Even though the word "budget" makes many of us tremble, a budget is really just a list of all the money you earn or get and everything you spend.  In short, a budget is a spending plan.  Knowing exactly where you are spending your money can help you make small, painless changes that can lead to greater comfort in your financial life.

Keeping track of your money by using a monthly budget can help you better manage what you've got. For example, a budget can help you figure out which expenses to cut if you were out of work for a time. Most importantly, a budget can help you save your money and plan for the future.

We have created this section of Who Stole My Money with the aim to help people understand some basics of budgeting.  The following topics explain how to create and balance a budget, the importance and how of setting goals, and how to find money to save by cutting expenses and ways of increasing your income.