Wolf,
I find giving away “my” money to tzedaka (especially budgeting maaser) very difficult. I always made my husband do it because I just couldn’t.
Then our companies offered an automatic split payment. We went with it. Our tzedaka has its own account and then we pull from there.
I think the act of designating that money to tzedaka is important. You know it won’t be there if bills are tight. Its already spent and gone. So as you budget, you are passively aware of it.
This was kind of rambly.