Cash Stuffing

Which Binder size should I get?

The larger size may be called A6, Personal, Medium, or MM (the latter two are designations specific to Louis Vuitton binders). This category of binders will have slightly different measurements from each other and are not consistently labeled by the same standard. The best way to know you are getting the right binder is to ensure the measurement between the two center rings is 2 inches. This is the binder size that your cash can lay flat and unfolded within the cash envelope.

The smaller binder may be called A7, Pocket, Small, or PM (the latter two are designations specific to Louis Vuitton binders). This binder will have six rings equally spaced apart and should be a distance of 3.75 inches from top to bottom. This is the binder size many people use as wallets and requires folding your cash in half or two-thirds to fit in the envelope.

What is a savings challenge?

A savings challenge is a fun way to save money either for a specific goal, such as a trip or Christmas, or a way to save a significant amount of money that can be redistributed with no particular goal in mind. Some saving challenge examples are 26/52 week challenges, box challenges, color challenges (you color in icons as you go to mark progress), scratch and saves (scratch off and find out the next amount to save), monthly challenges, and pretty much anything you can think of would make a great challenge.

What is a sinking fund?

Sinking funds are envelopes for expenses that might not be date specific or may not have a specific amount each time you need to spend.

Example:

Car Maintenance – You might save money each month for when you need oil changes (not necessarily date specific) or a repair (not date or amount specific).

Low-priority vs. high-priority?

Low-priority sinking funds are funds you don’t need urgently or often. High-priority are sinking funds you use often or prioritize to achieve quickly.

Examples:

Low Priority: Clothes – You don’t necessarily need the clothes any time soon and have time to add enough funds or can put off buying clothes until you do have enough funds.

High Priority #1: Vacation – You have a trip planned and need to ensure you have enough saved by the time you take the vacation.

High Priority #2: Gas – You don’t always know how much you need for gas due to price changes or changes in how much you need to drive, but you can’t put off not buying gas when you need it and, therefore, should prioritize funding.

Why use cash instead of a card?

Studies have shown there is a psychological difference when paying with a credit card vs. cash. Paying with cash is far more painful for me, and I do find I spend less when using cash; however, I place a higher value on the points or cashback I receive on my cards than trying to reduce overall spending as long as I stay within my limits. I still use credit for 99% of my purchases, but by maintaining cash binders for most of my spending, I can track how much I’m spending and when I’ve reached my designated limit.

Why use zero-based budgeting?

This method ensures every dollar is working as planned. How often do we come into an extra stash of money and then have no idea where it went? By allocating every dollar to a place, you are either paying off a debt, saving for priority, or investing in your future. No matter what, your money should always be working for you. It’s the most basic passive income stream, whether making interest or preventing interest.

Is there good debt and bad debt?

There is a LOT of debate on this question. There are plenty of financial experts on both sides of the table, but if you landed here, you are most likely familiar with Dave Ramsey and his belief that there is no good debt. I politely disagree and believe there is plenty of good debt if you have a plan and self-control. My philosophy is that the debt has to be under 5% and provide a tangible and increasing benefit, such as equity in a house that appreciates over time or increased skills to improve your salary. The rationale behind utilizing good debt is that taking on low-interest debt for an appreciating asset frees up your money to be invested with a higher rate of return, such as an Index Fund that averages 10% return or pays off higher interest debt. Just be careful of fees or introductory interest periods. Always read the fine print.

Customer Care

Shipping

Geography: At this time shipping is limited to domestic United States including Hawaii and Alaska. If you are international and would like to inquire about a potential order, please let us know and we will consider adding international shipping based on interest.

Carrier: We currently use USPS 5 day business for all orders at a flat rate of $7, even if we have to break an order into multiple shipments. Any item contained within a single purchase order will only be charged $7 shipping. This includes an immediate shipment and a follow up pre-ordered item as long as both items were purchased in the same single transaction.

Processing: We currently process orders 1-3 business days and shipping is up to 5 business days after it is dropped off with the carrier.

Processing for custom items will take 5-7 business days before being handed off to the carrier.

Pre-orders usually take around 4-6 weeks for processing though they usually are shipped out much sooner than that.

Please note once the package is handed off to the carrier, we do not have control over shipping times.

Return and Refund policy

Please note I do not accept cancellations or provide refunds at this time. These products are handmade with love and will inherently have slight variations or imperfections. Please note product pictures carefully for color combinations and read all product descriptions for additional details. Please ensure you are happy with your purchase selection and acknowledge handmade quality before proceeding with purchase. I am only one person behind Essie Mod and appreciate your support and understanding.

Disclaimer

I am not a financial planner and all content Essie Mod produces on this site or related social media is for entertainment and informational purposes only. Nothing published on any platform creates an attorney-client privilege or constitutes legal or financial advice. Please seek professional advice from an accountant or attorney for financial decisions.