Let’s be honest: sticking to budget is tough. Especially in the world of online shopping and credit cards.
(Which is probably why the average American has $6,194 in credit card debt.)
But sticking to a budget gets a whole lot easier when using cash envelope templates and the cash envelope system.
And in this post, I’ll go over what the cash envelope system is and give you over 15 free printable cash envelope template pdfs that you can download right now.
Which means in just a few minutes, you could be well on your way to financial peace and freedom by setting up your own cash envelope system.
Table of Contents
What is the Cash Envelope System?
While popularized by Dave Ramsey, the cash envelope system has been around since there were both cash and envelopes.
It’s a simple cash-based system that makes it easier to spend less, stick to a budget, and take control of your finances.
Instead of making purchases with a debit or credit card, you use cash for all variable expenses that you run the risk of overspending.
For example, groceries, eating out, clothes, shoes, entertainment etc.
While fixed expenses (like rent/mortgage, car payment, Netflix, phone bill etc.) come directly out of your account, you use cash for other expenses.
Here’s how you figure out how much cash to put in each envelope:
Step 1: Calculate Current Spending
To figure out how much to budget for each category, you’ve got to actually know what you’re currently spending. Which means calculating current expenses.
Dive into your online bank account and check out out the breadown of expenses to get an idea of your spending over the last year.
Step 2: Create Budget
Then, with that knowledge on hand, you’ll create your monthly budget. Or rather, decide how much you’ll spend maximum in each variable expense category.
Make sure that the sum of all expenses does not exceed the total income for the month.
For more details on creating a monthly budget, check out How to Create a Monthly Budget. You can even grab the free budgeting printables.
Step 3: Make Cash envelopes for each category
Next, make a different cash envelope for each variable category you’ll pay with cash. Note that not ALL variable categories make sense to have a cash envelope.
Fore example, utilities (electric, water, gas, garbage) may vary but as they are generally paid online, it wouldn’t make sense to use a cash envelope.
Cash Envelope Categories
So which categories will you want to make a cash envelope for? Basically, you’ll want an envelope for all variable expenses in your budget in which you could reasonably pay cash.
While these may be slightly different for everyone, here’s some basic cash envelope categories to consider:
- Grocery
- Clothing & Shoes
- Haircuts
- Birthdays
- Entertainment
- Home Maintenance
- Date Night
- Eating Out
- Doctor/Dentist
- Christmas Presents
- Misc
- Emergencies
I highly recommend having both a Miscellaneous and Emergency envelope. Miscellaneous covers those little random things that rarely come up (like stamps).
While the emergency envelope covers when a true emergency pops up and you don’t want to dip into savings or use a credit card. I recommend squirreling away a bit each month for each.
However, if you find that you’re constantly dipping into both the miscellaneous and emergency fund, that’s a sign you need to revisit your budget or re-evaluate your spending.
(For how to use a cash envelope for online purchases, check out the tips section near the end of this post.)
25+ Free Printable Cash Envelope Template
Now for the fun part! Let’s dive into all these free (and fabulous) cash envelope template printables so you can reduce spending and stick to your budget.
Vertical Cash Envelope Template PDFs
Free Cash Envelopes – from Inspired Budget
These are super cute and simple cash envelopes that make for great basic starter set. Some even include cute quotes.
Note: downloading requires signing up via email.
Grab the free cash envelopes here.
Simple Cash Envelope Template – from The Incremental Mama
This template has no pattern or color. It’s simply a basic vertical cash envelope that can be printed on colored, patterned, or white paper.
Grab the simple cash envelope template here.
Floral Cash Envelopes – from The Incremental Mama
Free Cash Envelope Templates with Trackers
5 Floral Cash Envelope Printables – from Carrie Elle
This instant download includes 6 cute and colorful floral cash envelopes. Fun and feminine! You can get the floral cash envelopes here.
Super Cute Cash Envelope Templates – from Mommy Over Work
I seriously LOVE these templates from Mommy Over Work. They’re really cute, have trackers on the envelope itself, and come in 5 designs.
Plus, you can download instantly (no sign up required).
Free Horizontal Cash Envelope Templates
4 Cash Envelope Template – from A Cultivated Nest
This instant download (no sign up required) comes with 4 colorful cash envelopes to add to your collections.
Simple Cash Envelopes from My Frugal Home
My Frugal Home has both a cute simple horizontal cash envelope design AND a vertical template, Great for printing on patterned paper.
Get the Simple Cash Envelopes here.
Fun Cash Envelope Templates
Brush Dots Cash Envelope Printables – from The Incremental Mama
Here’s another vertical template I’ve created. Comes in 3 different colors and is simple yet fun and modern.
Spring Cash Envelope pdfs from My Stay at Home Adventures
These are cute, colorful and come in both horizontal and vertical styles. Note that downloading requires signing up via email.
Cash Envelope Tracker Printables
While some cash envelop template have a built-in tracker, many don’t. And so if you want to track your spending, you’ll want a cash envelope tracker printable to insert into your envelope.
The following are free printable tracker inserts for your cash envelopes
Simple Cash Envelope Tracker from The Incremental Mama
This simple cash envelope tracker can insert into any cash envelope to track your spending.
TIPS TO USE YOUR CASH ENVELOPE TEMPLATES
Here are a few tips to help you be successful in using the cash envelope system.
Tip 1: Print on cardstock
To make your cash envelopes last a long time, I recommend printing on cardstock. It makes a big difference in durability since they’ll be in an out of a wallet/purse.
Tip 2: Budgeting by Paycheck
Like a lot of people, when we first started using the cash envelope system, we didn’t have enough cash on hand to put the monthly budgeted amount for each category in the cash envelopes.
