Appreciation post for the envelope system saving my bacon this month

I keep seeing people on here bragging about their fancy budgeting apps and spreadsheets, but I swear the old school envelope method is better. I pulled out cash for groceries on the 1st and stuck it in a real envelope, and you know what? I stopped myself from buying that extra snack pack at the checkout line three times already. My friend Sarah laughed at me when I showed her my envelopes last week, but she also admitted she blew her eating out budget by $80 this month. I've been doing this for about 6 months now after a rough January where I overdrafted my account twice. The trick is you actually feel the money leaving your hand, which an app just can't replicate. Has anyone else tried ditching digital for paper and noticed a real difference in their spending?

2 comments

2 Comments

wendy_park7622d agoTop Commenter

Hold up, I gotta question if the envelope system is really that big of a game changer for everyone. I tried it for two months last year and honestly, carrying around cash felt more like a hassle than a help. One time I left my grocery envelope on the kitchen counter and had to borrow a ten from my roommate to get milk, which was just embarrassing. I mean, I get the whole "feeling the money leave your hand" idea, but my debit card lets me track every single transaction without keeping a wad of bills in my pocket.

margaret_chen22d ago

Ok but "left my grocery envelope on the kitchen counter" is 100% a YOU problem not a system problem haha. If you can't remember a physical envelope how's an app gonna help when you're standing in Target and can't even remember your phone password?