What Is a Budget?

For many people, the word "budget" has some negative connotations. It's very easy to think of your budget as the tool that tells you what you can't spend, but the truth is that a budget tells you what you can spend, too. A budget simply gives your money a job, and without one, money comes in and out of your household without a plan or structure in place. If you've ever lamented that you don't know where your money goes every month, you need a budget. There are a lot of options out there for bu...