I think, as someone said above, that part of the issue when talking about "do you have a budget" is that it means different things to different people. And as for restrictive budgets, well, if you're in debt or don't have a lot of money, it's kind of necessary. I could be as frugal as anything but if all I have to spend is x amount per month and everything I need costs x + y then without figuring out in advance where the money is going to go you end up in debt. Or it could be, like me, you're just out of debt and there are lots of things you've put off while in debt that would be kind of nice to get now but if you did it all in one month, you'd end up in debt again. So, it's essential to have a budget. In addition, for me anyway, it's essential to have a list of stuff I need or want. That way, when I get to next month's budget, I can check the list and see what's on there, whether or not I still need or want it and figure out what I can add it to the budget. Examples for this month include new orthotics and a bike pump, by the way, just in case anyone's interested. :)