Envelope system isn't better than a simple spreadsheet for me

I tried the envelope system for 3 months after everyone in this group raved about it, but tracking cash in envelopes just felt clunky... I switched back to a shared Excel sheet with my husband and we've stuck with it for over a year now. The key difference is we both check it every Sunday morning and adjust our $200 grocery budget together. Has anyone else found a digital method works better for their household than the popular envelope approach?

2 comments

2 Comments

jordan_webb4911d ago

I read somewhere that the envelope system actually fails for a lot of couples because it doesn't build in a joint review process like you're doing. Your Sunday check-in sounds way more practical for staying on the same page without the cash hassle.

simon_coleman11d ago

Has anyone tried just doing the Sunday check-in with a whiteboard? We did that for a while before switching to an app. @jordan_webb49 you're right about the envelope thing. My brother and his wife tried it but she kept forgetting to refill categories by Monday. The real trick is just picking one system and sticking with it for a solid three months before deciding if it works.