HOW TO START A CASH ENVELOPES BUDGET 💸 Cash Envelopes System and Stuffing for Beginners *easy + fun*

thanks for watching ✨ Take control of your money once and for all! This is the one and only budgeting system that has worked for me (and I feel like I've tried them all!). By using cash envelopes for the past year, I've completely transformed my relationship with money and been able to not only spend less but earn more! I feel way less guilt, anxiety, and confusion around my finances and it has been truly liberating. I hope you fall in love with cash envelopes the way I did!
Thank you so much to The Line for sponsoring today's video! They make the best personal finance products out there. Below is everything you need to get started with the cash envelopes system.
My Cash Envelopes Toolkit (ships internationally! use code ZOE10 to save 10% on your order)
📌 Digital Budget Tracker: thelineshop.ca/products/the-b...
📌 Custom Cash Envelopes: thelineshop.ca/products/custo...
📌 Leather folio (how I store and carry my cash envelopes): thelineshop.ca/collections/ag...
📌 Vegan leather folio: thelineshop.ca/collections/ag...
In this video I tell you about my story of getting control of my finances, how I started cash envelopes and the tools that have helped me succeed. Then, I walk you step-by-step through everything you need to know to start your own cash envelopes budget. I also include a sample budget to make things crystal clear. If you have any questions let me know in the comments!
Video Map:
0:00 What are cash envelopes and who are they for?
4:08 My Story
6:22 My Toolkit
9:49 Step 1: Your Categories
13:23 Step 2: Your Budget
17:12 Step 3: Cash Stuffing + Sample Budget
27:12 Step 4: Spend and Track
Content mentioned:
📌 Starting my cash envelopes journey: • MY NEW CASH BUDGET | S...
📌 The video that got me started: • Cash Envelope System f...
📌 My journey to getting "one month ahead": • How I Got One Month Ah...
📌 Video explaining "one month ahead": • How To Get One Month A...
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Popular videos from me:
🎥 My Current Financial Goals: • MY CURRENT FINANCIAL G...
🎥 Cash Envelopes Started Video: • MY NEW CASH BUDGET | S...
🎥 Opening up about my financial situation: • An Honest Look into my...
🎥 How I Repayed $25K in Debt: • How I Paid off $20,000...
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✨ About me: ✨
Hi, I’m Zoe! (Pronounced like Zoey) I’m a 26 year old from Montreal making videos about my REAL life. After quitting my management consulting "dream job", then being laid off from a startup job, I decided to take a chance and work for myself. I'm now mainly focused on KZbin (my absolute passion) and side-hustle contracts in the copywriting and admin fields.
My videos centre around work, gentle productivity, mental health & personal wellness, with a touch of fashion, tech, and whatever else I'm living. My goal is to be open & honest ALWAYS and for my channel to be a fun, inspiring place where we can set goals and live our best lives together. I would love for you to subscribe 💝
TAGS:
how to start bugeting, how to budget, budgeting for beginners, cash envelopes system, cash envelope stuffing, money management for beginners, reduce spending, budgeting for students, budgeting for new grads, budgeting for parents, cash envelopes, cash budget, beginner budget, canadian budget, where to start, how to start budgeting

[@megs02]

“progress over perfection” is a LIFE CHANGING mantra

[@ZoePritchard]

yes!!

[@judimardula8685]

Spent on credit envelope is pure genius!

[@gladysnabalema1634]

I don’t have a job, hence no income. But am positive that something good is about to happen…. So I read a lot about business, managing finances, because am about to start using this knowledge. Believe with me 🙏

[@johntryl8009]

I think that ever since the shift towards carrying our currency digitally (i.e. you use a plastic debit/credit card for spending), it's become much easier to disassociate from spending. When you carry cash, spending becomes a much more tangible action, and you're forced to consider what portion of the pie you're letting go of. I just stumbled across your journey and I don't know you, but I'm proud to hear your story and see your recent financial success; bon travail le chum! Keep up the great work. Much love from ON.

