Appreciation post: My barber in Austin showed me his cash envelope system

I was getting a haircut last month and asked him about the old cigar box on his shelf. He said it was his 'car fund' and that he puts $80 cash in it from every haircut. He showed me how he has separate envelopes for rent, food, and fun money too. It made me think about how I just let my card get swiped for everything. Has anyone else tried a cash system after seeing someone else do it?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_eric22d ago

Totally get that feeling of just swiping without thinking. My uncle did the envelope thing for years and I always thought it was old school until I tried it for my grocery budget. Seeing the actual cash leave your hand makes you pause in a way a card never does. It’s kind of shocking how much more careful you become.

reed.blake22d ago

Honestly, that part about seeing cash leave your hand is so true. It reminds me of when my car's AC broke and the repair guy only took cash. Tbh, handing over that thick stack of twenties for just one thing made my stomach drop. I drove home with the windows down thinking about every takeout order I'd mindlessly bought that month. Ngl, it changed how I see small card swipes for a while.

wadeyoung22d ago

My wife and I tried cash for date nights and it cut our spending in half immediately.