This information is provided in summary form and you should conduct your own research before using any of the companies listed.  Information is subject to change at anytime.  (Emphasis added)

From the Hertz FAQs site:

Debit Card Policy-

Q: Can I use my Debit Card or Bank Card to reserve a Hertz car?

A: At most Hertz locations, debit cards (sometimes called check cards) issued under a VISA or Mastercard logo which draw funds directly from the cardholder’s account may be used to qualify for rental. However, prepaid or stored value cards which have a VISA or Mastercard logo are not accepted to qualify for rental. Debit cards must have available funds for the estimated amount of the rental charges plus a reasonable amount to cover any incidental charges in order to secure the rental. Both debit cards and prepaid or stored value cards issued under a VISA or Mastercard logo may be used as a form of payment when you return the vehicle. Please contact your local Hertz Reservations Office if you have a question about whether Hertz will accept a certain card.

Cash Policy-

Q: What can I do if I do not have a credit or debit card in my name?

A: Cash Rentals are accepted with a Cash Deposit ID Card. Applications for a Cash Deposit ID Card are available from your local Hertz Office. Applicant must be 18 years or older and the application process takes approximately 30 days. There is a $15USD nonrefundable processing fee. A Hertz Cash deposit ID Card may be used at a Hertz Location.

From the Enterprise Website-

Debit Card Policy-

Debit Card:

Some locations will accept a debit card for a rental deposit and/or payments. To be valid, a debit card must have a Visa or Mastercard logo.

Airport locations that are able to accept debit cards will require return trip itineraries.

Most local renters who would like to use a debit card for their deposit may need to complete a cash qualification process. The branch may ask for you to bring in two valid, current utility bills and your most recent paycheck stub.

It is common that a rental branch will require your drivers licence to be issued in the state you are renting.

We are happy to help you with policy information specific to the renting branch. Please contact us ahead of time to determine what is needed when renting with a debit card.

Cash Policy-

Cash:

For security reasons, our locations do not accept cash. We apologize for any inconvenience.

From the Avis FAQs-

Debit Card / Cash Policies-

Debit Card Policies

Avis reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to seek a Debit Card authorization hold in excess of the estimated rental charges. When using a debit card at Avis, there may be a minimum hold of $500 and a maximum hold of the estimated rental charges will be placed on your account.

Upon returning the vehicle, Avis will process a release of the unused portion of the hold subject to your bank’s procedures. The hold may take up to 2 weeks to be released by your bank.

If you fail to return the vehicle as agreed, Avis will obtain additional authorizations from your account to cover the rental charges.

Avis is not responsible for any returned checks or over-drafts based on this policy.

This policy applies to both U.S. residents and foreign renters.

Positive identification in addition to your driver’s license may be required.

In the United States, debit, cash or check cards can be used at the end of the rental for payment of rental charges. For acceptable credit identification and payment methods in countries outside of the U.S., please search for the specific location.

From the Budget Website-

Debit Card Policy-

Credit and Debit Card Rules

Generally, at the time of a U.S. rental, we’ll require a credit card hold of total estimated charges plus 25% or $200, whichever is greater. If you’re using a debit card at a location that accepts them, we’ll require a hold of total estimated charges plus 25% or $300, whichever is greater. However, for insurance/service replacement rentals and tour rentals, the minimum debit card authorization hold is $100. At select locations in the Northeast and North Central regions, the minimum authorization hold is $500. Renters under 25 years of age may not use a debit card. Look at the terms and conditions on your reservation confirmations for the deposit required at your specific rental location. Some select locations do not accept debit cards at time of rental to release the vehicle, but do accept debit cards for payment at time of car return.

Cash Policy-

Can I pay with cash?

Yes. Your deposit type, amount and method of payment will vary by Budget location.

From the National Website-

Debit Card Policy-

Debit Cards

When renting in the U.S., debit and check cards may only be used in conjunction with proof of a round trip travel ticket (airline, cruise ship or train) at time of rental.

A debit/check card is considered to be any non-credit card bearing the VISA, MasterCard or Discover Card logo.

Any other non-credit card without the VISA, MasterCard or Discover Card logo is not accepted.

For pick-ups in the United States, without proof of roundtrip ticket, debit or check cards are only accepted when returning the vehicle.

A credit card in the name of the renter must be presented at the time of pick-up.

Cash Policy-

Cash Rentals

Customers must meet National’s requirements for renting a vehicle without a credit card.

Only Economy through full-size vehicles can be rented with cash.

