Past experience with zero-based budgeting, both in Britain and in America, has been disappointing.

ECONOMIST: Public spending

In the early 1970s, then-Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter used zero-based budgeting as a way to focus on justifying every dollar that was being spent in the state government.

FORBES: We can do better than 0-58

The top Tea Party priority right now should be to replace baseline budgeting with this zero-based or family budgeting.

FORBES: A Budget Cutting Deal That Boosts Federal Spending

There are other software and web-based programs available for budgeting, tracking and analysis.

FORBES: How to Manage Your Personal Cash Flow

Overall, the government is budgeting more money for the new, cash-based benefits than it currently spends on the old system.

ECONOMIST: For richer or for poorer? | The