lindal13•2mo agoProlific Poster

Question about my grandma's cash envelope method versus today's apps

Tbh, I'm considering switching back to cash for my monthly budget.

3 comments

3 Comments

Switched to a cash only system for my dumb impulse buys last year and it actually fixed my brain. @the_jennifer is totally right about the physical stack making it feel more real, you just watch it disappear. Tapping a card or using an app feels like fake money, but handing over actual cash hurts way more and makes you stop and think. I still use my card for all my normal bills and the app to check where that money went. The envelope method is just for the stuff I know I have zero control over otherwise. The app shows you where you failed, but the cash makes you not fail in the first place.

daniel_martin2mo ago

Imagine going back to cash envelopes in 2024, that's wild to me. You lose an envelope or forget where you put the money for groceries, your whole system is blown. My banking app shows me where every single dollar went last month in like two seconds. You can't do that with a stack of paper.

the_jennifer2mo ago

Tried using cash for fun money last year after feeling like my card was a bottomless pit. Got the same worry you have Daniel Martin about losing track, but having that physical stack of twenties for the month actually made me spend less. Seeing the cash go down in my hand felt way more real than numbers on a screen. Sure, I keep my main bills on auto-pay through my bank for the easy tracking you like. The cash just helps me with my weak spots, like eating out or buying stuff online I don't need. It's not for everything, but for some spending it makes me stop and think twice.