Some people hear the word budget and cringe! They think a budget is something that holds you back and keeps you from living the life you want.

Not these EveryDollar budgeters.

When they hear the word budget . . . their eyes light up. They see opportunities everywhere. They have permission to spend, save and give to their heart’s desire. The world is their oyster!

But hey, don’t take our word for it. Check out what these EveryDollar budgeters are doing because their budget said they could.

Money conversations can often drive a wedge between couples. There’s usually a nerd who is nearly as dedicated to the numbers as they are to their spouse. And then there’s a free spirit who gets chills down their spine if they even hear the word “budget.”

But Hailey and Isaiah found that the couple who budgets together, sticks together.

“Besides us getting out of debt, the best thing that has come out of this is the communication skills and growth,” Hailey said.

If you’ve ever budgeted with a spreadsheet, you know how time-consuming and complicated it can be. You have to create everything from scratch, use complex formulas, and keep a stack of receipts around so you can update the budget whenever you get a moment to yourself.

Like that’s going to happen any time soon!

Thankfully, you can kiss those spreadsheets goodbye. EveryDollar does the heavy lifting for you, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the money you’re saving.

But don’t take our word for it. Check out what these budgeters said when we asked them why they prefer EveryDollar over those complicated spreadsheets.

When Katie B. from Zanesville, Ohio, left the corporate world for a new career as a high school business teacher, she knew the 50% drop in her pay would require some financial adjustments.

Having followed in her dad’s footsteps to a career in business, Katie found the work took too much time away from her family. In an effort to reclaim her schedule while still pursuing her passion for business, she decided to teach instead.

Ah, saving money. Whether you call it a nest egg, a stash, or a rainy day fund, most of us feel comforted by having an extra cushion between us and life’s next emergency. But following through with building up that stockpile of cash can be easier said than done.

If your emergency fund is currently at zero, begin adding to it little by little. You might be surprised at how soon you reach your savings goal. You can do it!

Our EveryDollar budgeters, armed with the power of their budgets in hand, are creating their own savings goals. And it’s paying off! We asked them to share their words of wisdom when it comes to saving money.