The budget is made, we write down what we spend and we limit our purchases to necessities only. That usually lasts for the first couple of weeks or even a few months before the checkbook springs a leak.

It starts off so minor that I don’t notice the problem. At the end of the month there is just a few dollars less to put into the savings account. Eventually there will be even less at the end of the month until a deficit begins to show up. It doesn’t take long to uncover the leak and the sooner we find it the less damage that will be done.

1. Fast food purchases – one meal hear and one meal there starts to add up. The convenience of not having to cook or clean is enticing and the more we do it the more we want to do it. The irony is that most of the time I can have something on the table almost as fast as we can go through the fast food line.

2. Impulse purchases – picking up a water or soda while filling up the car, getting some snack food while buying groceries or that new purse that I’ve needed but didn’t budget for this month can all steal a just enough from the budget to do damage.

3. New costs – items add up during the year but they don’t always get added on to the budget. One item not budgeted for can put a drain on the finances.

The best thing to do when the money starts to run low is to evaluate the plan. There are times when the budget gets a once over every month in our home and there are times when we go half a month without a worry. Keeping an eye on the bottom line will help you find the leak in your finances before it puts you into a hole.