No Additional Drivers are allowed on Cash Rentals.

All cash rentals, including prepayments, vouchers, and the like will require a deposit of $300 per rental, in addition to the pre-calculated rental charges.

When the rental vehicle is returned in accordance with the rental terms and conditions, the cash deposit will be refunded upon return of the vehicle, and in some instances, the refund will be mailed to the customer following the return of the rental vehicle.

Summary:

Almost every major rental car agency WILL rent a car without a credit card.  Most, however, will place a “hold” on your debit card for the full rental price, plus, in most cases, an added deposit.

When it comes to payment, most will accept a debit card as payment when you return the automobile.  Available options appear to be:

A) Reserve the car with a company that allows you to use a debit card.  If you do this, be sure that you bank account has a sufficient amount to cover the deposit, the hold, and any other charges that you might incur.

B) RESERVE the car using your credit card and PAY for the car rental using cash or your debit card.

While I do not use a credit card to make purchases, I do carry one in my wallet.  If necessary, for the security of my family, I would use the credit card to reserve a car and then pay cash for the rental when I returned the car.

Before renting an automobile, understand a company’s policies.  Do your own research and call ahead if you have questions.  While I was compiling this information, I did not take into account ANY insurance-related policies.

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Can I Rent A Car Without A Credit Card?

My wife and I have been married for almost thirteen years.  For that entire time, even before we got serious about managing our money, we believed in combining our finances.  Here’s our simple system and what works for us.

Our Combined Finances -

Checking Accounts -

We have one, joint, primary checking account.  My wife and I can both write checks from this account.  We both have debit cards associated with this checking account.  Since I’m the nerd, I keep up with the checkbook balance.  We write less than ten checks per month, mainly to pay for babysitters and daycare.  I reconcile the checkbook once or twice a week, which takes less than five minutes.  We both carry a book of checks, for the sake of convenience.

We have one, joint, online checking account.  We both have debit cards associated with this checking account.  My wife rarely uses this account, which is used primarily for online transactions.

Our expenses are pretty consistent, month after month.  Because we live on a budget, it’s relatively easy to predict when and where we’ll write a check or use a debit card.  We hold on to our receipts, write down check amounts, and then I will enter all transactions in our checkbook register.  I also regularly log-in to our checking accounts, just to make sure that we haven’t forgotten to record a particular transaction.

Cash -

We use the envelope system to manage our cash.  My wife has a set of envelopes.  I have a set of envelopes.  Click here to watch a video describing, in detail, how the envelope system works.

Again, there is a real advantage to living on a budget.  I usually shop for groceries, while my wife usually shops for clothing.  So, she gets the clothing envelope, and I get the grocery envelope.  This works for us, but other couples might need two clothing envelopes or two grocery envelopes, one for each spouse.

Saving Accounts -

We have one, joint, online savings account.  We both have access to this account.

How It Works -

The key to combined finances is open communication.  When we create our monthly budget, we are honest about our expectations.  If I think I’m going to play golf, or my wife thinks she’s going to visit the manicurist, then we talk about those things.  I’ve seen couples struggle to live on a budget – even a budget to which they have both agreed – only to find out that one spouse is hiding certain expenses from another spouse.

We only need one checking account (from which we both write checks) because we are constantly talking about our finances.  And, we have the freedom to talk about our finances (and avoid arguing) because we are both committed to our budget.

I trust my wife.  She trusts me.  We have three children, and we are teaching them to trust us..  Our system for combining our finances works because I know, that all times, my wife is doing what she believes is best for me and for our children – and she knows, that at all times, I’m doing what I believe is best for her and our children.

Inventory of Financial Accounts -

Because I am the finance nerd in our family, I’ve created an inventory of financial accounts for my wife.  I regularly update the inventory, so that she will have quick access to our financial information, should something happen to me.  If you manage your household finances, be sure that your spouse knows where important documents and accounts are located.

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What Works For Me – Combining Our Finances

I have a pretty funny story about scrounging for change.

Two years ago, right before Christmas, I gathered up all of the lose change in our house and headed to a local grocery store.  My goal was to use the store’s Conistar machine and exchange my coins for an Amazon gift certificate.  I’m not sure exactly how much change I had when I arrived at the store, but I do know that it filled up a large  Ziploc bag.

I walked towards the entrance of the store, and I noticed that there was a rather sizable group of people – maybe fifteen or twenty – gathered to one side.  As I made my way onto the sidewalk, maybe ten feet from the automatic doors, the crowd parted, and a woman wearing a large Santa Klaus hat, ringing a bell, began to shout -

“Thank you Jesus!  Thank you Jesus!  Thank you Jesus!”

