Creating a budget is a tried-and-true method of making sure you are living within your means and still have some cash left over for savings. Now look—I'm not saying you need to stop eating out and start eating the same thing every single day—or stop going out to bars and start making your own homebrew (although that could be a fun hobby). But I am saying that you should have a good idea of how much you spend on everything in your life—and structure it so that you are in control of your budget, instead of the other way around.