You (I) Need A Budget

Finally! My taxes are done, and my FAFSA is filed!!

I neither owe nor will I get anything from my tax return since I made such a paltry amount last year after having been unemployed for most of it, and not by choice, I might add.

Well, I did work four months for a company that was so horribly mismanaged that they shut down and I did not receive a W-2 from them.

I'm working on budgeting and living within my means and have decided to start the free trial of YNAB or You Need A Budget. Yes, yes, I do need a budget. I've tried looking at Quicken and MS Money, and lately I've been saving my receipts, but so far, this looks like the most inspired way to stay on track with my money.

Best of all, the boyfriend is interested in doing this with me, which definitely bodes well for our future. Plus, it's nice to have someone to be accountable to about this and sometimes when I'm feeling broke, I don't want to spend money, and while I do appreciate his generosity, I don't want to spend his money just because I don't want to spend mine. If we do this together, then we'll know how much we have as a couple. I've been on this saving-money trip but we ate out the other night and spent $40...as good as dinner was, I feel a bit anxious about that still. I suppose we'll see how this budgeting exercise develops.