Here is a good example:

You head to the grocery store, but forgot to eat breakfast before going, hunger strikes and you forgot your grocery list. That trip was supposed to cost $150.00 and it ended up costing $225.00. This happens all the time due to quick thinking and not being prepared for your trip. A little preparation can save money on the extras and usually unhealthy foods we buy when we do not use a list, and are hungry.

Here is another example:

You have a great budget, it plans for everything, or at least you think so. It included the rent, the utilities, insurance, savings, and food. However, there are some things you didn't plan for. What about the time when your best friend comes by from out of town and they want you to give them a tour. Your budget did not include a weekend of showing your friend around and having a good time. So you end up spending an extra $150.00 that was not planned into your budget.

One last example:

You work about one hour from your house. Therefore the need of a cell phone is important with the terrain you cover on your route to and from work in case of an emergency. This morning you dropped your cell phone and it broke. The protection plan you had does not cover this type of damage, so purchasing another phone is your only option. The phone you purchase is $150.00 and your budget did not allow for phone replacement. So you are in a situation that a quick thinking purchase had to happen.

These type of purchases, necessary or not, can make it hard to stick to a budget. Regardless the flexibility of the budget, most of us do not have a plan that just leaves a couple hundred dollars hanging about to spend that is not planned into our budgets.

In order to stick to your budget, there needs to be a plan that allows for these real life issues that occurs. All of us have had them happen. What are the tips that can help you stick with your budget? That is a good question.

Tips:

Planning out some good habits can help with some of these issues. If you make sure to make and take a grocery list, and eat before shopping, it is less likely you will spend money buying junk food that really is not within your budgeted menu.

Planning for fun will also take away the element of surprise issues, which come up with unexpected visitors, concerts that happen, or events in the community. There may be times that nothing happens and the money allotted to the fun fund part of your budget will just sit and make interest for you. That is just fine, because it is going to make it so that when you have something fun come up you want to do, you will not have to sway from your budget to be a part of the excitement.

It is also easier to stay in a budget, when you have the opportunity to enjoy the life you are working to have, even if it is only in small increments.

There are often times that we have items that we really need break on us. Usually the budget takes into consideration cars breaking, and arms breaking, however they do not always take into consideration a cell phone breaking, or a kitchen chair breaking. Sometimes it is ok to use your regular savings to fix these things, but that is not sticking to your budget. It is better to have a certain amount set up in your budget to replace items that are worn out or that break.

Planning for the unplanned expenses will help you to be able to stick to the awesome budget you have set up to create your families future. A few simple steps and thoughts of the unexpected will help make sure that the unexpected does not cause for a quick thinking spending to happen and kick you out of the planned budget you are in.