Have never been able to make a budget work, however, we don't use credit, so when the cash is gone, the spending stops! Have often bought just a few fat quarters at a quilt shop of fabric store, and they do mount up. But now I have several projects ahead, so haven't bought any for a while. When I did the marathon of two 90 X 106 flannel quilts for Christmas presents last year, I bought way too much flannel, so I still have enough left to make one for my brother this year.

I am not on a budget but I am careful how I buy usually wait for 50% sales I also get a lot of scraps given to me by some of my quilting friends that don't want them. Often I end up making runners, wallhangings, scrap quits,etc just from what I am given!

We own a car wash and I was having to clean out the vacuums I was useing the money I found in those to buy my stash(some will think thats gross) but $150.00 a month buys a lot of fabric.

I haven't done this for fabric but oh boy, it worked for the county fair!! With 4 kids in tow (a friend for each) I would put x amount in my pocket, tell the kids what was there and they had to prioritize. They did very well and when I turned my pocket inside out and it was empty they didn't whine one bit!!

I cut down on fabric buying about 3 years ago because of the economy. I just do not go to quilt stores any more. Also I started using lesser expensive fabrics especially for backs and buying or trading for fabrics off this list and ebay. I really try to use stash and be creative.

The best thing I did recently to save money was to sort out my stash and organise it all into clear boxes. I found so many fabrics that I had forgotten about...it really was like having a huge shopping spree for new fabrics in my own sewing room !
Now it is organised it made me realise how much I had stock piled. I am using it much more and am not going off to buy more than I need....

I used to have a hard time controlling my spending. A while ago I wanted to be a better steward of what we've been given. So I told my husband that I wanted an allowance. I get my cash every payday and use it for my books, fabric, etc. If it's a gift for someone, the general fund pays for it. If I just want it, I pay for it. It works very well. I think more about my purchases and don't feel guilty for what I spend.

I'm also wondering if this is your fabric budget or your household budget? I use an envelope system for our household budget. Have envelopes for groceries, eating out, etc. When out of cash - out of spending. Extras I put in a different envelope for special purchases - like fabric! I keep a spiral with a page for each month's expenses and write down everything we spend. A good resource is Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover - look for it in your local library.

Yup, budget, we use quicken on the computer and each week a certain amount of money goes towards each bill. I get paid weekly and sometimes have overtime, husband gets paid every other week and is salaried so it never changes. We automatically have some put right away into the savings account (we have direct deposit) so we never see it in the checking account. And we both take a set amount each week for misc. expenses and I take whatever is leftover and put in the "fabric fund". If we have overtime or extra budget money it normally goes into the "rainy day fund" then when we need work done on cars etc the money comes out of that. We tend to spend cash only. Good Luck with the budget.

We both came from poor families,with stay at home Moms (so was I),so basically we learned early on that "when the money is spent,we don't have more to spend".
When the kids were home, we lived tight with a dollar.Now we're empty nesters, but still don't splurge on basics.The bills are payed 1st & what's left goes into savings.I use a bank card for on line purchases,so that's payed from savings when I hit the buy button.
Several yrs back I started cutting back on all quilty "stuff".Every new ruler,notion or fabric is thought about....do I really need that,do I already have it in stash? New throws/quilts are made with at least 60% stash.Love LQS fabric, but only at 50% or more off.
We have a life to live & not all spending money will ever go on quilting.He has a hobby,we like to eat out & at least once a yr,we travel to Fl to see family.