Looking to implement a cash budget? Try making these adorable DIY reusable cash budget envelopes.

A couple of years back I attended Financial Peace University at my church back home. It was a life-changing 10-week eye-opener to money. I’ve still struggled with budgets and money management since acquiring all that knowledge, but I’m determined to put it into action.

I’ve made great progress, and with the help of the whole30 cutting out fast food, I’m energized and inspired to keep on keeping my spending under control.

A big part of the teaching is to use a cash budget because spending actual cash hurts more than tapping your card. One of my biggest annoyances with trying to implement a cash budget is the fact the envelopes for each category always fall apart and the change gets lost so quickly. Last year I had the idea to DIY some simple reusable cash budget envelopes – I even put it on my 26×27 list. This weekend, I set to work, started cutting, and made some great envelopes!

They’re made out of ribbon and vinyl, and feature a receipt pocket, bill pocket, and a change pouch. They fasten with a little snap and the change pouch has a zipper. Since I’ll still be using my budget app on my phone, I didn’t include anywhere to track where I spend the cash as I’ll be inputting it on my phone.

The budget envelope breakdown:

While I won’t be using them for all the categories very granularly, for example, I won’t have a “clothing” envelope, as I don’t often buy myself new clothes. I’ve simplified it to three categories that will get their own envelope:

1. Groceries
2. Gas
3. Allowance

The allowance envelope will include all miscellaneous purchases. Starbucks, fast food, clothes. Anything out of the regularly budgeted items. I’ll still be paying a lot of my bills online. But as far as other spending, it’ll all be out of these envelopes.

After the first one, my mom and sister wanted a set too!

The pieces for your DIY reusable cash budget envelopes:

To make them, I didn’t follow any sort of pattern… I just kind of had the mechanics in my head and went to town on the sewing machine. Here are the approximate size pieces I cut (including seam allowance):

• four 5.5″ x 4.5″ pieces of vinyl
• one 11″ x 8″ piece of vinyl
• one 5″ x 8″ piece of vinyl
• one 8″ x 8″ piece of vinyl
• two 8″ pieces of ribbon
• one 11″ piece of ribbon

I also used a 7″ zipper (though the pouch is only about 4″ wide; and 1/2 inch metal snaps.

If you make these reusable cash budget envelopes, or better yet, are able to create a pattern, be sure to send me the link! I’d love to be able to include it here.

How do you guys budget? What has worked for you? I’d love to hear all your suggestions.