Are you creating a budget, and looking for cash envelope category ideas? If so, then I’ve got you covered.
In this article, I list out 94 different envelope system categories. Use this list to help you create your budget envelope category the next time you create a monthly budget plan.
Check out this article If you’re looking to start using the cash envelope budgeting system. It walks you through how to get started and gives you some pros and cons of using the system. It also includes a free printable expense tracker for your convenience.
Before we start looking at different cash envelope categories, we need to understand the difference between fixed and variable expenses.
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What Are Fixed And Variable Expenses In Cash Envelope Budgeting?
Fixed Expenses
When talking about the cash stuffing system, a fixed expense is any expense that generally stays the same from month to month. They are usually recurring payments like rent, mortgage, car payments, etc.
Variable Expenses
Variable expenses are those that change from month to month. You can’t really predict how much they’ll be. Some examples of variable expenses are birthday gifts, surprise medical bills, kids’ field trip fees, etc.
Now that we know the differences between fixed and variable expenses when using the cash envelope system, let’s check out some cash envelope categories below.
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Categories of fixed expenses In the budget envelope system
Utilities
The first type of fixed expense is your utilities. This cash envelope category involves things you use daily to keep your home functioning. Below are some of them.
- Electric
- Water
- Gas
- Trash pickup
- Internet
- Phone bill
- Cable
- Online subscriptions (Netflix, Hulu, etc)
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Insurance
The insurance you need to pay every month is a fixed expense you can’t live without. This should be the first thing you put in your cash envelope category.
Forgetting to pay your insurance could lead to a huge problem for your family. Below is a list of insurance you may need to pay. Pick the ones that apply to you.
- Homeowners Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Health Insurance
- renters insurance
- flood insurance
- Pet insurance
- Car insurance
Now that you’ve created your cash envelope categories for all your fixed expenses, let’s take a look at some variable expenses you should add to your budget as well.
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Free Printable Cash Envelope Category
Categories of variable expenses In the budget envelope system
Pet Care
If you own a pet, then you know that they come with some monthly expenses that can be unpredictable sometimes. Some of the items you can add to your cash envelope category for pet care include:
- Pet food
- Vet bills
- Pet medicine/vitamins
- Grooming,
- Pet toys
- Pet sitter
- Pet clothes
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Children
If you’re a parent, you know that kids can be expensive. Besides providing them with a stable home, food, and love, there are other things you need to ensure they have, for them to be comfortable in life.
Some things you can add to your budget envelope categories for your children include:
- Childcare/sitters
- Kids sports fees
- After-school program fees
- School lunch fees
- Kids’ clothes
- Kids’ shoes
- Kids’ uniform
- School supplies
- Field trips fees
Medical Care
I consider medical care a variable expense because you can’t predict what your bills will be when you go to the hospital. There are some aspects of medical care you need to consider when making your cash-stuffing categories. These include:
- Out-of-pocket medical bills
- Copays
- Medicine
- Therapy fee
Home Maintainance
Your home must be maintained every day whether in an apartment or a house. There are things you must take care of to prevent damage to your home, or reduce your property value. Some home maintenance things you should add to your budget envelope categories include:
- Tools for home repair
- Gardening tools
- Lawn and garden product
- Home cleaning products
- Pool cleaning service
- maid/cleaning person
- Home appliance repair
- Bathroom fixture repair (clogged drains, broken pipes, etc.)
Groceries
Buying groceries is an essential part of living, so it should be a top priority in your cash envelope category. You need to have a set grocery budget so that you don’t overspend when you go to the supermarket.
There are ways you can save money on groceries. Check out this article I wrote on how to stretch your grocery budget. It’ll help you save money on groceries every month.
Entertainment
The entertainment category is anything that brings you joy, that you do for fun or relaxation.
Many people forget to include entertainment in their cash envelope categories because they think it should be for bills only.
Entertainment is important in everyone’s life. It’s how you destress from a long work week. It’s what makes life enjoyable.
Below are some entertainment items you should budget for in your cash-stuffing category.
- Restaurants
- Food at work
- Alcohol
- Order-out drinks (Starbucks, bubble tea, smoothies, etc)
- Subscriptions (Netflix, Hulu, etc)
- Gym memberships
Giving/Gifts
When creating your cash-stuffing category, don’t forget to add “giving/gifts” to it. Giving refers to gifts and charitable work you do for others.
Most of the items on this list are seasonal, so you don’t have to budget for them every month. You only need to do it when the occasion calls for it.
Examples of things you should budget for that fall under “giving/gifts” are:
- Charity
- tithes and church offerings (To learn more on this, check here)
- Birthday gifts
- Wedding gifts
- Christmas present
- Easter presents
- Baptism Gifts
- First Communion gifts
- Baby shower gifts
- Bridal shower gifts
Leisure and Fun
The leisure budget envelope category involves everything you do for fun. This involves:
- Travel/Vacation
- Hobbies
- Events
- Date nights
Holidays
The holidays are a time when most people overspend on things. Between shopping for presents and planning get-togethers, it can be easy to lose track of your budget.
That’s why it’s very important to set a strict budget during the holiday season.
Some holiday cash envelope category ideas are:
- Easter presents
- New years party
- Secret Santa
- Halloween costumes
- Halloween party
- Thanksgiving diner
- Easter dinner
- Christmas dinner
Personal Care
Personal care refers to anything you buy to take care of your body. It involves grooming products as well as self-care items. Some cash envelope category ideas for personal care are:
- Toiletry (toothbrush, deodorant, perfume, etc.)
- Shoes
- Spa sessions
- Clothing (house clothes, special occasion clothes)
- Work uniform
- Makeup/beauty supplies
Maternity Care
If you’re an expectant mother, then you’ll need to budget for everything regarding caring for the baby and yourself. Think of the things you’ll need during your pregnancy, as well as things you’ll need for recovery after birth.
Maternity and newborn items are very expensive. They can add up quickly if you don’t budget for them properly. See below for some cash envelope category ideas for maternity care:
- Breast pump
- Nursing pillow
- Postpartum recovery kits
- Pelvic floor therapy fees
- Birth Doula
- Birthing classes
- Lactation consultant
Car Maintainance
A car is an essential part of everyday life for most people. If you live somewhere without reliable public transportation, then your car is like a third arm.
That’s why you need to budget for your car maintenance every month. You never know when your car will break down unexpectedly, so planning for it is a good idea.
If you end up not using the car maintenance budget, you can put it towards your savings. Some cash envelope category ideas for car maintenance are:
- Car inspection
- Car repairs
- Car payment
- Gas
- Parking/garage fee
Allowances
Allowances involve money you give yourself for your personal use. You don’t have to track where it goes. You can use it as you please. This cash envelope category includes:
- Personal spending money
- Spouse spending money
- Kids Allowance
Final thoughts on cash envelope category ideas
Creating cash envelope categories is crucial to tracking your budget accurately. Make sure you don’t lump two or more categories together when creating your cash envelopes because it will get confusing.
There are so many categories you can include in your budget envelope. This list doesn’t cover them all. The list you come up with really depends on your lifestyle and what’s important to you.
Which cash envelope category idea will you include in your budget envelope? Comment below and let me know.
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