Yes, for me, around this time of year, another birthday transpires (mine to be specific), and I was thinking about the things (financially) that you need to do or think about on your birthday. I am confident I am missing a few, so if you read this and think of some other things I may not have thought about, please add in the comments:
Birthday Reminders and Things To Do
Just a few essential things to think about on your birthday
- Insurance: this topic actually has a whole bunch of interesting sub topics:
- Life insurance, is your premium due for the year? Should you be thinking about getting more insurance, if you have more kids, or have had a life change? Have you checked to see who the beneficiary is of your policy? Might be time to just go check that (if you are divorced, or a widower).
- Car insurance, does it need to be renewed? Is it time to shop around to get a cheaper policy?
- Did you get your car registration renewed? Here in Ontario that is usually when it lapses. How about your drivers’ license? If you have moved, you might not have got your reminder, open your wallet and check.
- Guilt, have you called your kids the day after your birthday and reminded them that it would have been nice to get a call saying Happy Birthday? Guilty kids are less likely to be bothering you about getting more money from you.
- Have you checked the batteries on your smoke detector? If you want to protect your house or property it is really important to check these.
- Maybe it’s time to make a Doctor’s appointment, if you are over 30. Don’t wait until your arm is cut off by a reciprocating saw or when you think you need little blue pills to go see your Doctor. Having money is great, but if you are dead, you aren’t going to be enjoying it that much
- What the heck is in your safe deposit box? Maybe it’s time to go and check on that, maybe there is stuff in there that much be dealt with.
- You could always restart your New Years Resolutions too, since you most likely abandoned them by your birthday (for me it’s a lot harder given my birthday is in January).
- How about those deadbeat friends of yours that come over and drink your beer? Get them to buy you a drink (or 12)!
Just a few simple ideas for those with a birthday coming up.
More Birthday Ideas
- Financial Things to Do On Your Birthday gives you a similar list.
- Birthday things to remember has some different ideas for you.
- Random Thoughts: Happy Birthday to Me!
- On Turning 50 outlines some of the angst of getting older
- Now I’m Fifty Five and getting older
- Financial Things to do on your birthday?
Great list. I’ve printed it out, and since my birthday just rolled by I got to get rolling on some of these. Cheers.
I need to get a safety deposit box and get on a private life insurance plan, like yesterday…thanks for the reminders.
Safety deposit boxes don’t have to be in a bank – a simple, fire-proof safety box (about $50 at Costco) in a secure place at home can protect passports, birth certificates, citizenship documents and other valuables, in case of a house fire.
Also very true, good point. The Bank safety deposit box, can be off site storage for copies of important documents. As the Blunt Bean Counter has pointed out, your Will, Power of Attorney and other similar documents should be in your house (but copies in Safety deposit box is a good idea too). You can put an inventory of your house in there too in case of a break in or such.
Do many people still have safety deposit boxes? What do they keep in there?
I don’t know if I need one.
I will be treating myself to a back up sump pump for my birthday this spring. Try beating that for birthday excitement.
Wow you really are pushing the boat out on your birthday!
Safety deposit box can hold copies of your will, jewelery, etc.,
Amazing all the things we need to sort our when our Birthday comes around. One of the reasons keeping a handy list is important. Cheers mate. Mr.CBB
Birthdays are a good time to double check your life insurance policy, but there’s no pending rush to get a policy in place prior to your birthday with respect to premium increases.
Life insurance companies use your nearest birthday to calculate your age, so by the time your birthday rolls around, you’ve actually been a year older for six months.
But don’t let that slow you down, if you need to make changes, you don’t have until your next birthday, you’ve only got 1/2 that time to put changes in place before your premiums would rise. (in other words, there’s no time like the present).