Appreciation post: I thought the 'cash envelope' thing was just for extreme cases, but using it for my $200 weekly grocery budget completely stopped my overspending.

I was convinced it was a hassle until my friend in Denver showed me her system, and now I actually have money left from that category for the first time in... maybe ever... anyone have other categories where this works well for them?

3 comments

3 Comments

stone.barbara2mo ago

You mentioning the grocery budget really hits home. I did the same thing with my "fun money" for the month. I was always blowing through it on little online orders without even feeling it. Now I pull out that cash and keep it in my wallet, and when it's gone, I'm done. Makes you really stop and ask, do I want this coffee or do I want to save for a movie later?

mason_stone92mo ago

Yeah that cash thing really works, @stone.barbara. I used to think it was old-school but it actually makes you think twice before spending.

the_wendy1mo ago

Cash envelopes work best for categories where you spend without thinking. I use them for dining out and gas, two areas where I used to just swipe my card without a second thought. Pulling out that physical cash makes each purchase feel real instead of just numbers on a screen.