Cash envelope system vs. tracking apps which actually changed your spending?

I used to swear by the envelope method back in 2019 when I lived in Austin, but after 3 months of forgetting to refill categories I switched to YNAB and haven't gone back. Has anyone else tried both and stuck with one longer term?

3 comments

3 Comments

paige87027d ago

Wait, you FORGOT to refill envelope cash? That's wild to me.

seth_green8524d ago

Same here, but I used to be that person who thought envelopes were the only real way to budget. YNAB totally changed my mind after I kept forgetting to grab cash or leave my card at home. Now I can see every category in real time, and honestly, I haven't missed the physical cash at all.

ellis.charles26d ago

Dude same, I started with envelopes in 2020 and lasted maybe two months. The whole running to the ATM thing got old super fast, especially when I needed cash for something random and realized my envelope category was empty. YNAB is way better for me now too, been using it for like 2 years straight and actually track every dollar. My ADHD brain just can't handle the physical system, the app keeps me more honest.