Switched to a cash envelope for groceries and saved way more than I planned

I got tired of my card always going over budget at the store, so last month I took out $400 in cash for all our food. I put it in an envelope and that was it. The first week, I saw how fast the money went and started really thinking about each item. I stopped buying snacks we didn't need and planned meals around what was on sale. By the end of the month, I had $62 left in the envelope. I think seeing the physical money leave my hand made me feel the cost more than just swiping a card. It was a simple change, but it worked better than any app I've tried. Has anyone else used cash for a specific category and been surprised by the result?

3 comments

3 Comments

olivia3981mo ago

Sounds like a lot of work for sixty bucks. Swiping a card is just easier and you can still track it online. The whole envelope thing feels like a weird flex.

king.robin1mo ago

Totally get that, cash feels like play money to me too.

milacraig1mo ago

Honestly, that's a great result. But I'm curious, what was the hardest thing to stop buying? For me, it's always the fancy cheese or that extra bag of chips by the register.