I find it really hard to set a realistic budget. I can make a budget that is reasonable, but then something comes up - car repair, or whatever. And I realize that my budget then isn't realistic if it doesn't include room for car repairs which obviously will happen.

And I find the same cycle with money that I find in most of life - I can never quite bring myself to the kind of discipline that many religious and philosophical tradtions say is the path to freedom.

Spending money is fun. Eating cheesecake is fun. Not washing the dishes tonight is relaxing, ...

I suppose these traditions would say these are not fun, just self-delusions, escapism, maybe even self- and other-harming.

But it's Saturday, so maybe I'll stop having "fun" on Monday. ;^)