More money with a good budgeting system?

We're nearing the end of our first full month using the You Need A Budget Excel budgeting system, and the results are pretty cool. We've done pretty well sticking to the budget, with overages in some categories, and underspending in others. For example, even though we budgeted $300 for groceries, we've only spent about $200. Our entertainment and dining out budget (labeled "Fun Money") is over by about $10. The end result, by YNAB's quirky yet sensible rules, is that we'll have $100 more in the checking account next month, and $10 less in our "available to budget" money for next month. It's a cumulative effect, so eventually that $100 extra a month will build to $2,000 or $3,000 extra in our checking account. We don't miss it, either.

Here's what I like about a good budgeting system, whether it's YNAB or MS Money, or whatever: it makes you accountable for your actions. If you overspend this month, you should have less money available to spend next month. It just makes sense. It should also let you underspend and just sock away the extra money.

As much as I promote the virtues of budgeting, I feel like a televangelist. If I were, I'd hand some debt-ridden soul a budgeting form and a calculator, put my palm on their forehead, and say, "Debt demons, BE GONE!" Heck, I've even got my 14-year old brother convinced that he needs to start budgeting.

David Bach be darned for his views to the contrary, I still maintain that a budget is the only way to become truly wealthy. It just takes discipline, and as Michael commented in an earlier post, that's something people just don't want to do. It's too hard, they say, but I say being in constant fear of not having enough is much harder. And, as I said above, I believe that a good budgeting system will make you feel and be richer, not poorer.