How many people use cash anymore? We mindlessly swipe our cards and make online purchases daily. We watch numbers on a screen go up and down in our bank accounts like a game.
But it’s not a game it is our livelihoods going down the drain. Many people find themselves in massive amounts of debt because of this disconnect. While using cash is not something we can exclusively use in our modern lives, it is a great way to save and change our relationship with money.
Here, I have 5 strategies to save your bills and notes that can sum to thousands of extra dollars a year. Be sure to leave a like if you find this post helpful and comment on which strategy you want to try out.
Budget with envelopes
Here is an old-school trick to saving money. This is great if you are just starting to save. After making your monthly budget, add up all the expenses you can pay in cash. That may be your groceries, transportation, errands, restaurants, etc., (it will be different for everyone).
Once you calculate how much you need, take all the money from the bank in cash/notes. Then put the cash into envelopes labeled for its intended purpose and only pay with the budgeted amount.
This is not a long-term savings strategy, but it is an excellent place to start if you struggle with healthy financial habits.
The $5 Trick
Every time you get a 5-dollar bill put it in a jar/container.
You will be surprised how quickly you can save hundreds, even thousands of dollars, over a few months or up to a year. This can be applied to any currency note/bill.
I recommend you give yourself a time frame such as 6 months or a year, so you are not tempted to use the money frivolously or prematurely. Also, consider keeping the money hidden: out of sight, out of mind. You will be less likely to spend it if you cannot see it regularly.
Saving your change
We all have a container for our change sitting somewhere on a table. If you use cash often, this is a simple way to save up a few hundred dollars without thinking twice. This, in combination with the 5$ trick, will save up a lot of money in a year.
Emergency Cash Stash
Seeing your account balance can be tempting to spend the money, especially if you are just starting to save and don’t know how to handle “extra” money.
If we embrace the concept, out of sight, out of mind, then this is another good way to keep emergency money unspent. Once you have a small fund saved up, keep it hidden in your house, so you have quick access when you need it, but you are not tempted to spend it.
Be sure you remember where you hide it or that other people in your home are trustable before making this decision. I had a friend lose 800USD because he couldn’t remember where he hid his stash.
Create a reward system
If you have a personal goal to start a new habit every day or quit a bad habit, you can use the money to reward yourself. For example, a person that is on a weight loss journey may reward themselves for every pound they lose. They may choose to put 5$ aside for every pound lost. So when they reach their goal weight, they have money to purchase new clothes without overspending.
This can be applied in a plethora of ways. If you want to exercise every day, read more, quit drinking/smoking, or even keep your house clean more regularly. Every time you accomplish your goal, put aside some money. Be sure to give yourself an end goal or time frame that way, you are not tempted to use the money beforehand.
Again, keep the money out of sight and out of mind if you are easily tempted to spend money.
If you enjoyed this post, then check out my other posts on how to save money for travel or any goal.
The most popular post on my blog: 6 Lifestyle Habits to Save Money for Your Next Vacation
Adra Writes 
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