Managing money after home is bought

The potential pitfalls of home buying don't disappear when the purchase offer has been accepted and the loan has been lined up.
As you may have guessed, most of them have to do with managing money. A few pointers:
Don't buy any high-priced items on credit before closing the home purchase, or you might not qualify for your mortgage anymore. Lenders will look at that new debt - a car loan, for example, or lots of furniture charged to a credit card - and judge that you are less able to take on mortgage debt. And don't spend a large chunk of cash, either, if you might need it for closing costs.
Expect to get a "supplemental" property tax bill from the county tax collector soon after you've purchased your home. This bill is for the difference between the amount of tax the former owner paid and the amount you will be paying, prorated according to when you bought the house.