Tried the envelope system for groceries last month and wound up $40 under budget

I always thought cash envelopes were for people who couldn't handle a card. But I was dropping $120 a week on food easy with debit. So I pulled out $80 in cash last month and stuck to it. Ended up with $40 left over at the end. Didn't even feel like I was cutting back. Has anyone else found cash just makes you pause before buying random stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

betty_park628d ago

It's weird how handing over actual bills makes you think twice about every little thing. I did the same thing with my eating out budget and ended up with money left over too.

emma_burns968d ago

Yeah, the 'think twice' thing is real. My friend Jen tried the cash envelope thing and said she actually stood at the store debating if a bag of chips was worth parting with a $5 bill for like a full minute. She never did that with her card, but now she's got an extra $50 at the end of the month.

oliverbailey5d ago

Used to think cash was old-school too, honestly. But trying it out made me realize how much I was just throwing money at stuff without really thinking about it. Kind of wild how a physical bill slows you down compared to swiping a card.