Everyone has tried to go on a budget at one point or another, only to find it too stringent, slip up, and go on a shopping spree. These money binges are results of budgets that are not reasonable. These are the budgets where ever penny is planned for, and there is no allowance for anything fun. To make a budget work, it has to allow for things like spontaneity and long term planning.

Budgeting for the Basics
There are many things -- like groceries and entertainment -- people dont budget for that turn out to be some of their biggest cash drains. With groceries, save a receipt or two and then look at what you bought. First, add up everything that was necessary, then, add up all the indulgences and impulse purchases -- such as cookies from the bakery. A good way to cut way down on your grocery bill is to cut the cost of those indulgence purchases in half. If you spend $40 on chips and soda this week, shoot for $20 next week. Eating before you go to the grocery store and going with a list always helps. Create a meal plan for the whole week and write a list of everything you need for those meals, plus all your other groceries. Stick to the list! Bringing just enough cash to make those purchases also helps. Entertainment can also be bad for a budget. If you and your spouse or significant other go to the movies every week, try renting a movie two weeks a month and going to matinees the other two. Renting a movie will save you as much as 18 dollars and going to a matinee will save between $8-10.

Allow for Extras
In every budget, you should allow for things like clothes, concert tickets, and other fun things that come up. That doesnt mean you should be clothing shopping every single week, but having expenses like that built into your budget will eliminate the impact that a shopping trip can have on your budget.