Recently I wrote about the benefits of cutting credit cards out of your life to save money and help rein in your budget. I figured it’s only fair to put my money where my mouth is and follow through myself.

So last month I put my credit card on the shelf and relied exclusively on my debit card for, well, everything. Turns out I charged a total of $975.95 to my debit card, and saved $228 in interest fees by doing so.

But besides the obvious benefits of saving on those added interest costs, I also wanted the exercise to help me pinpoint where my money goes. I can’t say I am surprised at where the bulk went, but the amount shocked me — especially since, like the rest of America, I’ve been cutting back for many months already.

Maybe it’s because I’m tired when I get home, maybe it’s because I’m a bad cook, or maybe it’s because I live upstairs from a restaurant row; whatever the reason, I’ve realized I spend most of my money dining out — $338.83 last month, to be exact. This includes dinners, brunches, workday lunches, happy hours, take-out and anything else prepared by a restaurant.

So I’m taking on a new challenge this month: Cash only! And when I say cash only, I mean literally using greenbacks exclusively. It will probably be a pain to run to the ATM on a regular basis, but I’m hoping (hypothesizing even) that watching the cash dwindle before my eyes will help me put the breaks on spending across the board.

When using a credit or debit card, it’s easy to separate needs (gas and groceries) from wants (clothes and dining out). But when I have a finite cash flow for everything, I’m hoping it will force me to scrutinize each and every purchase — be it an office vending-machine snack or buying the expensive brand of shampoo at the grocery store.

So I’m only a few days into the month, and I’m already committed to a cash-only lifestyle. Oh, and I have to run to the ATM.

Be sure to check back in a couple of weeks and see how I’m doing with my cash-only diet.

Do you think I can stick to it and save? Are you willing to join me on a cash crusade to rein in spending habits? If you do switch to a cash-based existence, let me know about your progress!