Everyone in the crowd began to look at me – and my big bag of change.  At first I was a little confused, forgetting for a moment that I was carrying seven pounds of coins.  Then it hit me.  The woman who was shouting was collecting donations – and she thought that I was bringing the change to her!

Needless to say, I never made it to the Coinstar machine.  Instead, I pored the entire contents of the bag into the donation receptacle, awkwardly accepted her repeated thank yous, hastily made my way into the store, walked around for few minutes with nothing to do, and then quietly left via a side-door…

10 Places To Look When Scrounging For Change

Under The Cushions

I always check for lose change that might be hiding under the cushions of our couch and recliners.  Don’t forget feel between the back of the couch and that little space where the cushions rest.  Sometimes I swear that the Denver Mint is storing reserves in our sofa.

In The Drawer In The Kitchen

Come on now.  You know what I mean when I say The Drawer.  We all have (at least) one drawer where we keep the phone book, pens, fingernail clippers, coupons, cards, letters, envelopes, chap-stick, scissors, glue – and the change that we take from our pockets each night.  No matter how hard we try to keep The Drawer neat and organized, it always ends up looking the same.  Thankfully, amidst all of the clutter in The Drawer, there are usually three or four dollars worth in change.

In The Ashtray In The Car

You know the drill.  You drive through to pick up something for supper, you break a $20, and you put thirty-seven cents in your ashtray.  My car actually has two places specifically designed for change, one to the left of the steering wheel and one to the right.  My car is just a rolling piggy-bank.

On The Floor Of The Car

My clumsy brethren will understand this one.  From time to time, the change doesn’t make it to the ashtray.  Instead, it falls to the floor of the car.  I like to check under floor-mats and between seats.

In That Old Purse

If you still have your old purse, go check it’s pockets.  More often than not, you will find some change.  How do I know this?  Let’s just say I’m married to a beautiful woman who has a thing for new purses.

In That Old Wallet

Did you finally grow up and replace that rad Transformers Velcro wallet?  Good job.  Before you throw it away, check it for change.  It will be located in the zippered-pouch.

In Your Golf Bag

I like to keep a few dollars worth of quarters in my golf bag.  Somehow, over the summer, that few dollars can become several dollars, if I’m not careful.  It’s easy, when on the course, to buy a snack for nine bucks and shove the change from a ten into one of the pockets of my golf bag.  I’ve even found change inside the part of the bag designed to hold my clubs.

In Last Months Envelopes

From time to time, the envelopes I use for managing my cash get worn out and they have to be replaced.  It’s important, before I discard the old envelopes, that I check for any change that might have been left behind from a previous month.

In The Envelope From The Bank

Do you know that little envelope you get from your bank?  The one that they give you after you make your deposit?  Before you throw it away, check to see if a quarter or two got stuck in the bottom.

On The Ground Near Where You Park

We have a one car garage.  I park my car in the yard, next to our house.  Once in a while, when getting in my car, I’ll look down and see that I have dropped a few coins on the ground.  I would not obsess over every square inch of your yard, but when sweeping our the garage or mowing the lawn, keep your eyes open.

After you have collected your change, put it into your piggy-bank, give it to your kids as allowance, roll it up and deposit it in your checking account, or take it to a Coinstar machine and get a gift certificate.  Or, do what I did.  Wait until Christmas, and then make a forced donation under the threat of public humiliation and societal scorn!

As a side note – The above post was written with tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek.  It felt great to make the donation that I made, and I would not trade the experience, or the story that came with it, for anything in the world.  As for the rest of the post, I feel that all of us are a little worried about the state of our economy, and I needed to write something that was none-to-serious.  Rock on.

Additional Places To Look According To Readers

On The Top Of Vending Machines (submitted by ben)

As a shortish dude, this would never have occurred to me.  Yet another advantage for you tall people!

In Your Toiletry Bag (suggested by Brianne)

I can’t believe I forgot this one.  I am always finding change in my luggage and my gym bag.

Inside The Pockets Of Your Jacket (suggested by Grace)

It never fails that when I take my suits to the cleaners, I inevitably find a buck or two in the pockets of my suit coats.

In An Old Piggy Bank (suggested by The Passive Dad)

Jokingly, The Passive Dad mentioned looking in your kids’ piggy banks.  Honestly, this isn’t a bad idea, especially if you kids are like mine and they each have two or three piggy banks in there rooms.  At the least, it might be a good idea to consolidate all of their change into one place.

