When it comes to Personal Finance, some people look at the word �spending� as an evil and dirty word. In reality, everyone must spend in order to survive. The key is to develop spending patterns that allow a consumer to enjoy life while not spending himself into a financial hole. One of the best tools for controlling spending habits is a personal budget. With a budget that can be seen and worked with each month, it becomes easier to plan spending so that it does not get out of control.The first step to controlling spending using a budget is to determine exactly how much excess income exists each month to be spent. Excess money is the funds left over after paying all of the monthly bills and expenses, and putting aside money to reach pre-determined financial goals. One of the most