[@ZoePritchard]

so true!! we feel nothing when we tap our cards, but we do feel it when we spend cash. Thanks for the kind words!

[@Heyu7her3]

I would never have enough when I carried cash around 😭 But I'll return to this system once I have more income _(right now I'm working through a huge slump so it's just not my budgeting season)_

[@kirstenolson9972]

I'm going into my third month of using the cash envelopes and the budget tracker. This is literally the best thing I've done for myself this year. I started doing this because I stumbled upon your videos here on KZbin, and I'm SO grateful. And I have had people in my life start using the method as well after seeing my success. This is such an amazing method and your honesty and openness to share is what influenced me. Thank you!

[@ZoePritchard]

woaaah this is so cool!! I'm so happy for you 💖

[@meagon1020]

What really sucks is a lot of places are going cashless. 😭 Forcing us to mindlessly spend

[@ZoePritchard]

agreee I hate it!

[@Nycpa5]

What about loosing my rewards because I don’t use my credit card

[@PCKA1987]

@@Nycpa5the reward point systems are a scam.

[@catherinefranks2146]

No cash? No business!

[@luciaredhorse318]

Some states require a business to take cash.

[@poppycalliope]

It's incredible how something so simple can be so life changing! I'm proud of you for all the progress Zoe ❤

[@ZoePritchard]

Thank you Poppy!! 💖💖💖 means so much to me

[@mariannedressler6784]

Canadian money is so pretty!

[@ZoePritchard]

hehe it’s really nice the plastic 😂 and the colours!

[@MissDanilaCarvalho]

There’s not enough “like buttons” for how much I liked your attempts to get to “personalised” HAHAHAHAH my fav ! Following you now!

[@ZoePritchard]

ahahahaha i was so stuck 😂 thank you angel 👼🏼🩷

[@kellylee_p9076]

You’re coming in hot to 50k!!🙌🏻

[@ZoePritchard]

its sooo exciting!!!

[@kellylee_p9076]

Yay!! The eggs are back!! 👏🏻Xx

[@ZoePritchard]

they’re never leaving hehe 🩷🩷🩷

[@alondrac498]

No way!!! I am starting/ preparing for my first cash envelope budgeting for the month of October and this video came out in perfect time! Thank you!😊

[@ZoePritchard]

amaazing!!! you’re gonna love it 💸

[@estrellasilva4995]

I love that you left in the “personalize” mistake in the video. Was I judging? - yes but only for a second before I caught myself. You are so real for that and I would/ have made similar mistakes. Great video!

[@ZoePritchard]

haha I get that way with videos or podcasts and im like “come on the word is X!” but when you’re filming sometimes your brain goes blank 😂

[@kaylachristensen]

I really appreciate you making this video. I've been wanting to start cash envelops but wasn't sure how. I have ADHD so the fact that you broke everything down into individual steps was super helpful :)

[@ZoePritchard]

Im so glad it was helpful!! I uppe you give it a try 🩷

[@aidalenga7130]

Thank you for this video Zoe! I'm 26 and currently going through some financial challenges and living paycheck to paycheck despite having a good income. This video is helpful! ❤

[@ZoePritchard]

I know the feeling!! But you will get through it 💖 Keep up the good work!!

[@jf2001]

I’ve watched so many videos on cash budgeting, yours makes the perfect sense on how this works! Thanks.

[@marynahoum]

Lucky us! We get a video from you on a Friday! I’m starting my cash envelopes October 1st! I’m excited and this video came in just in time! ☺️

[@militiawilder5057]

Thanks for the information! You really helped motivate me to start a budget.

[@Jizaguirre7484]

You did a great job in explaining this!👏

[@teresascafasci7027]

Great video!!! I sooo needed this video!! THANKS ZOE!!!❤

[@ZoePritchard]

Ah yay!! 💖💖💖💖

[@Billy33753]

Love your progress

[@carmenn5609]

First time seeing this...I'm not done with the video but stopped at the part that you would take the "wallet" to shop, I would only take the "envelope" of money because if you loose the binder, you've lost a lot of money-just my two cents.

