Sinking fund categories: 40 examples and what to save each month

Sinking funds work best when each one is named for a specific, predictable expense. Below are 40 categories people actually use, grouped by area, with a typical annual cost and what that works out to per month. Copy the ones that apply to you and ignore the rest — a list of eight funds you actually fund beats a list of thirty you do not.

The monthly figure is always the same arithmetic: annual cost ÷ 12. Run your own numbers in the sinking fund calculator.

Car and transport

Car costs are the classic case for a sinking fund. Nothing about a timing belt is an emergency — it is a certainty on an unknown date.

Home

• Home repairs and maintenance — a common rule is 1 percent of the home’s value per year, so $3,000 a year, or $250 a month, on a $300,000 house
• Property taxes, if they are not escrowed — $3,600 a year, $300 a month
• Homeowners or renters insurance — $1,400 a year, $117 a month
• Furniture and appliance replacement — $1,200 a year, $100 a month
• HVAC service and filters — $300 a year, $25 a month
• Yard, pest control, gutters — $480 a year, $40 a month

Annual and irregular bills

• Annual software and streaming subscriptions — $300 a year, $25 a month
• Warehouse club or membership renewals — $120 a year, $10 a month
• Professional licenses and union dues — $400 a year, $34 a month
• Tax preparation or a tax bill you expect to owe — $600 a year, $50 a month
• Domain, hosting, and other yearly digital costs — $180 a year, $15 a month

Health and family

• Medical deductible and out-of-pocket maximum — $2,000 a year, $167 a month
• Dental work, including cleanings and the crown you have been warned about — $900 a year, $75 a month
• Glasses, contacts, and eye exams — $400 a year, $34 a month
• Therapy or counseling co-pays — $1,200 a year, $100 a month
• Childcare gaps, summer camp, school supplies — $1,500 a year, $125 a month
• Pet care: vaccinations, dental, and the vet visit you cannot predict — $700 a year, $59 a month

Gifts and celebrations

• Holiday gifts — $800 a year, $67 a month
• Birthdays across the whole family — $500 a year, $42 a month
• Weddings you have been invited to, including travel — $900 a year, $75 a month
• Baby showers, graduations, housewarmings — $300 a year, $25 a month
• Teacher, host, and thank-you gifts — $200 a year, $17 a month

Travel and fun

• Annual vacation — $2,400 a year, $200 a month
• Flights home for the holidays — $700 a year, $59 a month
• Concert and event tickets — $600 a year, $50 a month
• Season passes and memberships — $400 a year, $34 a month

Personal and one-off

• Phone or laptop replacement — $1,200 a year, $100 a month
• Clothing, coats, and shoes for a growing household — $900 a year, $75 a month
• Haircuts and personal care on a longer cycle — $480 a year, $40 a month
• Continuing education or a certification — $1,000 a year, $84 a month
• Moving costs and a security deposit — $2,000 a year, $167 a month

How to pick yours

Do not start from this list. Start from your own last twelve months.

1. Scan a year of spending for anything over $150 that was not monthly.
2. Name each one and write down what it actually cost you, not an estimate.
3. Divide by 12. That is the contribution.
4. Add them up. If the total is more than you can fund, keep the top three or four by size and let the rest wait — a partly funded plan still beats none.
5. Revisit in six months. Real numbers replace your guesses fast.

Most households land somewhere between five and ten funds. If you are wondering where the ceiling is, see how many sinking funds should I have. If you are not sure whether a given cost belongs in a sinking fund or an emergency fund, see sinking fund vs emergency fund.

Tracking them without a spreadsheet

Every fund above is one envelope in Tuckaway: a name, a goal amount, and a monthly contribution. The balance carries forward month to month, a progress bar shows how close you are, and the app works out how many months are left at your current pace. Unlimited envelopes are free, so a ten-fund plan costs nothing, and there is no bank login involved.