Alternative to Dave Ramsey's Deluxe Envelope System?

[AspiringToBeFrugal]

I saw that there is a sale on some of Dave Ramsey's products at his webstie with something like $4.95 shipping. Does anyone know if there is something similar out there for a lower price? Or have you just created your own system?

Thanks!

[MissSeetonFan]

Really, all we did to implement this was pull out a few envelopes from an office box and label them. If the envelope wears out, we replace it. We aren't doing the full envelope system like DR suggests but that is what we are doing and it works out pretty well.

[Lucas]

yeah actual envelopes is what i use and works just fine

[sunshine]

I used to use regular envelopes - then switched to a coupon file holder with several dividers for each category- now I use zippered pouches for each "envelope".

[Debbie-cat]

If you can sew, you can always make your own fabric envelopes too.

[Ceashels]

Are you looking for something that you will carry around and use as a wallet or will it be at home for organizing the budget and storing the money?

I found that the paper envelopes really didn't hold up as long as I would have liked when we started following DR but I used it as a wallet. I've re-purposed that to the budget box and store the money that I do NOT carry around. (These are the envelopes we may open once or twice a month - like blow money, leisure/entertainment, etc, and I have supplemented it with office envelopes as well.)

We did get the deluxe wallet Deluxe Wallet Envelope System for me to carry around and I LOVE IT!

There are plenty of slots for me to organize and carry part of my grocery, HBA, dining out, household, and part of our leisure funds. As well as slots for my debit card and grocery club cards, a zippered coin pouch, and large slots for check book size items. My only dislike about it is the "envelope" section is pre-labled by embossing.... no color so the words are in little letters black on black. My eyes are over 45 years old and I can't see it!!! I used sticky back labels to make the category names larger and contrasting .

I haven't really found anything less expensive for the quality of the deluxe wallet. But for home organizing, I would make my own system instead of investing in the DR paper envelopes again.

I really hope that helps.

[OOwl]

Like Cea, I have the DR deluxe wallet system (got on sale a couple of Christmases ago) and I use it non-stop (STILL on the envelope system even on the other side of debt). I still have the original pen that came with the kit and used it to write that check that paid off my last bill to be debt free. It has a sentimental value now. When I run out of room to write on the provided envelops that come with the wallet, I just put blank label stock over the entire face of it and start over, which allows me to recycle the envelopes until they're worn out.

[GirlBoyGirl]

I got a fabric envelope wallet off of etsy. It is super cute and you can have the envelopes personalized with whatever labels you want. Instead of a real wallet, since I already had a really nice (large, zip up) wallet, I had her make me an insert of 3 envelopes sewn together that I could use to just insert into my own wallet and had labeled with the 3 categories I use the most. For the other categories I dont use as much, I use jars at home (Gail Val Oxelade style).

[Momto5RN]

i bought fabric ones off etsy but they must have measured the dollar bill cut out the fabric and then sewed it so it was too small .

i won a savvycents wallet from here and its great but bright pink and although i love that color i like to swap things out with season changes .

unwilling to spend the money on another savvycents ( if they had another color i really liked i might as a gift for my birthday etc i like it that much )


JCP has wallets that have an area for dividing money into categories also - but i took a wallet i already had that had a few areas in it
i took a fine tipped premanent marker and marked one little slot for ID cards " gas " - a second one " gifts" and i can fold up money and put it in slots
main cash area is for my spending money - another full length area is for food ,

any other money IE saving for holiday gifts - etc stays at home in a regular envie

My emergency fund and areas for medical entertainment vacations or someting big we are saving for all go into checking acct . i have quicken and have made several categories in quicken to house these things . even though it may look like i have more in my checking acct i know to only go by the acct we use for regular checking as what we have available ,

sounds confusing but have done it this way for years !

[Missourimom]

We did get the deluxe wallet Deluxe Wallet Envelope System for me to carry around and I LOVE IT!


.

I just noticed this is on sale for $10.00....that's 50% off for anyone interested.

[227melissa]

I use actual envelopes, but put them in a plastic coupon holder with the categories labeled.

[meredith1629]

I use a small expanding file that I got at the Dollar Store for $1 or $2 dollars and have had it for a couple of years. It has held up really well.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/C-Line-Biodegradable-13-Pocket-Expanding-48410/dp/B002UKOKHM"]Amazon.com: C-Line Biodegradable 13-Pocket Expanding File, Coupon Size, 1 File Folder, Color May Vary (48410): Office Products@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41mNdjMQYCL.@@AMEPARAM@@41mNdjMQYCL[/ame]

That is kind of what it looks like.

[227melissa]

That's where I get mine, use them for coupons also.

[Stacia]

I bought a bill organizer book like this one: Bill Paying Organizer With POCKETS Household Monthly Budget Book G | eBay And just put regular envelopes in the pockets on the pages. Works for me!