A Contest Suggestion From A reader

Who Can Collect The Most Change? (suggested by Grant Baldwin)

Grant suggested that we see who could find the most change. I think that this is a cool idea.  I’ll look through the 10+ places mentioned and see how much change I can find.  If you would like to participate, get to scrounging!  See how much you can find and then leave a comment letting us know your total.

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10 Places To Look When Scrounging For Change

I received an email from a reader, asking if I planned to to pay for our condo rental with cash (or check).  Of course!

Here’s how I did it.  First, I found the condominium that I wanted to rent.  I emailed the property management company and asked if I could pay with a check.  They assured me that I could, but that I would need to reserve the room with a credit card – just in case there were any damages.  So, I reserved the room with a credit card, e-signed my contract, and dropped a check in the mail.

(As a side note, I did not cancel my credit cards for situations exactly like this one.  As an alternative to my credit card, I could have reserved the room with my debit card.)

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Paying For The Condo Rental Without Using A Credit Card

Monday, I’ll deposit my first paycheck of 2008.  One of my goals for 2008 is to track every dollar that I spend.   I haven’t used my checking account for two weeks, allowing for all checks that were written in 2007 to clear.  After I deposit my paycheck, I can begin to track my spending, and I’ll know exactly how much I spend in a fiscal year.

I am reminded of the frustration I felt when I first started using a budget.  I would sit down, write out my budget, but then, if I wanted to see my actual current checking account balance,  I would have to wait until checks written in the previous month cleared the bank.  Sure, the check amounts were already written in my checkbook register, but I wanted the actual checking account balance, in my account, to match, exactly, the balance in my checkbook register.

Eventually, I settled on letting the checking account sit, dormant, for a couple of weeks.  During that time, all outstanding checks could be cashed, and my account balance would align itself with my checkbook register.  For this two week period, we live ‘cash only’ – using the envelope system for cash management.  (Click here to see a video I created, with step-by-step instructions for using the envelope system.)

My gym fees are auto-drafted from my checking account, and the auto-draft was scheduled for the two-week window.  Just to simplify things a bit, I went ahead and paid my gym fees, a few weeks early, to avoid the auto-draft for that month.

Once my checkbook register and the checking account balance were the same, I began to make every effort to move away from paper checks.  I now use online bill-pay, debit cards, and auto-drafts to pay 99% of our bills.  We still write about 5 checks per month – and I’m looking for a way to make that number “0″.

Even if I move to “0″ checks, there are times when my online bill-pay service will write a paper check in order to send a payment to a small company or individual.  I have to wait until these checks clear before my checking account balance and checkbook register balance are equal.  (There are some online bill-pay services that deduct check amounts when the check are written, but my online bill-pay service deducts the amounts when the checks are deposited/cashed.)  These are the checks, the ones written by my online bill-pay service, that need to clear before I can begin my 2008 spending and tracking.

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Leaving Checking Account Dormant For Two Weeks In Anticipation Of First Paycheck

I made a decision two years ago to stop using my credit card. Here’s how I prepared for life without a credit card.

I established a $1000 emergency fund. Instead of using my credit card to pay for unexpected expenses, I use my emergency fund funds. I needed to remove the “need” to use credit card. If I have an emergency fund, I have removed a ready “excuse” for using my credit card.

I opened a secondary checking account, funded it with about $500 dollars, and I use the debit card associated with this account to make online purchases. The secondary checking account does not allow for over-drafts. I realize that debit cards do NOT have the same built-in protections as credit cards have, so this is my self-designed debit card protection method. If some gains access to my debit card information, the most (hopefully) that they can take me for is about $500. I hope that, in the future, all debit cards will be afforded the same protection as credit cards already have.

I designed a personalized envelope system. In the beginning, I used PHYSICAL envelopes, allocating cash amounts to the various envelopes, and carrying those envelopes with me where ever I went. Now, I have my budget memorized, so I simply carry a week’s worth of cash with me, wherever I go. Again, this means that I keep about $200 to $400 “on me” at all times. Worried about “safety”? I’d simply carry a day’s worth of cash.

I had to learn how to PLAN for the week, and not just stumble blindly from expense to expense. Personally, I use YNAB Personal Budget to manage my personal finances. (Site Sponsor) Basically, unless you are thinking about your expenses, you WILL find yourself in a situation where you will “need” a credit card. Running low on gas? Charge it! Out of milk? Charge it! Hungry? Hit the drive thru… No cash? Charge it! I not only create a MONTHLY budget, I create a WEEKLY spending plan.

