Every time that I get my paycheck I think of all of the wonderful ways that I can spend it. Trips to Vegas, a new PS3 or XBOX 360, playoff tickets for the Diamondbacks. The possibilities seem so endless. Then reality sets in and I have to remember to be a responsible adult.

So how do I get all of the things that I want while still paying all of the bills that I have? Budget. I know what your thinking. Budgets are like diets. All it means is that you have to give up on all of the things that you want and you are stuck with just “paying the bills.” It may sound bad but it is one of the easiest, and cheapest, ways to get all of the things that you want.

Creating a budget only costs a little bit of time and effort. It may seem complicated when you first start the process but it is well worth the trouble. All you have to do is write down all of the things that you spend money on. Start with all of the basic expenses that you have like housing, transportation, and groceries. The key is to write down everything. This means if you spend $1 a week on gum it should be a part of your budget. Will it take you awhile? Yes. Just keep telling yourself that in the end it will all be worth it.

Once you have put all of your expenses down on paper, write down your take home income. Are you spending more money than you make? Are you using credit cards, payday loans, or overtime to afford everything? If you are, then you know that you need to adjust your budget. Knowing what you are spending your money on will help you to cut out items that are not important. Ask yourself some simple questions. Do you have to have the gourmet coffee every morning or can you brew your own at home? You may not be able to live without cable but do you have to have 500 channels when you only watch 40 of them? Removing items that you can live without can go a long way towards freeing up extra cash. Cash that can be used to pay down debts or saved for emergencies.

The best part about budgeting is that you can plan for all of the items you want. They can become part of your budget. If you want that new video game system, put aside the same amount of money each paycheck. This will alleviate the stress of unpaid or past due bills and will allow you to enjoy the items in life that you worked so hard to get.