The cash envelope system, with or without cash

Three envelopes after some spending

Illustrative USD amounts. Replace them with your own costs.

Groceries

$140remaining$350 planned
$210 spent

Transport

$40remaining$120 planned
$80 spent

Extras

$30remaining$80 planned
$50 spent

These are example category balances, not three separate bank balances. A transfer between envelopes needs an equal decrease and increase.

1Choose the costs to manage

Start with flexible categories such as groceries or extras. Keep automatic bills and required payments covered separately.

Assign money to each envelope after reviewing bills and other commitments. A binder or special account is optional; clear amounts are what matter.

Write down card purchases too if using paper balances. Cash withdrawn for envelopes is not another expense on top of the purchases you record.

Review what remains before spending more. If you move $20 into groceries, remove $20 from another available category and record both changes.

Edit the free worksheet for your own income and costs. Download it without joining a list.

Is cash stuffing different?

Cash stuffing usually means filling physical envelopes with the planned amounts. The category-limit method can also be used without physical cash.

Does this page connect to a bank?

No. It explains the method and links to a planning worksheet. It does not open accounts, move funds or sync balances.