A portable budgeting apparatus includes a housing with a display and input device coupled thereto. The apparatus includes an electronic memory device and processor. The processor includes programming for storing budget categories and respective modifiable money and priority values in the memory device for each budget category. Upon selection of a respective budget category and input of an expenditure value, the programming includes modifying the money value of a respective expenditure value by subtracting the expenditure value from the selected category's money value and, if the expenditure value is greater than the selected category's money value, subtracting the difference between the selected category's money value and the expenditure value from the money value of a respective category that has a money value greater than zero and a priority value that is lower than a priority value of all other the budget categories having money values greater than zero.