Poll: The Most Expensive Time of the Year?

Bills. It seems like they turn up the heat right when it's the least convenient for you. Maybe I'm alone in this, but for me, it's like all of my utilities get more expensive at once. This also happens to be when the car breaks down, the A/C goes out and that one-time random fee for who-knows-what also happens to be due. Each month, navigating the bill gauntlet presents a new challenge, just when you think you've got it all figured out.

I think I'm in one of those periods right now. Last month, we saw several expenses come through that we weren't expecting, which caused me to stress out and take another look at the state of our finances. Summer is one of those times of year where things just pile up, whether it's heat, vacations or moving. However, the holiday season seems to give it a run for its money (pun intended), because of all of the different things associated with that, as well as the cold temperature's effect on energy bills.

This got me thinking about the year in general, and what times seemed to be the most expensive. So I thought I'd ask all of you about it. What do you think the most expensive time of year is, and why? Feel free to vote on our poll or answer in the comments!