A device, system, and method are directed towards managing limited resources in a computer system with multiple processing units. Each processing unit has a corresponding bucket. Each thread executing on a processing unit has a corresponding wallet. Buckets and wallets contain credits corresponding to units of the limited resource. When a request for the resource is made, mechanisms of the invention attempt to fulfill the request by looking in a local wallet, a local bucket, or non-local buckets. In a resource shortage situation, credits may be moved to a primary bucket. A load balancing mechanism may distribute credits among buckets, or move credits from wallets to buckets.