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Swapped to a cash envelope system after 5 years of trying budgeting apps
I used to just swipe my card everywhere and then wonder where $400 went each month, but since January I've been pulling out cash for groceries and eating out and suddenly I actually stick to my numbers. Has anyone else found that physically handing over money makes it harder to overspend?
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sarahhart20d ago
Read somewhere that people actually spend 20-30% less when using cash because of that physical pain of handing it over. The brain just treats a swipe or a tap like it's free money.
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the_lisa20d ago
The thing about "sticking to your numbers" is that it's more about the feeling of loss than the tracking itself. Cash makes you physically part with something, so your brain registers the expense way more than tapping a card. That said, you still need to track where the cash goes or you might end up short by the end of the month without knowing why.
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