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Preparing For Life Without A Credit Card

I have 3 “mini-posts” that I’ve decided to consolidate into one “bigger-post”.

I mentioned some time ago that I was ready to file my taxes.  Do to the fact that I’ve been very, very busy, I am just now getting around to actually filing.  For more information about the free service that I’ll be using to file my taxes online, read this post that I wrote in February.

Roth IRA updates.  I received my account verification documentation from Tradeking.com.  My wife and I now have Roth IRAs.  I am super-excited!  Now I have to make a decision.  What happens if the calendar creeps towards April 15th and I have not managed to fully fund both Roths for 2006?  Should I dip into my emergency fund?  I don’t know what would bother me more: missing a year of fully funding my Roths OR using my emergency fund for a “non-emergency”.  Here’s to hoping that I don’t have to make this difficult choice!

Fees.  For the first time in 2 years, I paid a bank fee.  My bank charges $2 if I make a withdrawal from another bank’s ATM.  In a moment of anti-NCN behavior, I left home without my cash envelopes.  I had to make a quick trip to another town about 45 minutes from where I live, and when I arrived, alas, I had no cash.  Thus, I was forced to use a competitor’s ATM.  So, I’m out $3.50.  Dork!

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Three Topics In One Post: Taxes, Roths, Fees

It has been a few months since I listed anything on eBay.  While getting out of debt, I made over $1000 selling baby clothes and books on eBay.  Now that my kids are older, I really don’t have any baby clothes to sell, and I’ve already sold most of my books!  So, I will be selling some of my daughter’s dresses and my son’s shirts and pants.  I like to sell clothes because they are lightweight, easy-to-ship, and easy-to-describe.  Here’s what I try to do when I sell something on eBay:

1.  I always take a good picture, and I always use a free “picture hosting” service if I need to have more than one picture of the item.  I like imageshack.us.

2.  I make the starting bid equal to the minimum amount that I will take for an item.  I then multiply that number by 1.75 and use that result as my Buy It Now price.  For instance, a dress that I would sell for $9.99, I list at $9.99 and then have Buy It Now price as $17.49.  Alternatively, if I simply want to “get rid” of an item, I’ll start it out at $.99.

3.  I try to create a good description and I ALWAYS tell the truth about an items condition.  If the shirt is a “B-”, I don’t list it as a “B”.

4.  I leave feedback after every transaction.

5.  I ship items as SOON as I RECEIVE payment.  I only use Paypal.

6.  I use Priority Shipping for every item.  I believe in fast shipping.

I know that some folks have had issues with eBay, but I find that if I create a quality listing, answer emails promptly, and ship products qucikly, I have few (if any) problems.  If you are thinking about getting out of debt, I STRONGLY recommend selling some of your “stuff”.  If you don’t like the idea of using eBay, have a yard sale or use your local classifieds.  I like selling “stuff” for two reasons:  It frees up room in my house, and it brings in “extra” money!  I would almost guarantee that 99% of the people who read this blog have $100 worth of stuff just sitting in a closet.  (If you had a $100 bill sitting at the bottom of your closet, would you go get it and deposit it in your bank account?  YES!  The same thing is true about $100 worth of unused “stuff”!)  Selling “stuff” rocks!

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An eBaying We Shall Go, An eBaying We Shall Go

Here’s my system for getting through life without using credit cards.

Cash

–I always have $200 cash on me.  I carry my cash in a money-clip.

Debit Card

–I always have a Debit Card on me.  I carry my Debit Card in my money-clip.  I wrap my cash around my Debit Card.

Checkbook

–I have a checkbook which I keep in my wallet.  I only write about 5 checks per month.  My checkbook usually stays in my glove-box.  If I have to write a check, I will tear a check from the book, fold the check, and put it in my money-clip.

Wallet

–I have a wallet.  I hate to keep it in my pocket, so it usually stays locked in my glove-box.

Credit Card

–I have a credit card that I never use.  It stays in the back slot of my wallet.

In the past 2 years, I’ve only made two purchases which required more than $200 in cash.  On those occasions, I withdrew the cash from the ATM, put the cash in my pocket, made my purchase, and went about my way.

Renting A Car or Reserving A Hotel

–I have rented a car AND reserved a hotel using my debit card.  (I know that some companies require reserving a car with a credit card.  So, if pressed, I could RESERVE the car with my credit card, but PAY the bill with cash.  So far, I have not had to deal with this situation.)  When I checkout or return the car, I pay my bill in cash or use my debit card.

