Er, well, alright.
Budgeting isn't just... numbers. It's a way to examine oneself to see what is meaningful to you and what is not. A meaningful life is built from meaningful actions, and one way to examine and even quantify meaningful actions is through a budget.
On the practical front, even if one is mired in debt, it can help minimize the downward slide. And especially when one is in debt, those actions matter even more. After all, you're not just going into X dollars in debt, but that's X dollars plus interest you have to pay, compounded over how ever many years it will take to pay that off, minus whatever opportunity costs that has been wasted because you couldn't afford it because you are in debt.
Budgeting matters all the time, regardless of financial situations. Even if civilization as we know it implodes in 2012, I would still set up a budget to ration the number cans of spam I have left. Know what I mean?
As for cast studies, I'll pretty much preach to anybody who is willing to listen. I know that, over the years, my friends have gotten a smattering of it here or there. I try not to force my point of view, but I'll gladly share it if they ask.