[@emilyalves.28]

I’m going to my third month doing cash budget and I’m really happy to see my financial spending going so much better and controlling, and that’s all because of your video, you introduced me this amazing method. Thanks Zoe ✨💛

[@ZoePritchard]

omg amazing!!! this makes me so happy 💖 keep it up!

[@dooodies_art]

So happy to see a fellow from Quebec! Will follow you as I am doing this method for a pretty long time

[@ZoePritchard]

Amazing 💖💖💖 thank you!

[@hanalmlv]

This was so helpful! Thank you so much. Just got my budget binder in the mail.

[@ZoePritchard]

amaaazing!!!

[@claudinavivo7416]

Thank you Zoe, always a pleasure watching you. I've learned the envelope system a while ago and I even have my own KZbin list about it. But you taught me to have physical envelopes. So thank you. Mines are pretty too. I hope to teach these to my own students at the university pretty soon, as soon as my recruiter reads this and takes the hooks on hiring me. But we'll just have to see how much it takes. Thank very much. Till next one.

[@ZoePritchard]

Amazing!!! 💖

[@noeltellem4198]

Hey Zoe, loving the cozy sweater!

[@ZoePritchard]

thank you 💖

[@BudgetBae_1]

Thanks for the video! And i love ur sweater!

[@jeriheggie]

So in awe of how you filmed and broke this down. I’m definitely a new subscriber! Watching your whole library now 😅

[@ZoePritchard]

thank you!! so happy you are here 🩷

[@InterwebUser-ps7ju]

Here in the united states most gas stations charge less for gas if you pay cash. So it would be cheaper to use cash in that department. Also pet for pet care, the dollar tree or similar store sell lots of pet toys, food bowls, pee pads and other pet necessities. It’s a great alternative to the expensive pet supply stores.

[@nikosbros4837]

I remember watching your video opening your new envelopes 😅

[@ZoePritchard]

hehe a whole year ago!!

[@kimsdailylife]

Love this video thank u for showing this I’ve been doing this for 4 months now

[@shivanitapas]

This was really helpful. I am new to budgeting and trying to get into the envelope method! Also, subscribed ❤

[@ZoePritchard]

thank you for subscribing! i hope you try the cash envelopes and love it 🩷💸

[@user-gc5ee8gh8h]

I am on my 6th month of cash stuffing and I absolute love it and it has really changed my finances, I follow a zero based budget which has been amazing! Great video Zoe I hope a lot of your subscribers give it go ☺️

[@ZoePritchard]

Amazing!! 💖💖 and thank you!

[@jasminkln]

Yay, a new video 😊🙏

[@lr3361]

Just a thought EQ bank in Canada has a 2.5% cash back incentive . They also have a cash card that acts like a debit card that waves bank fees and you add money to it and get 2.5% cash back as well. So you can add the amounts for the cash envelopes you use most often ( coffee or groceries or gas) and get money back. So you can cash budget but digitally as well for those situations where cash isn’t accepted .

[@Jibril_Abdulkadir]

Great tips Zoe :) ❤

[@ZoePritchard]

thank you!! 💖

[@BudgetsWithELMA]

I really enjoyed your video ❤ Super helpful 😊

[@ZoePritchard]

thank you 💖

[@carrie19-94]

I just came across your channel and i love this video! I will start cash budgeting next month, wish me luck!!!😍🤑🤗

[@ZoePritchard]

good luck you got this!!!

[@jojosevens5024]

Woooow, i never thought of the "spent on credit" envelope... I was always getting confused keeping track of my card spending.... Thank you very much for this info... Watching from UAE 🇦🇪

[@ZoePritchard]

yayy glad it was helpful 🩷🩷

[@MoxieRose444]

Great video & I love your spunky sweater 🤍

[@ZoePritchard]

thank you!!! ❤️

[@zeevradolf7613]

Love the video ❤

[@ZoePritchard]

Thank you 💖💖

[@kimberlybryant16]

love the video

[@mushroomlegion]

I have been influenced! Just placed an order for envelopes and a binder :)

[@ZoePritchard]

you'll love it! 💖

[@kemeishawoolcock8857]

I will try this out ..

