We have tried and tried to budget - but something always manages to goes wrong

As for spending money without "permission" I just don't do it. We have one account into which all our pay goes and our payments come from ... the only thing we spend money on without checking are essentials: groceries, petrol, work-necessities. If I went ahead and bought what I wanted, we'd be living in a tent with alot of musical instruments!

That works for us, but doesn't work for everyone. Just something to ponder on