When cash payments were more common envelope budgeting provided an easy, systematic way of maintaining a personal budget. Times have changed with credit cards, electronic fund transfers and checks replacing cash. But you can still effectively use envelope budgeting with Budget by Snowmint Creative Solutions LLC.
Envelope Budgeting Software
Financial software specifically designed for envelope budgeting uses visual representations of envelopes. Income is recorded as a deposit in an account in the software, then the software allocates the income across virtual envelopes so the user can see the balance in the envelopes. When a bill is due, the money is "removed" from the envelope and the payment is made.Start Envelope Budgeting Fast with Budget by Snowmint
Budget tells you at a glance how much is in each budgeted envelope.
Snowmint Creative Solutions LLC
To set up income accounts for paychecks, enter information into Budget about each source of income, how often you get paid from the source and which bank account accepts deposits from that source of income.
Next, set up envelopes to represent each expense category and set up the amount from each income source should be allocated toward each expense envelope. As you go through the set up process Budget tells you what percentage of monthly income each expense takes up.
Budget Benefits
- Windows and Mac versions.
- Budget makes it simple to see at a glance the total amount currently set aside for each envelope.
- Handles variable income for those who are not salaried.
- Imports data from financial institutions and other software using QIF.
- Budget reconciles bank and credit card accounts.
- Includes a budget planner to plan future spending for infrequent, high value expenses.
- Envelopes can be grouped. For example, gas, repairs and insurance being grouped under ‘Automobiles’.
- Great user support forum.
- Calendar with budget reminders and tasks.
- Free to trial and free upgrades.
Budget Weaknesses
- QIF data imports do not work for investment transactions at the time this was written.
- Currently cannot transfer data between the Windows and Mac versions of Budget, although this feature is being developed.
- No conduit for use with a PDA or Smartphone, with none planned for the future.
