I took out $50 for my month’s expenses and right now with 11 more days to go I have in my wallet a grand total of $5 bucks.  Where did it all go?  Maybe it was time to take that big drastic step I knew would come one day. 

Jane: Forgive me, personal finance blogging community, for I have sinned.   I confess to you Gentle Reader, to all the Great Personal Finance Bloggers, and to you Almighty Personal Finance God that it has been a long time since I have kept a budget.

Personal Finance Father:  (attempts to hide shock and surprise) Daughter, do not fear. (takes a deep breath) How long has it been since you failed to keep a budget?

Jane: Oh, Personal Finance Father, I actually never kept a budget! (looks down with guilt) I have heard of these budgets but they seemed to be like some kind of fantastic myth for people with orderly finances, but never something that could accommodate my wild, unpredictable law school finances. 

Personal Finance Father: Child, how much do you earn?

Jane: Well, I found a penny on my couch yesterday, and I found another one in the road when I was walking and another one in the little paperclip holder at school.  Altogether that is .03 cents for this month, father. 

Personal Finance Father: I see Jane. Right now you do not earn more than three penny’s, and you may feel there is no need to budget.  But consider your future.  You will soon graduate and will start working and surely there is a chance that you will earn more than .03 cents. 

Jane: Oh father, I sure hope so.

Personal Finance Father:  Jane, as penance for your personal finance sins I am going to ask you to recite five Our Personal Finance Father’s and to look at your expenses and to construct a budget.   Promise me you will try it out for a few months.

Jane: I promise father.  I will try this budget thing.  I hear that some even claim budgets are sexy.