Random $$ question - weekly cash?

Rebekah1021

Do you know what you spend every week? 

I had a chat with my sister and SIL. My sister has started paying cash for everything to see what she spends her money on. My SIL has always used a debit card and I always use a credit card.

I think I am going to try cash for a month.

ETA: I reworded this. 

Purrrfect433

I don't really understand the question? is this assuming that some people put a lot of things on CC? We don't use CC at all, so it's all cash, debit or bill-pay. Is it a question about how much you spend on incidentals?

Rebekah1021

I'm basically asking what do you spend a week. You're right, I didn't word it very well.

I have always charged everything, so I have no idea what I spend a week. My sister has started paying everything with cash in order to see where she spends her money.  

A-baybride

If you're wondering where it goes, it seems it would be easier to check cc statements to tally up how much you spend and where you spend it.

We use a cc that earns rewards (but pay it off so we're not paying interest on groceries, etc.) on everything possible.  I find when I have cash, I'm always surprised at how fast I go through it, and I have no idea where I spent it.

But if you're trying to limit spending, going to cash can be a good tool. Knowing that once you've spent your budget it won't be replaced would probably motivate you to think a little harder about purchases than you do when you're just whipping out a cc.

GinandTonic

I'm not answering your question, but wanted to say that my husband has recently stopped using his debit card and withdraws his "allowance" of cash (we split what we have left after we pay the bills- it's for groceries, gas, fun, clothes, what have you).  He finds it's a lot harder to spend when it's cash and you're not just swiping a card.

On the other hand, I always use my debit card and seldom have cash on me.  To the point where DS says "Just use your card" if I tell him I don't want to spend the money.  He told me the other day that I didn't need money to pay for his sister's daycare because "you just write a check".  It's a hard concept to explain - that the money has to be in the bank to use the card or write the check, so maybe it's a good thing that DH is only using cash.

JOEBunny

I am with the other posters, I don't know how you track what you spend better using cash.  I charge virtually everything.  At the end of the year, I download all my statements and go through them, backing out "extra" expenses, like a new furnace or something big, then I get a pretty good run rate for DH and I to build our budget off of.  It is pretty easy to do and might give you a better idea of where your money goes in total.  I don't think how much I spend every week would really tell you much and it varies a great deal too.

r9stedt

Are you talking gas, groceries, diapers, food, bills,  etc?

 

Some weeks I only spend $40 on gas because I have leftover groceries, and other weeks I might spend $400 if it is a week that groceries are due, utilities.

 

FWIW, I use my debit card about 5 times a month, and use cash for all of my other purchases other then cable, mortgage, car, credit card and two student loan payments.  I even go pay my utilities in cash.   That started because I needed something to go do with a client, but I like it, so I keep doing it.    

shouldbworkin

We've budgeted for most things and use our debit cards.  The grocery store is hard for me b/c sometimes I spend more and sometimes I spend less.  I think I under-budgeted that item too.  For spending money, I take out cash e/o week.  When it's gone, it's gone.  It really makes me think twice about buying things for convenience sake.

BubblyToes

Honestly?  No idea. 

*Lu-Lu*

I have absolutely no clue.   I mainly use my amex card.   Sometimes, if I feel like switching it up, I'll use my debit.   I NEVER have cash.