So we used the budget by paycheck method with our cash envelopes.
So instead of putting the entire monthly amount of cash in each envelope, we’d put in cash based on the paycheck. Since we get paid bi-weekly (which means 2 paychecks most months), we take our monthly budgeted amount for each category and divide it in half.
And that’s the amount per paycheck.
Tip 3: Paying for online purchases
With the ease of online shopping, it’s pretty realistic to assume that some of your purchases will be online. So how does this work with the cash envelope system?
First, make a cash envelope for online purchases. When you make a purchase online, put the cash in your online purchases envelope and treat it like money in your bank account.
You can then do one of the following:
- METHOD #1: If you have a bit of padding in your account, you can use the cash in the online purchases envelope to replenish your other envelopes at the start of the next month.
- METHOD #2: If things are pretty tight, deposit the cash to your bank account as soon as you can.
Tip 4: Paying for multiple categories in 1 trip to the store.
One of the biggest obstacles to using cash envelopes are when you go to a store like Target and find yourself picking up groceries, shoes for your kid, birthday party supplies, and makeup.
What do you do?
Well, the key to success with the cash envelope system is to stick to it. Otherwise, things get fuzzy and you don’t reach your financial goals.
So I recommend going through the self checkout line (so no one behind you can feel like you’re holding up the line) and making separate purchases by category.
It take a minute to get the hang of it at first, but once you’ve got it down, you can do it pretty quickly.
And it’s worth it to stick you goals!
Tip 5: Saving for Christmas
Budgeting your Christmas expenses across the entire year is a great way to get to the end of the year without wracking up credit cards.
When budgeting, calculate Christmas expenses and divide by 12. Then put that amount in your Christmas Cash envelope each month.
That way, once November/December rolls around, you’ve got a the cash to buy gifts without using credit cards or overspending.
GET STARTED WITH CASH ENVELOPE TEMPLATES
After you set your budget, you’re ready to get started with the cash envelope system and use your cute new cash envelope template printables.
Make sure you have an envelope for each category and most importantly, stick to your plan. When the money’s gone, stop spending. Keep going when you mess up.
You’ve got this!
Are you serious about creating and sticking to a budget? Then check out…
Make it easy to take charge of your finances with the Master Your Money Budgeting Bundle. It has everything you need to create a monthly budget and track your spending & debt.
- 50 Minute Workshop to guide you through all the steps
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- Monthly budgeting PDF
- 12 Month Excel Monthly Budget
- 12 Month Google Sheets Monthly Budget
- Weekly Expense Tracker
- Debt Payment Tracker
- 5 Debt Tracker Thermometers (Credit Card, Home Loan, Care Payment, Student Loan)
- January-December Budgeting Calendar Templates
- 8 cash envelope templates
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And best yet, the PDFs are fillable and calculate automatically. Meaning you don’t have to be good at math to organizer your finances and crush your goals.
Naikia Green says
Thank you so much!
Erin says
You’re so welcome, Naikia!
Millie says
I am going to try this system. Thanks.
Erin says
Good luck, Millie!
Judy says
Thanks & Happy New Year!
Erin says
You too, Judy!
Diane taber says
Hi we are really wanting to get going with this whole budgeting thing.and starting using the cash envelopes system. And we have just got so many plans. This year and I’m really going to need your help and advice on where to start first with our finances. And get current with things. And start budgeting and then start getting some savings challenges going on.and then start getting things sorted out where by we eventually start elevating the debt cycle and start saying good bye to debt. Once and for all. As it’s no way to live. And it’s long over due.and now’s the time to do it. And as soon as possible.as debt steals from you every month. And also steal’s from your future.and it’s really about learning how to budgeting your finances/money properly. And learn how to do the debt snowball system/method.and learning how to be a very good steward with more and the money that god give’s you. As if you can’t really manage on what you have coming in now. God really look’s at if you ain’t really managing his money well now and it’s only a small amount of money then he’ll know if he gives larger amounts. Then that’s not really going to be managed well. So it’s about the learning process. With being a very good steward with money and god’s money. And learning how to budget. From each pay check. Instead of just existing from debt and just living pay check to pay check. As this is no way to live. And what we are really looking forward to doing is each paycheck is to pay all of the bills and pay some debt off. And start budgeting in such a way that we want to build up some money so we can then go and get paying off our debt. That’s what our main plan is for this year and would like some hints and tips on how to do it. And start budgeting process properly and then properly learn how to use the cash envelopes system properly to.as we don’t want to start getting this wrong. And not do it right.so we just wondered if you could be so kind as to give us a few hints and tips on how to do this please and what to do please. As we’re both just starting off at the moment and really want your advice please as we would really appreciate it thank you take care bye.
Noreen says
Thanks for all the tips & tricks 👍
Erin says
You’re so welcome, Noreen 🙂
Debi says
I love the idea of self check out and breaking down your cart into each envelope! That has been a huge issue for me, how to separate categories.
Erin says
Glad it was helpful! That was a game changer for me.
Ann says
I would love to learn more about this.
Yolanda Wesley Grady says
Thank you
Erin says
You’re welcome!
Janice Enriquez says
Thankyou somuch maam
Erin says
You’re so welcome!
Melinda Munoz says
My main goal for this year is to budget and save. I have been reading on it and I would like to teach my sons because you never know if I would be here next year.
Elizabeth says
Thank you
Shirley Conrad says
Thank you for sending me the link to print the free envelopes
Nosipiwo Bene says
Hi can I please have the free printable envelope?
Thank you so much
Erin says
Click the links to the corresponding posts and you should be able to get the various envelopes!