If you love the look of cash stuffing but don’t actually want to use physical cash, here’s a creative alternative I tried: turning novelty bills into holographic laminated place holders. These shiny little cards can represent your digital savings deposits or serve as visual cues in savings challenges. They’re fun, durable, and way cuter than just tracking numbers in an app.
Important safety note: Always use prop money clearly labeled that it's not legal tender or design your own decorative bills. Never try to replicate real currency.
🎥 Watch the Tutorial
Want to see exactly how I made these step-by-step?
👉 Watch my TikTok video tutorial here
Why I Made These
Cash stuffing is motivating because it’s visual. But since I save digitally, I wanted something I could still see, hold, and celebrate with. Laminating prop bills with holographic overlays gave me that sparkly, tangible reminder of progress without ever touching real cash.
Materials
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Prop money or custom-printed play money
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Scissors or craft knife
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Optional: Permanent markers or metallic pens for labeling
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Optional: QR codes linking to a savings tracker, digital wallet, or goal page
Step-by-Step
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Pick your “money.” Use prop bills or print your own designs that are decorative only. You can also label with things like “Emergency Fund” or “Vacation Savings.”
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Apply holographic overlay. Place your holographic sticker sheet sticky side up on a flat surface. Arrange as many prop bills as will fit on the sheet, pressing them down firmly with your hands to ensure good contact. Trim around the edges if you’d like to save any extra film.
Next, place a second holographic sheet sticky side up and press the uncovered side of the bills onto it, sandwiching them between two holographic layers. Smooth them out to remove any air bubbles and make sure the film is fully adhered. Trim away excess film to reuse for another project.
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Trim. Leave a small sealed border around the edges so it doesn’t peel.
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Customize (Optional). Use markers to add names, amounts, or goal notes. If using QR codes, test them after laminating to make sure they scan.
Fun Ways to Use Them
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Savings Challenges: Each holographic place holder = the amount stated the prop bill.
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Digital Envelopes: Pair the place holder with a QR code to represent where the money went.
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Gift Giving: Instead of handing cash, write on the place holder “I gifted $25 to your trip fund” and include proof digitally.
Quick Tips
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Smooth out bubbles in the holographic sticker sheet with a flat card.
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Test pens on a laminated scrap first.
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Keep designs obviously decorative and never copy real money.
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Holographic overlays can affect QR code scanning — test before sealing.