Plane Ticket

–I’ve never flown, so I have no idea how this would work.

On-line Purchase

–I have a secondary checking account with a fixed amount of money.  This account has a debit card.  The account does not allow “over-drafts”.  I use this debit card associated with this account to make on-line purchases.  I’ve never had a problem using a debit card or getting a refund.  I’ve used a debit card to pay for items from Amazon, pay my hosting fees, and manage my satellite radio bill.

Bills

–I use free on-line bill-pay to pay all of my bills.  I’ve never had a problem.  In fact, my local doctor was impressed with the fact that I could use on-line bill-pay to pay my doctor bill.  I actually showed him how to setup an account with his bank!

As you can see, living without a credit card is pretty easy.  I’ve yet to find myself in a situation where I “had” to use a credit card.  I make sure that I keep enough cash “on hand” to meet most situations, but not so much that I’m overly concerned about losing it or having it stolen.  IF someone where to steal my wallet, they’d get a single credit card, my license, and about 10 checks.  If they were to rob me, they’d get about $200 and a debit card.  There are risks associated with every method of carrying money, but I feel pretty secure with the the technique that I use.  If I am travelling, I will, of course, take my wallet out of my glove-box and put it in my back-pocket.  (Wallets are SO 1985!)

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No Credit Cards Needed

Edit:  For those of you interested in purchasing the envelope system mentioned below, I have created a link to it at the top left-hand side of this page.  It is listed as Executive Envelope System.
If you are going to live without credit cards, you have to learn how to stay on a budget, balance your checkbook, wisely use your debt card, and control cash spending. For the sake of this post, “cash” will refer to actual currency: paper bills and coins!

Several personal finance writers suggest using an “envelope” system for cash management. Here’s how the “envelope” system works:

Withdraw a specific amount of cash from your checking or savings account. Separate the cash according to specific budget categories. Place the cash into individually labeled envelopes and use the cash in those envelopes to purchase items throughout the month. Common envelopes are: Gas, Groceries, Food, Eating Out, Miscellaneous.

If you are brand new to budgeting, I strongly recommend using the envelope system. It works very, very well, and it teaches discipline. Once the money in one envelope runs out, you have a choice to make. You can allocate more money from another envelope OR you can stop spending money for those particular items.

Beyond using the envelope system, here are some techniques that I use to control my cash spending.

1. I limit those “convenience store” purchases that eat up so much cash. $1.39 for a 20 ounce bottled water? I purchase a 24 pack at the grocery store, and then keep them with me in the car. The same thing works for snacks. I purchase walnuts, almonds, and other nuts “in bulk” and keep a small jar of them with me in my car. So, when I want a snack, I don’t have to pay “convenience store” prices.
2. I keep “change jars” in the kitchen, the laundry room, on my dresser. Whenever I empty my pockets, I have a place to put my loose change. Once a month, I gather the change and take it to the bank or use it for my daughter’s allowance. She loves counting coins!
3. I talk to my kids before we go into a restaurant. My kids like to buy those little “prizes” at the front door of most restaurant chains. You know what I’m talking about: fake tattoos, those little bouncy-balls, bubble gum. These things cost twenty-five cents to a dollar a piece! If my kids have earned some money during the week, I will allow them to purchase one of these “fun things”. But, I always reserve the right to say, and I let them know this. I HATE when parents allow their children to beg for these silly things at the checkout.
4. I talk to my wife at night about any cash she might need in the morning. You know how it works. Your wife is going to work, you are going to work, and the kids are going to school or daycare. At the last minute, your wife looks into her purse or you look into your wallet, and the question comes, “Do you have a few dollars?”. My wife and I used to swap the same cash, back and forth, during the month. Have you ever found yourself going through your spouse’s wallet/purse and “borrowing” some money? Of have you ever gotten somewhere and realized that your spouse “borrowed” some money from you? To avoid these headaches, discuss cash needs at night, and get prepared for the next day. A one minute conversation can save a morning of frustration.
5. I think about my purchases. This might sound super-simple, but I find that most people don’t view cash as “real money”. We have become so accustomed to swiping a card or writing a check, that when we get cash we treat it as “bonus money”. Small expenditures add up. I had to learn to be responsible when using $5 and $10 bills. I think about my purchases, and I weigh the immediate benefit versus the long-term consequences. Once I am convinced that the purchase is a quality purchase, I make the purchase and I feel GOOD about the purchase.

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How I Control Cash Spending