Yeah... I carry a $20 bill. I almost never use it, as I charge everything.

I doubt that anyone would turn in a twenty...

Robin, I would have done the same thing you did. I don't carry a lot of cash (mainly because we don't have $$) but if I DID, I would know how many of each denomination and could probably recite what order they were in.

You are so lucky that an honest person found it and turned it in. I'm with LuAnn; if it was $20, it would have landed in a pocket.

I have no idea how much or what denominations are in my purse at any given time. However the one time I had some one steal from me I did because my husband had just given me cash for a check he had cashed for me at the bank. I had just folded it up and put it in my coin purse in my purse. I had not gone anywhere after doing that so knew that exact number.

I use so little cash that I do know 'What's in my wallet'. Doesn't change much from week to week.

Have you ever noticed when reading a police blotter that when someone reports a purse or wallet "missing" it always contained a hefty amount of cash? (Thinking insurance claims.)

Double nice for you, rob333. You got your money back, and your faith in your fellow man's honesty got a boost.

I would have no idea. I do carry some cash. Generally not that much because I charge everything. Today I made one small purchase so I paid cash and when I got back to my car, I took out all the singles and arranged the other bills in order of denomination and put them back in my wallet. I still could not tell you how much money that was. I only know it's under $50.00.

So happy for you that you got your cash back!

When one lives on a budget, cash is easier to watch than a card. Unless it never makes it to the "envelope". But I was trying hard. Boss said "How did you get it back?" Co-worker and I said together "because there are ao many good people in the world!". He just smiled. Yeah, I'd written it off, but I sure did hope! And it "paid off" this time. Whew!

I am on a budget.
I go through cash like water, so I chose to used the CC instead.

Studies done by the "credit" (read "debt") card issuers have shown that, despite the protestations of many that it's not true, that a very large number of people spend more when they can swipe a card than when they must pull out the wallet and pass out the currency, piece by piece.

ole joyful

OJ's right. And new bills get spent a lot slower than old, wrinkly ones.

I always have mine in order of denomination and facing the same way. Having said that, I have a vague idea of how much is in my wallet. $35 currently.

Only by the undisciplined, OJ. Some of us can manage not to spend more than we have.

I carry precisely $50 in my wallet - 2 twenties and a ten. The current bills have been in my wallet for over a year. I live way out of town, so that's more than enough to get me a cab ride home if needed.

I charge everything. I pay it off each month.

Were I to be robbed, I would absolutely know what was in my wallet. I also know my credit card number, and its verification code. I also know my driver's license number.

"Only by the undisciplined, OJ. Some of us can manage not to spend more than we have. "

Yep! And I am one of those.

Yes *some*, do spend more with the card, but I pay my credit card off every month and cash in on the cashback rewards. I profit by my card purchases. I can't imagine someone not taking a 15â-20â per gallon discount if offered but many won't. I find a card discipline to be much, much easier than constantly fumbling with cash. I find that gasoline is pretty much a set purchase so charging it and not taking the cashback is fiscally irresponsible. Spending cash only MIGHT make you double check that you don't exceed that amount on grocery purchases for instance, but will it change your purchasing habits? I don't see it. Food stamps, WIC and EBT *supposedly* helps control that but doesn't from what I've seen. It boils down to the person.

And it's also documented how many people who have a dollar in their pocket absolutely MUST spend that dollar, just like some *must* answer the phone if it rings, or *must* open that spam email, even when they know good and well it's to their detriment to open it.

When you are so disciplined that you only carry a twenty or certain bills, what do you do when you spend something from it? Replace it with fresh and deposit the remainder back into the bank? Or what? Seems if you don't do that, you won't know exactly what's in there, if you use it. I'm curious how that works.

I always carry some cash because there's times the credit card isn't an option but I prefer to keep everything on the card to follow a budget better. Plus it works far better for income tax preparation. I merely looked back in the card records and had forgotten about a substantial amount of deductions that wouldn't have been taken (read: more taxes paid) had I not had the card records. Plus you don't have to fumble with all the receipts and risk lost receipts.

I've never understood the "envelope" budgeters. If they're so undisciplined they have to put food money in an envelope, rent/house payment in another, gasoline in another, etc, you know good and well if they run out of McDonalds money, they'll take from another envelope, then when that payment comes due, they'll rob another envelope, then another and another, all the while risking the envelopes getting lost or stolen too. Doesn't make sense to me.

I'm naturally 'tight'. Doesn't matter to me if I pay cash or CC -- I'm always evaluating the cost/value/need ratios. I don't 'go shopping' as recreation. I'm the one arguing that there are some nice leftovers in the fridge if DH and I are not very far from home around lunchtime. I can be 'cheap' just as well with a CC as I can with cash.

Like Cynic, I like the perks that come with the CC expenditures -- the points or refunds for dollars spent and the nice record of what went where. I'm also 'spending their money' until I pay the balance at the end of the month.

I do wonder when people started *financing* their day to day expenses -- charging and paying the minimum. I'm too cheap to pay interest on my groceries. But then, I couldn't believe it when people started financing their cars (unless it was a business expense). Today, I can't believe people will choose a car they could never afford to buy because they can handle the lease payments spread over a period of five years -- even more! I guess it's advertising at its' best (or worst).

The airs of superiority are blowing today! ;)

Cash works best for me as I am not disciplined to tally my card swipe. i would be in trouble if i lost my wad Rob....so I feel ya. lately I've been leaving the wad at home and just taking with me what i need that outing. i have saved a ton of money as a result!

To answer the question of why use an "envelope" system: to compartmentalize expenditures. I don't really have envelopes. I have certain amounts set aside for certain things. Some go into a mutual fund, some into savings, some into the bank account, some into my house, some into my pocket... not envelopes. I am highly disciplined when it comes to money. Highly. It gives me peace of mind to say I have X amount of money to do whatever I please--and it doesn't interfere with paying bills thoughts.

I too have saved loads when I leave the money alone that is absolultely to be spent one way and one way only in the bank. The rest can come from here or there, with some left at home and some in my pocket. Free to do what I will without having to worry, is there enough in the account to pay the dentist in two weeeks if I buy this ice cream cone?

I am never ever overdrawn and never unprepared for the expenses of "getting by" (house payment, insurance, doctor visits...). I love compartmentatilzed accounts. Sort of like the main bank account is my secretary taking care of those details. Of course, I'm overboard on budgeting! I even taught my son at a very young age. He saved enough of his own spending money by 12 to open his own CD that'll be for his retirment. Buys his own computer games, books, etc. or gives wads of it to charity and buys his own presents for friends or family members... looks compartmentalized works for him too :)

I always carry cash and I usually have a pretty good idea of what I have with me, unless my husband decides he needs some "small money", as he calls it, and helps himself to some as he leaves in the mornings. The amount I take with me depends on where I am going. Usually I will have between $40 and $100. I pay for groceries and horse feed and gas with a debit card.