Cash Budgeting...Why it works for us

Budget...this word alone makes me cringe.

Mr J and I have recently started a cash budget. I dreaded every moment of it, but actually I have come to love it! We have saved so much money in the last month just by using cash! I thought this would be hard for us as we NEVER had cash on us before. But instead for me it has became a game and I do not impulse buy near as much anymore! (Don't get me wrong, I still buy a few impulse items every now and then) We have a set amount that we can spend on groceries, gas, clothes, entertainment, eating out, etc each week. I came home from grocery shopping today wondering why in the world we spent so much on groceries before. I believe it has to do with impulse buying. Take today for example. This week for my lunch I bought bologna (not because it is cheap...which it isn't anymore, almost $4, but I wanted bologna). I had bologna and bread on my list but did not have chips. But I really wanted chips. So, I add the prices of my groceries up as I go along and I told myself if we were well under budget I could get my chips. And we were, so I did. Before I would have just bought the chips and probably 30 other things that "looked" good but were not on my planned out list. This sounds like you are being deprived, but I promise you will not be. (I also got brownies and a magazine, that were not on my list, but we were so under budget so I could! And still came in under budget!!) Grocery shopping on a cash budget is more work, but it has become such a game and I love it. Not to add that we are saving major money to put towards a bigger house! I invite you to join us in using a cash budget and see the money build up faster in your savings!