How to create a realistic monthly budget
It made me
feel in control 
"Scary, but worth it in the long run."
How I did it: I used a the 'personal budget' template on my MacBook 'Number's Program. It has a user friendly lay out, much easier to use than Excel, which I never got the hang of to be honest.
Basically I just punched in the numbers for my income, and then really had to be smart with how to allocate the rest of my money in 'Expenses'. I broke all annual payments like insurance down to monthly amounts, and opened a new account to place all these monthly amounts in, so fingers crossed, when the time comes, I have the money there.
I have had to be very smart, as I live off a pension and and have had to be EXTREMELY tight, which has been saddening. But at least now I know where my money is going, and I don't have to stress that I might not have it for the necessities.
Lessons & tips: Do this.
If you need to work out amounts for specific things in the same category, open a new table and do that. (For example, it made it much simpler for me to combine all of my medicines into one category under 'prescriptions' as use in the template).
Be flexible, and review the budget regularly.
Keeping a monthly budget and sticking to it can be tough, but it definitely gives you peace of mind, and helps you achieve your financial goals, one month at a time. :)
Get a financial advisor if you need one, or a trusted friend to help out.
Resources: Numbers software from iWork
