I’m super excited to share my latest cash envelope stuffing adventure for December with you all.

I took a break from YouTube for a couple of weeks to catch up on some end of semester school stuff and to just give my brain (and body) time to rest.

But I couldn’t let December (and 2023) slip by without doing at least 1 cash envelope stuffing video for the gworls.

I’ve been a busy little bee behind the scenes, planning out my shop for the upcoming year as well as my ideas for social media.

School and work had me in a chokehold but, now that I have a few weeks of downtime, I’m going to work on growing the IG account.

If you’re not already following me on Instagram, you’re missing out on some serious motivation and behind-the-scenes action.

My Instagram is a bit quiet right now, but I’m working on growing it.

I share tons of tips on cash budgeting and getting your finances in order, plus some sneak peeks into my life and my aesthetically pleasing office setup.

If you’re curious, definitely give me a follow!

I’ve been on this motivational kick lately, especially with my business, and I’m excited to share that journey with you.

So, let’s get into this cash stuffing!

First up, let’s talk about my everyday binder.

This is where I manage my daily expenses.

I’ve made a change in my grocery budget.

I used to stuff this envelope every two weeks, but I’ve switched to a meal delivery service.

It’s about $80 a week for dinner meals since I’m trying to cut down on calories and eat healthier.

I’m a vegetarian, so these pre-made meals are perfect for me.

For groceries, I’m only budgeting $20 now, just for some fruits and quick snacks.

Next, we have transportation.

Since I work from home, I don’t drive much.

I’m budgeting $40 for two weeks for gas.

That’s usually more than enough for me.

Eating out is a tricky one.

I’m trying to cut back on that – it’s been a bit of a challenge with my weight goals.

So, I’m leaving this envelope empty for now.

The same goes for personal spending.

I’m trying to be more mindful of my spending habits.

For beauty, I do need to get my nails done soon, so I’m setting aside $50 for that.

It’s important to treat yourself sometimes, right?

Moving on to healthcare, I don’t have any immediate expenses coming up.

I use my flexible spending account card for co-pays and medicines, so I’m leaving this envelope empty for now.

As for entertainment and miscellaneous expenses, I’m also leaving these empty.

Next up is the home binder.

My cell phone bill is already paid for the year, which is a huge relief.

I paid $240 for the year (Thanks, Mint Mobile!), so I’m just adding $10 to start saving for next year’s bill.

For my debt envelope, I’m aggressively paying off a 401k loan.

I have a direct deposit set up for it, but I’m also saving extra cash to pay it off faster.

Right now, I’m adding a cool $100 to it, bringing the total in this envelope to $530.

For household, garden, and yard expenses, I’m just putting in $20.

I’m planning some spring sprucing up, but nothing too extravagant.

I’d like to plant some flowers this spring and start a small backyard garden, so I’ll just add a little bit over the next few months for these.

In the medicine and medical envelope, I’m adding $10 as a backup for any healthcare expenses not covered by my flexible spending account.

I like to keep extra money on hand for little things like over-the-counter medicines, prescription and doctor visit copays.

Even though my flexible spending account covers most of these, there are things it won’t.

Now, let’s talk about my house funds binder.

This is where I manage all the expenses related to my house, like maintenance.

The first envelope here is for HOA dues, which are due next month.

I need $250 for that, and I’m topping it off to make sure it’s ready.

My HOA fees are due twice a year, in January and April.

For the new HVAC system, which is a big expense, I was fortunate to receive a significant work bonus, reducing the amount I need to save.

I’m adding $50 to this envelope, bringing the total to $610.

The HVAC system is 18 years old and is on it’s last legs.

I’ve been putting off replacing it since it costs anywhere from $4,000-6,000.

But next year, I’ll have to get a new one as the refrigerant is discontinued for it and there aren’t any other replacements.

This will be the last major expense I hope to have on the house.

I’ve already replaced the roof, all of the flooring and painted the exterior.

It’s amazing how these small steps can make such a big difference in managing finances and getting expensive items completed without feeling stress and anxiety.

I’m always excited to share these moments with you and hope you find them helpful or inspiring.

Remember, budgeting is about being proactive and making smart choices with your money.

It’s about knowing what your needs are, where your money needs to go and making a plan to be proactive about it getting there.

Thanks for stopping by, and don’t forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel for more budgeting tips and personal finance strategies!

Till Next Time, Happy Budgeting!