I often liken budgets and saving to dieting.  If someone tells you that all you can eat is salad for the rest of your life, you are unlikely to stick to that permanently.  And like healthy eating is a lifelong journey, so is healthy finances.

One of the most successful dieting strategies that is used by Body for Life, Patrick Holford and many others is that one day a week is an ‘off day’.  Eat healthy for six days, have one day off.  This gives you the discipline during the 6 days to know that on day 7 you can eat whatever you want.

For all my clients I recommend an OLLI fund – One Life, Live It.  Each of you get a certain amount of money each month that you can spend on whatever you want – no questions asked by the other.  Lunch with the girls?  Save for a Handbag?  A new iPad?

If you want to stick to a budget, make sure there’s an amount each month that you can blow, no questions asked!