frequently asked questions
what is cash stuffing?
Cash stuffing is budgeting with envelopes. When money comes in, you split it into envelopes, one per purpose: groceries, rent, a holiday. You spend from the envelope the purchase belongs to, and what is left is what you can still spend. Budget Bestie is that method on your iPhone, so you do not need to carry cash.
is budget bestie free?
Budget Bestie is free to download from the App Store and starts with a free trial. After the trial it is a monthly or annual subscription, billed and managed by Apple. The price for your country shows in the app before the trial starts, and you can cancel any time in your iPhone settings.
does budget bestie connect to my bank?
No, and that is on purpose. Budget Bestie never asks for bank logins. You record every expense, every bit of money in and every move between envelopes yourself. Handling each dollar is what keeps you aware of your money.
which devices does budget bestie work on?
Budget Bestie is an iPhone app and needs iOS 16 or later. There is no Android or web version today. If you want to hear about Android, join the Android list from the links page.
can I use real cash envelopes with the app?
Yes. Some people stuff paper cash into real envelopes and keep Budget Bestie as the record of those envelopes. Others keep no paper at all; their envelopes live only in the app, as a plan over the money in their accounts. The method is the same either way.
how often do I stuff my envelopes?
On your pay schedule: every week, every second week, twice a month or once a month. The app shows your next stuffing day as a reminder, not a deadline. If it passes, your envelopes carry on until you stuff again, and stuffing early is fine.
what happens when I overspend an envelope?
The envelope goes below zero and stays there until you move money in. Budget Bestie offers a move money button that fills in the amount needed to bring it back to zero, taken from an envelope that can spare it. Your total never changes; money only changes envelopes.
can two people share a budget?
Not as a built-in feature yet. Today a budget belongs to one account. Some couples sign in to the same account on two iPhones; the help center explains how to do that safely with Apple's Passwords app.
is my data safe?
Your budget is linked to your Budget Bestie account and synced to our servers, so a new phone brings it back. The app never holds bank credentials because it never connects to a bank. You can delete your account and all of its data from settings at any time. The privacy policy explains what is collected and for how long.
how do I cancel my subscription or free trial?
Open the Settings app on your iPhone, tap your name, tap Subscriptions, choose Budget Bestie and tap cancel. Cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends to avoid a charge. Deleting the app or signing out does not cancel a subscription.
how is budget bestie different from YNAB or Goodbudget?
All three help you give money a purpose before you spend it. Budget Bestie is built around cash stuffing only, on iPhone only, with no bank connection and a stuffing day that follows your pay schedule. YNAB connects to banks and runs on more platforms at a higher price. Goodbudget is also an envelope app, with a free plan with limits and web, Android and iPhone versions. Each comparison page goes into the detail.
who makes budget bestie?
Budget Bestie Corp, a small sister and brother team in Edmonton, Canada. Sasha Gray paid off her own debt with cash stuffing and came up with the app; Jeremy Gray builds it.