Saving in the new year? This TikTok hack is going to help you

Saving: I wouldn't even know how many attempts I've made, but unfortunately, I still haven't succeeded. At least, I have saved a little, but I can maybe live off that for three days, so that's not really getting anywhere. My resolution for the new year is – drumroll – to save.

But where does it actually go wrong with saving? Aside from inflation (life is no longer normally expensive), I apparently make strange choices when it comes to spending money. For example, if I don't feel like cooking, I either order something or go out to eat, often without thinking about what this does to my account. Walking to the supermarket is simply not an option. Well, I always think it will be fine, until I suddenly panic blindly in the last five days of the month. Saving? That certainly doesn't work at all. In other words: I need to learn to handle money better if I want to save anything at all.

Okay, since I assume I'm not the only one with a hole in my hand, I've spotted a clever hack on TikTok that I would love to share with you all. This hack is called ‘cash stuffing’ and is actually quite simple: using envelopes with cash gives you more control over your spending. It may sound a bit old-fashioned, but it turns out to be really handy.

How does it work exactly? First, you withdraw an amount in cash that you want to spend that month, leaving the rest in your account. Then you divide the withdrawn amount into different categories: for example, an envelope for groceries, one for rent, another for clothing, haircuts, or dining out.

When you want to spend something, you take the right envelope and take the money out of it, easy right? But you guessed it: once the envelope – which is meant for clothing, for example – is empty, it's up to you whether you take this money from another envelope or not. There's a good chance you'll leave that one top hanging when you see with your own eyes that there simply isn't enough left for your rent. Well, it's worth a try, right? And if you stay away from that money in your account in the meantime, then you're just saving. That would be fantastic if this works!

I'm definitely going to give it a try in the new year. On TikTok, I see all kinds of cute savings folders passing by, so let me treat myself to that first.