I thought the 'cash envelope' thing was just for people who couldn't handle a debit card, but putting $400 in an envelope for groceries last month stopped me from buying a $12 jar of fancy pickles.

Has anyone else had a system they mocked actually work for them?

2 comments

2 Comments

Oh man, I totally get this! I used to laugh at the idea of a paper planner, swore by my phone calendar. But I started writing tasks down in a cheap notebook and it just clicks in my brain differently. Actually seeing the list and crossing it out stops me from forgetting little stuff. That physical barrier, like your envelope with cash, makes you pause and think twice. It’s wild how a simple switch can fix a spending or planning habit you didn’t even fully see.

andrew_kelly1mo ago

Honestly though, is forgetting little stuff really that big of a deal? Tbh my phone reminders work fine and I don't lose the notebook. It feels like making a simple thing into a whole project. Ngl I tried the paper thing and it just made more clutter for me to keep track of. The envelope thing seems like a hassle when a card works fine. Maybe some people just like the extra steps.