Debts, and Budgets, and Savings- Oh My!

So yesterday I proposed 10 new goals in honor of 10-10-10, in which I hope to spread out over the next ten weeks, each week focusing on one goal. While I'm usually bad at goal-setting and following through (I only crossed off four things on my summer list), I realized today that the next ten weeks leads up to the week of Christmas, coinciding with a week vacation in Ohio visiting family, and then the ever-dreaded New Year's Resolutions. So ten small goals over the course of ten weeks? Let's do this!

I've briefly talked about my debt before and long-followers of the blog will know that money or lack thereof has been a thorn in my side for quite some time and was a primary reason I left California nearly a year ago. Since then I've managed to move back to CA, revert right back into old financial woes, and somehow manage to finally get my head above water... but still so close to the surface that I'm blowing bubbles.

Low and behold my first goal: find ways to save money and stick to a budget. Groan- the B word- budget! Probably the one thing I'm worse at sticking to than goals. But one thing I've learned this year, if there's a will there's a way.

Why do I need a budget?

1. To save money- my current job is on a one-year contract, expiring in six months- which may mean a period of unemployment and no income. My current lease is also up in six months and since my current living situation is abominable I will be moving, which equals security deposit and furnishings
2. To track my spending- seeing is believing. $400 in bar tabs in the month of July? Yes, that's why I didn't have groceries for two weeks.
   
3. To control my debt- determining how much money beyond the minimum payment I can afford each month will help pay down debt faster
   

Why do I struggle with budgets?

1. Laziness- most of my money spent each month is on eating out, mostly because I'm too lazy to prepare my own food
   
2. Friends- my immediate group of friends seem to have a bottomless bank account, or maybe a forest of money trees in their backyard, so multiple times a week I'm getting dinner or happy hour requests. And combined with my laziness, I usually always say yes.
   
3. Boredom-this is the biggest cause of my spending, mostly on the weekends when the weather is nice. Read: day drinking at the beach = $400 bar tabs in the month of July
4. Ignorance- I like to sweep problems under the rug and pretend they don't exist. So a budget also requires a certain level of responsibility when I don't stick to it, which doesn't work out for my attitude of avoidance.
5. I'm spoiled - I admit it, I haven't ever really wanted for anything. Growing up I always had hot food on the table, new clothes every school year (and season for that matter), and pretty much anything I asked for. Then I became an adult- with a car loan, credit card debt, and student loans, in addition to rent, utilities, groceries, and... #ohmygodhowdidmyparentsdothis??
   

I'm committed to make this work- to start paying down my debts and saving money- and tackle a budget once and for all!

Do you live by a budget? How do you make it work?