There are going to be some big changes happening in the Plaidfuzz household this week. One of those changes will be to our finances! We have definitely tightened the belt and trimmed expenses this year, but we are still spending more money than we need to, simply because we aren’t keeping track of it.
Before I got married I followed the Dave Ramsey system and used cash in envelopes. We have decided to go back to the envelope system, and do a written budget. We are challenging ourselves to really trim our grocery budget, and only spend on essentials for a year.
There is something about writing things down on paper that not only makes them a goal, it helps to keep you accountable. I spent some time developing a printable monthly budget, and I am sharing it for free today! Everyone will have different categories, but this is a basic one to get you started, with a few extra lines to write in any additional expenses. Download it here or click the picture below.
The first month is always the hardest, because I never know which paycheck I should start with, do I withdraw all the cash at once or add it in paycheck by paycheck … But we get a system worked out pretty quickly.
If you are new to a cash envelope system, what questions and concerns do you have? If you are an old hat at the system, what advice do you have for someone just starting out?
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