I only have a budget of $40 per pay period and I seem to go through it as if it wasn't there to begin with. It's gone before the next paycheck hits via direct deposit. That's for sure. In the past when I overspent it was for things that I thought would or could make me happy (ier) than I was at that given moment. Almost always I would be riddled with guilt or shame - depending on what I spend the money on - after the transaction was complete.