If a budget makes you feel depressed, then you can try other ways to budget. Here are a few ideas;

1) Try post-budgeting or creating a budget for the previous month, just to see how you did. This removes some of the pressure of creating a budget for the future that you have to live up to.

2) Try creating a budget with ranges for the amounts. That way to don’t have to hit an exact number, just somewhere within a range. For example, you could say that your food budget is between 200-300 per month or your savings in between 50-100 per month.

3) Try easing into a budget. Suddenly living on a budget after years of spending without a care can be a shock to anyone. Try setting a goal to migrate into a budget over a one year period. The first 6-month, just track your expenses and see where you are spending your money without putting any pressure on yourself to change. Then, in the next 3-months, start a list of things that you could change and the following 3-months begin to change your spending. By the end of the year, you will know how you are spending your money and will be more confident in creating a budget.

Even thought budgeting can be difficult, it is still one of the best methods for getting a hold on your finances.