One of the things wise money people always say is "Always use cash." It's harder for us to part with an actual dollar bill than it is to swipe our debit or credit cards. I've found this to be very true, and have been able to stick with my $200 per week (or less, when broke) cash allowance for just over a year now. (Okay, maybe I've had a few off-budget splurges, but they haven't been purchased using credit). I go to the bank each Friday and take out $200.00 When it's gone, it's gone, and whatever is left over goes into my passbook savings account.
My bank has lots of options for moving money around electronically, and while I do take advantage of online bill payments (saving lots of stamps and paper), I prefer to walk up to the teller window and take my weekly draw (and put in my weekly savings) in person. It's kind of old-fashioned, but I think it is good for me to slow down and make the cash-handling process very intentional.
When I was a little kid, I thought that each penny, quarter, or dollar I put in the bank went into a special box that was just mine, and that when I withdrew money it would be the same coin or bill. Going up to the teller puts me in mind of those simpler days, and makes me appreciate even more the value of each dollar I earn, spend, or save.
