I’m struggling to find a budgeting app that works for me. Most apps track spending, but I need to designate a use for each dollar and see it in a clean, mobile-friendly interface. Envelope budgeting is close, but I need the money to feel truly separated.
Years ago, I used a physical envelope system, cashing checks and allocating funds manually, which worked great. But now, with automatic bill payments and credit cards, that’s not practical. Despite trying multiple envelope budget apps, none feel “real” to me, especially with my ADHD. If I forget a transaction, it messes up the whole system.
I need an app where I can allocate money into virtual envelopes and move it to my checking account when needed, even if it means changing my direct deposit or paying transfer fees. Any suggestions?
I never had a bank account. Instead, I would always go to Walmart to cash my checks and relied on a physical envelope system to manage my money. Each paycheck, I would divide the cash into different envelopes for my various expenses. Whenever I needed to use it, I would simply reach into the envelope and retrieve what I needed. I had a fantastic experience with this.
Based on my research, here is how I can set up an effective envelope budget system to help separate and manage my money: To start, I’ll determine my monthly take-home pay and create spending categories like rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, entertainment, and savings. I’ll then allocate a specific cash amount for each category and label physical envelopes accordingly. Whenever I need to make a purchase, I’ll take the money directly from the corresponding envelope. This makes it easy to visually track how much I have left in each category and prevents me from overspending. Any leftover funds at the end of the month can either roll over to the next month or be transferred to a savings envelope. The key is sticking to only using the cash in each envelope - no dipping into other categories. This hands-on, cash-based approach helps me stay accountable and develop better spending habits. While it requires more upfront effort, an envelope budget system is an effective way for me to take control of my finances and ensure my money is allocated properly each month.
That’s precisely what I do. To keep things even more distinct, I occasionally transfer gas money to my preferred gas app or wallet on payday to ensure it’s there and taken care of. The same is true for grocery funds. This is the closest mechanism to envelopes that I could find.