Rachel Cruze Reacts to 5 Excuses Not To Budget
Written by
Ashley Donohoe
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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Debt.com’s 2025 annual budgeting survey found that 86% of respondents used a budget, with many citing rising costs, debt, and a desire to grow their wealth and savings as popular motivators.
But others skip budgeting since they think it’s not necessary for their financial situation or are concerned about the time and effort required. Unfortunately, this can lead to living from paycheck to paycheck and not making progress toward your money goals.
In a recent YouTube video, financial expert Rachel Cruze reacted to five common excuses that people give for not budgeting. Learn why this practice is essential regardless of your finances or lifestyle.
Inconsistent Income
If you’re someone who works variable hours, earns a commission or is self-employed, having inconsistent income can turn you off from budgeting. You might worry about how complicated it would be to figure out an accurate monthly income amount for allocating your expenses.
Cruze acknowledged it can get tricky and explained she’s in the same situation with varying pay due to commission. She said you can estimate the amount for your budget and later adjust it. She also explained it’s important to be careful with your expenses when you have a less stable income.
Besides ensuring you allocate money to essentials and deprioritize other expenses, it’s smart to set aside some extra cash during your high-earning months. That way, you can use the money to cover a shortage you might have when your income is unusually low in a certain month.
Lack of Discipline
According to the Northwestern Mutual 2025 Planning & Progress Study, financial discipline was a problem for 51% of American adults. For some people, a lack of confidence that they’ll actually use and stick with a budget can be an excuse for not having one.
Whether you’ve failed at budgeting before or are anxious about making one for the first time, using a budgeting app can seem less intimidating than a traditional budget, as it does some of the hard work for you. Cruze recommended EveryDollar and highlighted it as a tool to build your budgeting skills and financial discipline.
“When you have EveryDollar Premium, then you’re able to attach it to your bank account, and it is so helpful to stay on budget and to keep up with everything,” she said.
Lack of Spousal Support
In a blog post, Cruze discussed how money often causes fights for couples and why it’s important that you and your spouse handle your finances as a team. Unfortunately, you might find that you’d love to budget but decide not to do so since your spouse dislikes the idea.
Cruze said disagreements over budgeting could indicate bigger differences you both have regarding money and your marriage in general. She encouraged addressing your conflicts to get better aligned.
But if you still have no luck convincing your spouse to budget, you can still do whatever you can to spend your family’s money more wisely and save toward goals.
High or Low Income Levels
If you earn a high salary and don’t feel financial pain, or you earn a low salary and barely have enough cash to get by, you might conclude that your income level justifies not having a budget.
“I don’t care how much money you make — you need to be budgeting,” Cruze said.
She discussed how budgeting is key to planning how you’ll spend your income and managing it effectively to meet your financial goals. High earners can benefit from the margin their excess income provides, while lower earners will see how to best maximize their money every month.
Plus, budgeting at any income level can help you avoid being part of the 52% of Americans who live paycheck to paycheck, according to the latest Ramsey State of Personal Finance Report.
Past Failed Attempts
Perhaps you’ve tried budgeting before and didn’t think it fit your lifestyle, or maybe you put in effort but gave up because you couldn’t figure out how to stick to your budget. In either case, letting these past failed attempts discourage you can lead to bigger problems down the line.
Cruze provided a few examples, such as not knowing how you spent all your money come tax time or ending up without retirement savings when you’re ready for that stage. She also explained that budgeting is crucial for control, awareness and financial health, regardless of your personality.
“You might be more of a free spirit, but don’t let that be an excuse not to budget and not to have a plan, cause you work too hard for the income you make for it to be wasted,” she said.
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