Shepherds are frequently depicted with a sort of waist-pouch or satchel which are sometimes referred to as a "budget" (from the French word bougette, meaning a sack); sometimes these are called “scrips” or “wallets.”

The budget seems to have been used to carry newly-shorn wool (newly-shorn locks can be seen poking out of a shepherd’s budget in Bronzino’s Adoration of the Shepherds) or other goods; sometimes a flute appears tucked between a shepherd's hip and the budget.

In some cases, it appears that the budget appears to be a sort of net bag; in others, leather.

Following are budgets as they appear in period illustrations and artwork.

• Samuel and Jesse, The Maciejowski Bible, 13th century
• The Adoration of Jesus by the Master of the Trebon Altarpiece, before 1380
• Ozias kills Amos, Bible historiale (BNF Fr. 4, fol. 123v), beginning of the 15th century
• Jacob increases his herd, Bible historiale (BNF Fr. 9, fol. 32v), beginning of the 15th century
• Shepherd keeping his sheep, Breviary of Martin of Aragon (BNF ROTH 2529, fol. 145), 15th century
• Tristan and the shepherds, Tristan de Léonois (BNF Fr. 97, fol. 136v), first quarter of the 15th century
• Pan (fol. 108) and a shepherdess (fol. 221), Collected Works of Christine de Pisan (British Library MS Harley 4431), 1410-1414
• July in the Tres Riches Heures of the Duke of Berry, 1410s
• Annunciation to the Shepherds, book of hours (Bibl. Sainte-Geneviève, MS 1277, fol. 053), c. 1433-1465
• The Birth of Christ by Hans Multscher, 1437
• Flute-playing contest between Menalcas and Dametas with Palemon as judge (fol. 20r), Mopsus and Menalcas about to play a song eulogizing Daphnis (fol. 25r), flute-playing contest between Corydon and Thyrsis with Daphnis as judge (fol 30r), Virgil's Opera Omnia, ca. 1450-1475 (KB 76 E 21 I)
• Joseph is sold by his brothers (fol. 21) and Cyrus II the Great is given to a shepherd (fol. 172v), Fleur des histoires (BNF Fr. 55), second half of the 15th century
• Asclepios contemplates the basilisk, The History of Troy (BNF Fr. 59, fol. 31v), second half of the 15th century
• A shepherdess in the Rohan Hours (BNF Lat. 9471, fol. 85v)
• St. Laumer gives alms to pilgrims, Speculum Historiale (BNF Fr. 51, fol. 437v), 1463
• Annunciation, a book of hours (PML M.1003, fol. 82v), c. 1465
• fol. 63v detail in the Book of Hours of Paul Overtvelt, c. 1475
• The Portinari Triptych (see detail) by Hugo van der Goes, 1476-1479
• Adoration of the Magi by Gerard David, c. 1500
• Tapestry: The labors of wool, c. 1500
• A shepherd and shepherdess in Pierre Sala's Petit Livre d'Amour (British Library MS Stowe 955, fol. 9), c. 1500
• The Paumgartner Altar (see detail) by Albrecht Dürer, 1503
• The Annunciation to the Shepherds in the Great Book of Hours of Anne of Brittany (BNF Latin 9474, fol. 58v), c. 1503-1508
• Life of the Virgin: The Adoration of the Shepherds by Albrecht Dürer, 1504-1505
• Shepherd dancing from a book of hours, first quarter of the 16th century (MMW, 10 E 3 fol. 85v)
• April (fol. 9v) and June in a book of hours (British Library Egerton 1147), c. 1500
• Triptych by Jan de Beer, 1510s
• Two shepherds, early 16th century
• Fols. 4v and 5r of the Hennessy Book of Hours, c. 1530-1540
• Adoration of the Shepherds by Agnolo Bronzino, 1535-40
• Adoration of the Shepherds by Pieter Pourbus, 1574