[@tsukikyou]

First video I've seen from you, and i love it! Im feeling motivated to start budgeting again. Also, please, where did you get that egg sweater?? I'm obsessed

[@ZoePritchard]

yayyy! thank you 🩷 i got the sweater off an ig store that no longer exists 😭😭😭

[@ebonylewis1680]

I am going to share this with my friend she is starting today 🎊

[@ZoePritchard]

amaaazing! friends who cash budget together sick together 💖

[@gloriawilliams2976]

Thank you 😊

[@SHAWNA499]

Thanks so much

[@fourlittlebirds6166]

Just like with anything else money related, this requires a lot of discipline. Consistency and self awareness is the only way this works.

[@stacydemeester]

I thought the is was play money bc it’s so colorful and pretty 😂 didn’t realize you were Canadian!

[@azza7717]

we got the Queen on our $20 as well here in New Zealand

[@Oscarnodwannabe]

Cash budgeting is the best, it helps you keep track of spending. The problem that I have is that less and less places are accepting cash these days.

[@ZoePritchard]

I know, I hate that!! It used to be "cash only" and now we are seeing "card only" more and more... I find its mostly "trendy" places that are like that (restaurants and cafes) so I really just try and avoid them 😂

[@NovaVanBuren]

if the zippers are too bulky, you can slim down your envelopes by removing the zipper and using washi tape to keep the envelope from closing entirely (just stick it like you would stick a color tab in a book for example)

[@kimlavoie-giguere5239]

Great video!! Im curious, you dont have an activity category.. so if you go to the museum or an escape room, where do you take your cash from? Haha

[@ZoePritchard]

omg great call!! i guess im not someone who does a lot of activities 🙈 If you do them often, Id recommend having a special category for them. I would probably put them on my dining out or treat yourself since I go so infrequently

[@apooni5805]

I’m a new grad working my first salary job. Giving this a shot for October. Question - you didn’t mention emergency funds or paying off debt in the budget

[@ZoePritchard]

Amazing!! I don’t do my debt repayment or emergency fund in cash, so I did not include it in the sample. I set a goal amount every month and transfer the amount over at the end of the month (without using cash) :)

[@MysticSavings3]

I was just question what budget tracker you use?

[@lr3361]

@ Zoe Pritchard can u do a review of your whoop band😂 I know it’s totally off topic.

[@ZoePritchard]

Yesss! I'm going to include it in a vlog this month 💖

[@carlarodriguez3729]

I have used this budgeting for years. We have been debt free for a couple of years and able to save more and travel more etc. I too LoVE BUDGETING AND ENVELOPES.😂

[@ZoePritchard]

woohooo amazing!!

[@thewanderingstarseed]

I share funds with my spouse and it’s impossible for us to always take out cash and leave some in the bank to pay most bills digitally. It’s too confusing to identify how much we will need in cash between us and use envelopes every two weeks. Our bank is not close to us and the atms only allow you to take out small amounts at a time. I instead plan on doing an envelope challenge digitally and putting the money into a high yield savings account that’s separate from our regular bank. We typically don’t go crazy on food anyways

[@HGills]

How do you manage the cash envelope if you go out as a group and someone pays and you have to venmo them (they don't want cash or the opportunity doesn't present itself) - so it's not going on your cc but coming from your everyday bank account, similarly if you pay for the whole thing and they venmo you ? Similarly we include a lot of personal care items in our grocery shop, I might for example do my food shop but include shampoo and tampons this shop and the next body lotion ? at the moment we just bunch that all under groceries rather than going through every receipt and itemising it in the budget spreadsheet ?

