<prompt> Human: GAS - 50 dollars..ok I can deal. Oops...oil change: 20 bucksCRAP - need new tires: 300 bucksoh, now its my cousinsgrandmasgrandpasfriendfriendfriendfriendfriendfriendfriendmomdadbrothersisteraunts bd - need to get them something. OH - like 7 weddings this summer. giftslodgingetc. WHAT! my copays went up! and I need a full blood panel...150 buckslightbulb died, screen door broke, headlight broke, laptop crashed, costco membership due, AAA membership due, TOILET PAPER, oh, coworkers out for networking lunch...have to go...and so on and so on. I sit here and make chili using dried beans, bulk spices, and wal-mart meat for 1.99 a pound and eat it everday, while keeping my house at 60 degrees all at times in order to save money, a while ALL the random stuff that keeps coming up Above just puts me back to square one in my budget or behind. I wish I could control it, but feel like I cant. Or maybe aI could, but I would seem like a cheap-ass sorry friend, I cant come to your weddding because I dont want to spend 200 bucks on travel and lodging, instead Ill send you this card I made for you since I also did not want to spend 40 bucks on a wedding present. How do you people control those seemingly random expenses? or ones related to birthdaysweddings etc? where you feel like you have a friendsocial obligation to go? How do you balance things in life that really matter friendshipsetc with your finances?  <response>: Control might be the wrong word. I think prepare is better. This is why I love YNAB more than other budgeting systems Ive used. I create envelopescategories for irregular things that you mentioned: AAA, Costco, oil changes, etc. Right now Im setting aside 4.59 every month for my Costco membership renewal, and I love knowing that when the time comes, Ill already have the funds sitting there earmarked for it. Every time a new expense comes up that I didnt anticipate, I pay it, but I also create a new category for it, so it wont catch me by surprise next time. Find a system that works for you, but keep track of all of these now, so that next year if they come up you are more prepared. 