$0
Heaviest month—
Advertising helps keep this planner free. Ads never change your totals or receive the entries stored by this tool.
What the reserve means
It smooths the total, not the timing.
Annual total ÷ 12 is a useful starting target. If a large bill is due soon, you may need a larger short-term amount because there are fewer months left to prepare.
ExampleSimple reserve
$1,800 of irregular bills
$1,800 ÷ 12 = $150 per month. If a $600 bill is due in two months and nothing is saved, that bill alone needs $300 per month until it is due.
Use the number responsibly
A reserve works best with a real plan.
Add a margin
If the amount is uncertain, use a slightly higher estimate or add a separate “buffer” line. A plan that assumes every cost stays flat can fail after one price increase.
Choose where it lives
Decide whether the reserve stays in checking, a separate savings account, or labeled savings buckets. Check withdrawal limits, fees, minimums, and interest terms before opening anything.
Three ways this estimate can mislead
One-twelfth is not always enough today. The formula assumes a full year to accumulate the money. Prioritize bills due earliest and calculate their remaining months separately.
Some “annual” costs are not predictable. Repairs and medical expenses may need an emergency buffer rather than a date on a calendar. Keep estimates separate so a known renewal does not consume the same dollars as an emergency fund.
A saved plan can go stale. Review the list after renewals, moves, insurance changes, or major purchases. Delete expenses that ended and update amounts using actual notices.
Official budgeting resources
Explore the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's budgeting resources and Consumer.gov's budget guide. These resources can help you place irregular bills within a broader spending plan.
Questions
Annual calendar FAQ
Is the monthly reserve a recommendation?
No. It is annual listed expenses divided by 12. Your income timing, current savings, debt, account fees, and earliest due date can make a different amount more appropriate.
Where is my plan saved?
In local browser storage on this device. Everyday Totals does not receive it. Clearing site data, using private browsing, or switching browsers can erase or hide it, so print a copy if you need a durable record.
Should monthly bills go here?
This tool is designed for irregular or seasonal expenses. Keep ordinary monthly bills in your normal budget unless listing them here helps you plan a yearly total without double-counting.
What if a bill occurs twice a year?
Add it twice using the same name and the two due months. Each occurrence then appears in the correct monthly total.