With over 368 million views and counting, a brand new technique to finances cash is taking TikTok by storm.

Besides, it’s not new in any respect.

The viral TikTok budgeting technique often called “money stuffing” is a revival of an old-school budgeting system that’s been round for many years: the envelope system. The newly rebranded money stuffing technique helps folks finances and save by “stuffing” cash in envelopes. If this sounds a bit unusual don’t fear, we’ll clarify precisely the way it works.

A rising variety of TikTok customers swear by this technique, saying it’s helped them take management of their funds, clear their debt, and accumulate financial savings.

Let’s discover the advantages of money stuffing, get began, and whether or not it’s the best budgeting technique for you.

What Is Money Stuffing?

Money stuffing is just like the envelope technique, a budgeting method championed by private finance guru Dave Ramsey. 

Identical to the envelope system, money stuffing is the method of tucking away money into totally different envelopes labeled for particular finances classes like hire, gasoline, groceries, utilities, financial savings, and extra.  

You determine the amount of cash that goes into every envelope primarily based in your spending and financial savings targets. For instance, you would possibly allocate $150 for gasoline, and $50 to your emergency fund envelope. Whenever you want cash for a particular class, you possibly can solely use the cash that’s in its designated envelope and nothing extra, till the subsequent budgeting cycle. 

The money stuffing technique depends completely on money, eradicating the necessity for bank cards and debit playing cards. This helps customers monitor their spending extra simply and eliminates the temptation of impulse shopping for.

How Money Stuffing Works

The movies underneath the favored TikTok hashtag “money stuffing” are admittedly satisfying to observe. Customers, principally girls, meticulously depend their money and place it in colourful envelopes, neatly labeled with their respective finances classes.

It’s no shock this budgeting technique exploded in reputation: the movies are normally aesthetically pleasing and have an nearly addictive high quality to them. 

Whereas money stuffing movies are satisfying to observe, there’s much more to it than placing money into fairly envelopes. Money stuffing requires self-discipline and dedication to work. Right here’s do it: 

1. Decide your finances

The money stuffing “ritual” begins on payday. Whenever you obtain your paycheck, subtract any fastened bills. Mounted bills are prices that don’t change from month to month, like hire or mortgage funds, automotive funds, insurance coverage, and utilities. 

When you subtract your bills, withdraw no matter’s left in money. This quantity will likely be divided amongst totally different budgeting envelopes, as we’ll see beneath. 

👉 Some folks select to withdraw their complete paycheck and use envelopes even for his or her fastened bills. Whereas it really works for some, it may be cumbersome, particularly since loads of these invoice funds are digital or automated, eliminating the necessity to put them in envelopes. 

2. Determine your spending classes

Every money stuffing envelope represents a distinct finances class. The classes you select will rely in your wants, way of life, and financial savings targets. Listed below are among the hottest classes amongst money stuffing aficionados on TikTok, that can assist you get began: 

Requirements – these envelopes needs to be prioritized while you’re distributing your finances, as they’re vital bills you need to pay: 

Financial savings targets –  you possibly can select to maintain it easy with an envelope labeled “Financial savings” or have a number of financial savings envelopes. Listed below are some concepts: 

Discretionary bills – these are nonessential bills, however that doesn’t imply they shouldn’t be thought of when you allocate cash in the direction of important classes. 

• Consuming out
• Leisure 
• Magnificence & haircare
• Presents 
• Purchasing 

☝️ Whereas everybody could have important money stuffing classes like gasoline and groceries, different envelopes will look totally different from one particular person to the subsequent. Take into consideration the classes most vital to you while you begin creating your envelopes. 

3. Fill your envelopes

Divide your money into stacks primarily based on denominations — one-dollar payments, fives, tens, twenties, and so forth. This may make it simpler to distribute the quantities into their respective envelope.

Now comes the half you’ve seen on each money stuffing TikTok video: you get to place the money into separate money stuffing envelopes, every marked with a distinct finances class.

The amount of money you “stuff” into every one is dependent upon your finances and spending targets for every class. For instance, to estimate how a lot money to deposit in your envelope labeled “gasoline”, have a look at the typical amount of cash you’ve spent on gasoline in the previous couple of months. Some envelopes will get much less money than others in case your objective is to curb your spending in that class. 

