Are you familiar with Dave Ramsey’s envelope system? It’s a basic way of budgeting that will help you live below your means. You start each month with a written budget and put cash in various envelopes based on how much you’ve allocated. For instance, you might have a “groceries” envelope and inside you would have the cash you’ve set aside for your grocery budget. When you buy groceries you pull out that envelope and use the cash that’s inside. When the money is gone, it’s gone– no more spending.
If you’re thinking about instituting the envelope system at your home, here is another incentive to do it. Kelleigh from Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs is offering up free templates and a tutorial for making your own envelope system using scrapbook paper you may already have around the house. Simply print out Kelleigh’s templates and follow her instructions so that you can create a beautiful and organized envelope system like she did:
If you’d rather buy an envelope system that is ready to go you can pick one up through Dave Ramsey’s site for $19.95. Crown Financial Ministries also sells a Cash Organizer with 12 tear-resistant envelopes inside an expanding file. It’s on sale right now for $15. Of course, you could also use plain old envelopes you’ve got stashed in your desk, or even envelopes from bills you receive that are paid online. It doesn’t matter what you use as long as you stick with the plan.