My hubby is excellent in the budget department, he loves organizing and planning. And he makes up a great budget. But we have the hardest time sticking to it!
We don't have any credit cards, just a check card-not that that can't be dangerous too though!
But anyway, he's made an envelope for everything...car maintenance, household, homeschooling etc. But we still steal from other envelopes! It's crazy, we have no debt, besides our house, and he has a good paying job but it seems like we are still short on money consistently! It's so frustrating. How do other people do it?! I don't even know where to begin on here...how do you all stick to your budget? It probably has to do with something I don't have....self discipline!

I don't really do a budget -- not in my nature and I know it's not in my husband's. I attempt to pay ourselves first. And then I keep track of our bills with Microsoft Money (which I'm way behind on right now). But I try!

I think in order to say you have a budget , you need to Be following it , right??

I mean I Have a Budget ON paper too-
It looks Good But it never Works out.... so We Really can't say we have a Budget.

I guess if you want to Follow one , You need to Readjust your Budgeting to Fit your everyday Needs.

If you always take from "grocery " to Pay for " clothing "
Up the Clothing budget and Lower the Grocery.

One thing I am realizing this yr. is that I need to get My Butt back to Working a Few nights a week.
Disposable income is Imperative with older Kids - IMO -

The expenses once they are in school are Never ending

We have a budget and yes, we stick to it. We don't have the option to do otherwise - we are quite tight with our expenses on the income we've been at. We don't have any envelopes or anything; I just keep track on an Excel spreadsheet with our online banking. I always check our bank account pretty much daily (less if I know we haven't spent money and the balance has remained the same) to make sure we're on track. Sometimes I have to steal from another budgeted amount to cover it - like when gas prices skyrocket.

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~~Amanda~~
Mommy to one Little Man (3 1/2 yrs old), FINALLY expecting #2!!! (due around Memorial Day 2009) *adoption has been put on hold*

Yes...and yes.

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Stephanie

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Stephanie