When unsure, comply with the 50/30/20 rule. This budgeting guideline allocates 50% of your money to wants like groceries or baby care, 30% to desires like consuming out, and 20% to monetary targets like financial savings or debt compensation. 

Individuals who use the money stuffing technique preserve monitor of their finances utilizing a pocket book. Writing down your bills and financial savings helps you set up your spending and monitor your progress.

4. Spend solely what’s in every envelope

Bear in mind how I discussed you wanted self-discipline and dedication for this to work? Right here’s why: you’re solely allowed to make use of the money in every envelope for that particular class and nothing else. For instance, while you pay for groceries, you possibly can solely pay for them out of your designated “groceries” envelope. 

If you happen to run out of money in a single envelope, you possibly can’t “borrow” from a distinct one. You’ll have to chop again on spending and make some sacrifices till the subsequent budgeting cycle. 

5. Replenish your envelopes

Individuals usually replenish their envelopes and revisit their finances each payday, whether or not that’s bi-weekly or month-to-month.

When you have cash leftover in an envelope on the finish of a budgeting interval, rejoice! You’ll be able to both reward your self with a deal with or put the leftover cash in the direction of a objective like financial savings or repaying your money owed. 

The Advantages of Money Stuffing

Paying for all the pieces in money makes you extra conscious of the cash you’re spending. Money is tangible, and parting methods with makes you assume twice about what you’re spending it on. A bank card, then again, is much too simple to swipe. Analysis achieved by Duncan Simester and Drazen Prelec of MIT discovered that buyers’ willingness to spend goes up by 100% when utilizing bank cards as a substitute of money. 

Money stuffing additionally helps you stick with a finances and prioritize allocating cash in the direction of requirements like hire, payments, and groceries. Since every envelope has a chosen objective, it lets you spend mindfully on issues that align along with your targets. Whenever you’re intentional about every greenback you spend, you’re much less more likely to waste cash on pointless issues. 

The month-to-month or bi-weekly ritual of replenishing your envelopes offers you an opportunity to revisit your finances and financial savings targets, and go over your funds. This helps you develop wholesome monetary habits and relives monetary stress since you don’t need to waste vitality doing psychological accounting each month. You understand precisely what payments you’ve paid and the place your cash goes. 

Is Money Stuffing Proper For Me?

Money stuffing is very useful for individuals who wrestle to regulate their spending and bank card utilization. Avoiding bank card use and solely spending the money you’ve obtainable in your envelopes prevents accumulating bank card debt. 

However this technique will not be the best match for everybody. Counting on money to pay for all the pieces in an more and more cashless society is just not precisely sensible. If you happen to’re on the grocery retailer and understand you forgot your envelope, it’s essential to return dwelling and get it, in response to money stuffing guidelines. 

One other money stuffing problem is the protection side. Some persons are not comfy carrying round envelopes full of money each time they depart the home. If something occurs to it, you’re out of luck. Preserving your cash in a checking account is a a lot safer choice, because it’s insured by your financial institution. 

Talking of financial institution accounts, having a money “financial savings” envelope is the equal of hiding your money underneath a mattress. Not giving your cash an opportunity to earn curiosity and develop causes it to lose worth over time, particularly when inflation has soared to 8.5%.    

Money Stuffing Options

If you happen to desire to finances on-line, you possibly can take the money stuffing idea and put a digital twist on it. Budgeting apps and private finance software program like Mint or You Want A Price range might help you create customized budgets and hyperlink on to your financial institution accounts. 

Mint, for instance, tracks your spending and means that you can select budgeting classes, mimicking money envelopes with out the necessity to preserve and carry money. 

Get Began With Money Stuffing 

The newly rediscovered envelope system, now rebranded as money stuffing, has helped numerous TikTok customers take management of their funds and sustain with the rising price of residing. 

Are you pondering of giving money stuffing a strive? Get your self just a few envelopes and a marker and also you’re good to go. If you wish to get extra artistic and have some enjoyable with it, search for money stuffing templates or fancy money stuffing binders on web sites like Pinterest or Etsy.

And bear in mind, if it’s not the best match for you, there are numerous different budgeting choices on the market you possibly can strive till you discover the one which’s good.