[aigel]

I guess I have been lucky - don't have a budget. But 401k comes right out of the pay check and all savings are auto-deposited in relatively small chunks into separate accounts, including college funds. New cars and toys are only bought if there is plenty of cash in savings. If not, well, we wait.

This has worked well, but we've always had decent income and don't spend much on large items like vacations, dinners out, furniture, cars etc. - that's where we always pinch. Of course there are times when the cash in checking doesn't seem to last, then we dial it back a notch. Also NEVER take on debt on anything but mortgage.

So, I guess I do budget in the sense that I take savings off the top and don't touch it.

G