I was wrong about cash stuffing for 2 years until a $400 emergency changed my mind

Last Tuesday I had to drop $400 on a surprise car repair in Phoenix. I used my old credit card and felt that sinking feeling again. A coworker at the shop kept talking about cash stuffing envelopes for months and I always rolled my eyes. After that repair I sat down and watched a few YouTube videos on it that same night. I set up my first envelope system last Friday with just groceries and gas. Three days in and I actually stuck to my spending limit for the first time in ages. Has anyone else here switched from cards to cash after a panic moment?

3 comments

3 Comments

leodavis1mo ago

A $400 tire blowout last month finally got me to try the envelope method too.

price.gavin1mo ago

@leodavis man that's rough, love that you're taking action though. I keep a separate "car stuff" envelope that I throw $40 into every payday, it saved me when my alternator went out last year. The envelope method is honestly the only thing that's ever worked for me with budgeting. Build that sucker up for a few months and you'll feel way more chill when stuff breaks down.

milesbailey1mo ago

Man that's brutal, but glad it pushed you into the envelope game. @price.gavin is spot on about the car stuff envelope, I do the same with $30 every two weeks and it adds up fast. My transmission went out last year and I had almost $600 saved from that little habit alone. It's wild how a small amount per check can stop a big emergency from wrecking your whole month. You feel way more in control once you've got that buffer built up, right?