Tried the cash envelope system for 2 months and it actually backfired on me

I started the cash envelope thing back in October after seeing all those TikTok videos about how it saves you money. First week I felt like a genius pulling out exact cash for groceries. But then I lost my gas envelope somewhere between the couch and my car in Tucson and had to borrow from my eating out envelope. By week 3 I was running out of cash on Wednesday and just using my debit card anyway which defeated the whole point. The real kicker was I spent $47 more in October than my average month because I kept forgetting to grab envelopes and buying snacks at gas stations. Has anyone else found the envelope system just doesnt work for real life chaos or am I doing it completely wrong?

2 comments

2 Comments

white.elizabeth1d ago

Oh man, the envelope system turned into a chaotic game of "where did I put my cash" for me too! Pretty sure I spent $15 on fees from an ATM because I ran out of cash for a doctor's copay and forgot I had a $20 bill wedged in my glove compartment. Honestly, it feels like the system is designed for people who don't live with the constant threat of losing things between their car and kitchen counter.

felixb2512h ago

Did yours fall apart that fast too? Mine went to hell in about two weeks when I realized I was basically running an errand bank out of my tax return envelope. The whole system just assumes you never misplace a single slip of paper and that's just not how regular life works.