For a number of years I was using cash only and envelopes (learned from Dave Ramsey's course in 2006). I had envelopes for food, rent, gas, and those types of things, as well as an envelope for every monthly or annual expense, such as an annual gym membership. I broke down all expenses into the correct amount to place into the envelope every two weeks, and ensured the amount I was adding would add up to the correct amount on the day I needed it. I went to the bank when I was paid every two weeks and got the correct amount of cash in the correct denominations to fill all the envelopes. I had an envelope for six months of expenses that I filled up with the extra money I had. It worked beautifully.

Then I moved to Mexico, and stopped most of the above. Moving money between countries, paying currency exchange fees, not knowing what the Mexican government will do seeing all this money moving in and out of a Mexican bank account, and keeping that much cash in my home were all problematic. Now there are two envelopes for spending; food and household. All other items are usually paid with a credit card (I avoided credit cards for a long time) and paid off in full every month.