We find the things that kill your budget are the monthly 'contracts' for things like cell phones, cable, etc etc etc. The marketing around here has a lot of advertising for low rates for the first 6/9/12 months, after which they go up to the 'regular' rate. People sign up, then fall into the habit of paying and "having" to have the service, whatever it is and however much it costs.

I see this hitting some of my young co-workers especially hard, with them having trouble making car payments, getting calls from bill collectors, but looking at me like I'm an idiot when I suggest they drop the $100+ month cable tv service. Their reason: "but be get all the movies free" Can't convince them TANSTAAFL, or even free movies...

A yearly budget review and scrub is a good idea. How hard is it to get a new job that will pay 10% more? Probably hard. But it is probably easy to cut 10% off your spending - plus, the new $$ you have are tax free.