Budget for phone cases, chargers and accessories.
Accessories are easiest to control as a percentage of the phone itself: around a tenth covers protection and charging for most handsets. Subtracting the essentials — a case, a protector, a charger and cables — leaves the honest figure for extras such as stands, batteries and audio. Cases and cables wear out roughly every two years, so half the essentials cost is a sensible annual replacement reserve.
Accessory allowance
Accessory budget = phone price x share/100; left for extras = accessory budget - (case and protector + charging kit)
Roughly 10-15% of the handset price covers protection and charging without drifting into gadget spending. Protection first: a case and protector cost a fraction of a screen repair.
Certified third-party chargers are generally fine; uncertified ones are a genuine safety and battery-health risk. Look for recognised safety marks rather than the lowest price.
Cables fray and cases crack. Budgeting for replacement stops accessory spending from feeling like a surprise every other year.