When you create a budget and wind up short, what do you do?

[Bertha Venation]

I did our budget this week. I cut eating out completely. I'm thinking of stopping our yard service and borrowing a lawn mower (although there are good reasons that neither of us has any business mowing a lawn) and cutting back on drinking water (our well water sucks). I couldn't budget for health care except for meds. I tried like hell to keep saving in there, but since I'm short over $600 I don't think I can. In event of emergency, we're well and truly screwn.

This year will remain tight. Next February we have our last payment on our Corolla; that'll be a big help. Another bill will be paid off in 18 mos. But those things don't help this year.

I know how we did it in the past. This is the first serious budget I've done in years, and nothing has changed. Clearly we have been short for years, and I just don't know how we did it.

How do you cut back when you're short in your budget? What have you had to cut out?