Cash Based Budget Envelope System Giveaway!

UPDATE--The winner is Amy - amysalotti@ Congratulations!







As I mentioned a few days ago, my husband and I are trying to live off of one income to see if we can financially manage to have me quit my job. To help us maintain this budget, we have put away the credit cards and have reverted back to a cash only system.

We had a cash only system several years ago, but it was only moderately successful because I was a bit embarrassed to carry around a bunch of envelopes. To combat this, I would only bring, say my grocery envelope with me to the store, but at the store I might end up buying a shirt for my son. Because I only had the grocery envelope with me, I would pay for clothing out of that envelope instead of the clothing one which was still at home. You get the idea why it didn’t work so well for us.

Recently I ran across an Etsy store, Timeless Journey, that sells binders specifically designed to allow you to use the envelope system in style. Laura, owner of Timeless Journey, loves Dave Ramsey’s philosophy. Sixteen months ago, she and her husband found themselves on the verge of losing their house due to losing her husband’s income as a carpenter because of the housing market slow down. They also found themselves talking of divorce. Her church offered Dave Ramsey’s course, and after the 13 week course, they found themselves, “empowered and at peace.” The divorce talk ceased. In the final course, Dave Ramsey spoke about using one’s gifts to find a career that one loves. Laura, an art teacher by profession, was introduced to Etsy a week later by a friend and started making her durable cash budget binders. Her small business boomed, and now she and her husband are debt free and planning to buy a house next month.

Her binders contain 5 envelopes and a pocket on each of the inside covers of the binder. In addition to being stylish, these cash envelope binders are motivating. She prints Dave Ramsey quotes throughout the binder. For instance, the cover of mine says, “If you live like no one else, later you can LIVE like no one else.” Reading that each time I reach for the binder to spend money helps motivate me not to spend as much.

I don’t carry a purse, but I feel completely comfortable carrying this as a little clutch. It doesn’t feel so obvious that I am carrying envelopes of cash and “on a budget” (although really, that is nothing to be ashamed of.)

Laura offers a variety of different patterns for these books; she even does them in Disney prints. I love mine and find it helps me use the cash envelope system.

The Giveaway:
Laura at Timeless Journey has generously offered to give one Mom’s Plans reader their own budget cash envelope system.

To enter this giveaway, simply go to Timeless Journey on Etsy and state which one of the binders you would like should you win.

Additional methods of entry:
-Become a follower on my blog or state that you already are, if that is the case.

-Blog about this giveaway or write about it on Facebook or Twitter

-Another alternative way to enter is to Like Timeless Journey on Facebook

This giveaway will end on Thursday, August 12th at 9 p.m. CST. The winner will be chosen via random.org. Make sure you include your e-mail address when you enter.

I received a cash budget envelope system from Timeless Journey for review purposes. (Thank you!) All opinions are my own.