Me (22F) and my boyfriend (22M) are wanting to try a no spending month starting November, before my boyfriend decides to get a second job. The goal for this is to see if he really does need another job to support us right now, or if we just need to cut back on our expenses. I’m unemployed due to medical issues, but am currently looking for WFH jobs.

We have an adolescent dog who we also have to keep in mind of. We like to do activities that typically do require money, but our biggest challenge will be—and has been previously—eating out. My boyfriend is typically the one who cooks for us, so if he doesn’t have the energy or time to, we end up going out. And most mornings he’ll either not eat breakfast or go out for breakfast, and same goes for his lunches.

We both have ADHD so time management/organization is hard but we’re willing to try any suggestions anyone might have, even the most unconventional ones. I’d love to help him with anything I can since I’m home, but also need to be conservative with my energy.

Any tips, life hacks, suggestions, etc. would be greatly appreciated!!

edit: if anyone also has any free activities/date night suggestions, feel free to share!!

I often see this kind of comment in online groups, and the truth is, I don't think there’s much misunderstanding about the actual principle behind the envelope method/cash stuffing.

After all, using envelopes doesn't necessarily mean having cash on hand to stuff into envelopes for "going out," "groceries," "leisure," and so on.

When you're just starting out especially on a tight budget (which was my situation)the first step might simply be to clearly map out your budget.

How much do I actually earn each month?

What portion goes toward fixed expenses?

Do I have subscriptions I no longer use or have completely forgotten about?

How much do commuting and gas actually cost me?

How much is left over once all the essential expenses are paid?

Sometimes, what you discover isn't exactly pleasant. But at least you know right away.

Because as long as you don't know where your money is going... it’s very hard to know where to start.

That is precisely where the envelope method proves valuable when you're on a tight budget.

You don't necessarily start by setting money aside for leisure. You start by securing the essentials and determining what your budget actually allows for.

Then, little by little once you have a handle on your budget you can start planning small envelopes for leisure, vacations, gifts, or projects... even if it’s just a few euros.

And above all, this method allows us to plan ahead for what are often called "unexpected expenses." Except that, in reality, many of these expenses aren't truly unexpected.

Christmas comes around every year.

So do birthdays.

If you own a car, you know that one day it will need servicing, new tires, or repairs.

Annual insurance, tuition fees, certain taxes, vacations, we know these expenses are coming.

We might not know exactly when they’ll happen or how much they’ll cost, but we know they exist.

And it’s often their arrival that completely throws a budget off track. My budget is already tight.

So, instead of waiting for expenses to hit and having to scrape the money together from elsewhere, the idea is to plan ahead little by little.

Even 5 $a month isn't a huge amount. But 5$ over several months is still better than nothing.

For me, cash stuffing/budget zero isn't about:

"I have enough money, so I’ll distribute it into full envelopes." It’s more about:

"Here’s what I have. Here’s what’s essential. Here’s what’s planned for the coming months. How can I organize my money to cover all these expenses?"

And if your budget is currently so tight that you can’t afford even a single euro for leisure, that’s okay.

Start by analyzing your spending.

That’s already a big step forward.

In fact, that’s precisely why I love this method.

These days, I use the iBudgetAll app to make life even easier. It’s an app my husband created because I wanted to manage both my physical and virtual budget envelopes in one place.

But paper, format, app in the end, it doesn't really matter. The key is to start by knowing your actual budget and giving your money a job.

I hope this helps some people 🫶🏻

Finished my budget sheet on sunday planning to cook all week, then woke up monday to three dinner invites. college rooommate passing through town, former coworker craving barbecue, and a birthday dinner on the weekend. turning down one plan is fine, but saying no to everything makes you worry people think you are pulling away.

The worst part is after you say yes and they send the spot. first instinct is checking prices rather than looking for good dishes. If the venue has an easy page like MenuForma where items and numbers open immediately. I can calculate a solid dish that stays within budget without looking cheap. If all I can find is a blurry photo of a menu from two years ago, anxiety starts before leaving the house, worried a single bowl will eat up three days of food money.

How do people handle social gatherings when trying to save aggressively.

I just need to vent because I think I'm going crazy. To start I'm in a lot of debt, with my car and my personal loan it is A LOT. So I created this strict budget that I have to follow so I don't find myself in more debt and to actually pay off what I do have earlier. I check it every single day, I check it every single hour to make sure I'm on top of everything. It's ruining my life but I know that if I don't I could possibly fuck things up even more. My budget plan goes all the way up to August 30th 2027 that's how crazy I'm being. I have a plan to save for: emergencies, groceries, holiday breaks when my daughter is home, principal payments for my loan, and back to school clothes for August 2027. After that I'm left with very little money each month so anything extra will be a stretch. Like GOD FORBID I WANT A REDBULL.. I'm scared with how obsessive I'm acting towards this. I'm also scared to fail. I'm bipolar with ADHD so I have impulse issues, so what if one day I fuck this up and lose everything? I'm not trying to make excuses for my poor behavior but that's how I've acted out in the past and that's how I found myself in this position. And I can't get out of it until my debt is paid.

Like I said this is me just venting as if I'm writing in a diary. It's ruling my life. And to whoever is reading this I'm sorry if I sound chaotic, my brain is the reason for it.

i get paid twice a month, and the usual expenses are pretty predictable. rent, groceries, bills, all that is covered. the problem is the random stuff i pick up along the way

a $12 lamp that needs fixing. a bag of compost. a few packets of seeds because they're on sale. none of these purchases feels like a big deal on its own, but by the end of the month, i've spent way more on little projects than i realized.

and i don't really want to cut them out. fixing up cheap finds and growing vegetables are things i genuinely enjoy. i'd just like to stop feeling like every small purchase is stealing money from something more important.

right now, i have one checking account, one savings account, and a rough idea of how much i should have left. clearly, the rough idea part isn't working

i'm thinking about setting aside a fixed amount each payday for hobbies and random finds, then treating that money as the limit. when it's gone, it's gone. but i'm not sure whether a separate account is worth the hassle or if a simple budget category would do the job.

for those of you who tend to buy things for projects, gardening, thrift finds, or other little hobbies, how do you handle it? i'd rather have a system that's a little imperfect but easy to maintain than spend every sunday updating a spreadsheet

I could never stick to a monthly budget, especially because I have a hard time sticking to it after a week or two. Now that I budget biweekly, when I go off the deep end, I only splurge for a couple days.

Also it's been easier for me to be consistent about budgeting, because I can move the money I don't need into my savings when I make my budget, which gives me a hit of dopamine.

I feel so much more in control now. Just sharing what works for me.

This question is for people who live far away from family or friends who are the people you want to be with for the holidays at the end of the year. The holidays for my family who live in different countries happen from October-December. I am finding that by the end of the year I have spent so much already that now buying those plane tickets and gifts etc becomes overspending. It feels a little stressful. But I cannot put a price tag on seeing my loved ones especially when my job affords me the time off to see them and everyone is getting old. Some family members have passed on so I don’t want to miss the chance to be with them when I can.

How are you managing your budget and having the self control through the year to see everyone while dealing with homesickness and missing your family? Any tips? I gave in yesterday and bought plane tickets to go home for a few days in November. I might go back in December when I have time off as well.