[@emmagracie9272]

I think from her system re the Venmo, it’s the “spent on credit” envelope, so if you pay $20 to a friend for food via Venmo, she’d put $20 from dining envelope into the “spent on credit” envelope and deposit back that envelope into her account at the end of the month of all things spent via credit/other digital payments. Re itemized items that belong somewhere else, like buying a treat for Maggie her dog ($5) while also buying groceries ($100), I think she would prob just pay from groceries envelope and then take $5 from Maggie envelope and put back into groceries envelope after the trip.

[@HGills]

I get where you're coming from but in terms of the venmo the money wasn't put on my credit card, the cash came out of my bank account. I'd understand if money was spent on credit card that you'd take the cash from the dining out and put that in the spent on credit then at month end you'd deposit that envelope onto the credit card to offset the spend, that doesn't really work here though because there was no spend on credit @@emmagracie9272

[@ZoePritchard]

@@emmagracie9272 Nailed it Emma! That is exactly what I would do :)

[@avaq2588]

I should do this but I don’t know if I could do cash.I may try pre-paid gift cards.

[@ZoePritchard]

great idea!! but you also may be surprised by how well cash works 😍 could start with a category like groceries and see :)

[@angelicabrewer3711]

As an American watching this I was impressed by your reaction to someone drawing on your beautiful Canadian money. Here i have probably seen more defaced US dollar bills than clean ones hahaha. But I wonder how cash envelopes works for folks in countries with tons of coin currency

[@ZoePritchard]

😂😂😂 and great point! maybe cash coin purses? that would be bulky but so cute

[@kiraburton43]

Do you have any tips/thoughts/experience on doing this with a significant other?

[@ZoePritchard]

I think its an amazing exercise for couples! Id recommend making the budget together but each having your own envelopes to carry around (and you can pass money between yourselves if you share the entire budget) that way you arent stuck if they have the groceries envelope (for example) but you are on your way to the store

[@traceydufault297]

Hi Zoe new to your channel

[@ZoePritchard]

hiii! thank you for being here

[@jrb1737]

❤

[@ZoePritchard]

💖

[@Lea-nb9nt]

I dont like to use cash or have too many cash at Home. So I use fake money. It Helps me too see how much I got and to have a better view of my economic ❤

[@ZoePritchard]

sounds fun!!

[@rhondacushman83]

I call my treat yourself envelope mama fun fund

[@ZoePritchard]

i love it!!

[@princessnana6796]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@ireneroland3070]

I cannot wrap my head around having one month ahead when you have bills every fortnight .

[@ZoePritchard]

it took me many months to get one month ahead! but its a worthwhile challenge 🫶🏼

[@VakmanCA]

Concept intéressant mais tu ne crois pas perdre les avantages d'utiliser une carte de crédit si utilisé responsablement ? Tes vidéos sur la finance sont très bien fait BTW. On voit que tu y investie beaucoup de temps. Keep up the good work!

[@davidparnell4675]

First

[@alaska340]

Write down every purchase by date. It will shock you how much you spend and will help you to spend less. I dont like cash envelope, you can do the same thing digitally.

[@decemberchristiansen562]

I have never seen Canadian money before 💀 I thought she was using prop money 😭😂

[@ZoePritchard]

😂😂

[@THETOTALME76501]

IT'S TOO HARD. JUST CAN'T GET IT! I AM JUST A DIGITAL BILL PAYER AND FIND IT JUST TOO SIMPLE TO GIVE UP!

[@ireneroland3070]

I pay most of my bills digitally. The rest I will use as cash envelopes

[@my.crafting]

do u have children?

[@Channyreads]

I love cash budgeting! Iv been doing it for so long 🤍✉️

[@ZoePritchard]

amaaaazing 🩷🩷✨

[@ArtisticLee-fn5cr]

I like to catch stuff it's really fun and nice and it's also nice to keep to my heart as well ❤️‍🩹☺️

[@YourRav]

❤

[@ZoePritchard]

💖