Angst over a BUDGET exercise (in futility)

I've had a busy few weeks lately. We've been crazy busy at work with census high and getting ready for the move to our new unit. I've also been busy with school.....the class I've been working on is Health Finance and Organization and I have to make a budget for a health promotion activity. Really?!? Apparently these people do not know me. I am not exactly well-versed in budgeting! Spending, now there's a topic I have mastered! Sigh.

This class is worth one credit.....I have spent an eternity on it. Finally called the instructor and told her I was struggling with this whole budget thing. I've lived in the non-profit world for too long.....I'm a master at finding ways around spending money.....unless, of course, it's my own--then I overspend......Sigh. She laughed at me. Told me to get over it....it's an exercise to see if I understand the concept.....Hello!!!!! Was she not listening to me?!? I do get it, I really do. Fixed expenses are the ones we're forced to pay if we want life to continue as we know it.....mortgage/rent, condo association dues; variable expenses are the ones that may still come every month, but may not be the same amount: food, clothing (always high--especially if shoes are involved), utilities (also high with this endless winter we are having.....well, and my perpetual personal summer....sigh); controllable expenses (here's where I have a problem.....I can't control my spending--maybe that's not the same?) are ones you determine how much you'll spend (until it's gone, duh!); uncontrollable expenses (shoes? bags?--not sure); and unrecoverable expenses which I think, really, are all of them because once the money's gone....it's GONE! Sooooo, I finally said "screw it" and just made something up. Big surprise....I ended up in the hole. Sigh. I talked to my student mentor about it and told her I ended up in the hole. You know, you'd think I would be used to getting laughed at over a budget by now, but..... She did make a good point....I can make up the numbers, so I just need to add to the grant money for my project. Wouldn't it be great if it really worked that way?!?......"Honey, I'm sorry I bought yet another pair of shoes, but I just added a bigger amount to the checking account to cover it. What? No, I didn't add money.....I just increased the amount!"