The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word LOW-END
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
L
O
W
-
E
N
D
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "budget" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case budget = low-end.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does LOW-END mean?
LOW-END adjective- Cheap or inexpensive; low-quality.