Budgeting- Electronic Cash Envelope
If you want to follow the “Cash Envelope” system, but don’t want to carry cash. This app might be just what you need. Desktop, iphone and android.
Goodbudget
A few years ago, I started taking a hard look at our finances. Dave Ramsey has been around for awhile so I understood a lot of his methodologies and had incorporated them already. I had already implemented a system for paying the bills biweekly (my pay schedule) and using Quicken for tracking. Then a friend turned me onto The Budget Mom. I watched some of her videos and although I had already been doing some of the suggestions, I was able to incorporate a few more. This was a process, so for anyone starting out, don’t feel like it all has to happen now.
I’ve always liked the idea of the envelope system, but I am never going to carry significant amounts of cash around on me. That just gives me too much anxiety. So I dug into the Facebook groups and Google to see if there was a solution.
Ta-Da! I came across an app that solved my dilemma.
Let me introduce GoodBudget. As they describe it, “Envelope budgeting for the modern world”. No, I am not an affiliate so I don’t get anything for this. You basically ‘fill’ electronic envelopes and enter your transactions as you use the funds. I’ve found this a great way to also keep track of how much money I have left on Gift Cards and our vacations. I’ve only used the free version but there are different levels. Goodbuget also offers some helpful ‘How To’ videos and topics.
I know I haven’t used the software to it’s fullest potential but here are couple of things I really like about it.
1. Not only does it have a phone app, but it was a desktop website.
2. It shows how much money I have left without me having to do the math.
Example of Gift Card Tracking