budgeting

[nigel_gnucash-devel@unos.net]

On  1 Oct, Josh Sled wrote:
> On Mon, Oct 01, 2001 at 04:04:12PM -0700, nigel_gnucash-devel@unos.net wrote:
<snip>
> | I want to know if, given the
> | constraints that *I* have set, I can afford to buy a DVD player this
> | month without adversely affecting my ability to pay rent, buy groceries,
> | etc.
> 
> What are the nature of the constraints?
<snip>

and

On  2 Oct, Robert Graham Merkel wrote:
> On Tue, 02 Oct 2001 11:01:21 Phillip Shelton wrote:
<snip>
>> Defining your constraints so that the computer can read and deal with
>> then
>> is going to be one of the harder first steps.
> 
> Sorry to come in a little late into the debate, but this argument needs
> to be taken a little further.  Those constraints need to be
> specifiable in a way that's accessible to most gnucash users (and our
> intended audience is not made up exclusively of engineers and
> programmers).  If you can't come up with a simple way to specify
> constraints (and any other information you need to make the budget
> do its thing), it's not going to get used.
<snip>

My take on this whole constraints discussion will be clearer when I
finish the "bucket system" description.  I don't claim that it's "the
way", but I do think it makes sense for most casual users, and while
it's somewhat complicated to explain, it's really quite simple to use.

My wife understands it perfectly, and she was an English
Literature/Sociology major in college, and a social worker/tech writer
after.  >)

On  1 Oct, Josh Sled wrote:
<snip>
> Is that decision made with knowledge of [available] lines of credit?
> Should the budgeting system [be able to] tell you: "if you charge it,
> but you don't have enough savings ATM".
> 
> If you plan to buy the DVD 6-months in advance, should the budgeting
> system encourage/help you to save up that money for it?
> What about Christmas gifts?
> Or a vacation?

Wait for my "bucket system" description.  I don't consider either of
those features to be functions of the budget subsystem itself, but
rather the responsibility of the user defining the constraints.  If I
want to save for something, I need to set my budget appropriately.  And
if the "bucket system" is used properly, it discourages you from
spending money you don't have, which I think is usually a reasonable
decision.  (Don't worry, impulse buyers - my conception of a budget
subsystem merely tells you you've spent more than you have, it doesn't
actually *prevent* you from doing so.)

I'm swamped tonight.  Hopefully the "bucket system" description will be
finished tomorrow.  I just need to finish the example and make sure it
makes sense...

Nato