Envelope System

Managing a successful budget can take time and patients. Also, a lot of discipline. I am not great at budgeting. See my budgeting motto has always been only spend money when necessary and buy everything on a really amazing sale or at a garage sell. It's worked fine because we have never been in unnecessary debt. We have tried a 'regular' budget where we write everything down, but I always forget to record everything and hubby doesn't always tell me what he has spent. So basically I needed to think outside of the box for our family.
I have had so many people tell me how they are able to save so much money with the envelope system. I thought I would try it; however, I have lost my wallet and purse more then I care to admit and I don't fill comfortable caring around that much cash.
Here is my solution. We use our credit card like a debit card and pay it off every month. That way we get the free perks from earning points (cash back in our case). So we make money by using our credit card instead of debit card.

I bought a note book and put these cute tabs on the side with the different categories for our budget.

I carry this little note book around in my purse where ever I go. But like the envelope system I have an allotted amount I can spend on each category. When that money is used up, we go without;) We do it week by week. This way takes a little more discipline, but doesn't require caring around so much cash.



















Every time I spend money I immediately (like still standing in the check out line immediately) write it down under the category.

Now for the fix for hubby. He's busy, he doesn't want a bulky note book in his pocket or white coat. Solution, every time he purchases something he texts me the amount and what category to put it under. Then I add it to the portable budget keeper;) And that's it. It works for us and doesn't require caring around a lot of cash.