12
Pro tip: I used to blow my whole check at the mall until a rainy Tuesday at the food court changed my mind
I was sitting in the food court at the Westgate Mall about five years ago, staring at a $12 soggy sandwich and three empty shopping bags. My bank app alert popped up showing I had $47 left for the next two weeks. That feeling was worse than the sandwich. I had just gotten paid and it was already gone. I sat there and wrote down every single thing I bought that day on a napkin. A $60 jacket I didn't need, a $25 video game, lunch, a coffee. It added up to over $100 in a few hours. I started using cash envelopes for fun money after that. I give myself $40 in real cash for stuff like that now, and when it's gone, I'm done. Has anyone else had a single dumb moment that finally made a budget click for them?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
dakota_nelson4315d ago
Man that "napkin budget" idea is so real lol. I used to think budgeting was for people who were already rich or something. But seeing it all written out like that, just a few dumb things wrecking your whole check, that's what got me. I had a similar moment buying some dumb tool I never ended up using. Now I just take out a set amount of cash for the week and that's it. When the wallet's empty, I'm done spending. Makes it way harder to mess up.
6
jordan7715d ago
That "napkin budget" moment hits so hard. The cash envelope thing is legit the only way I can control my impulse buys now.
3