How to Manage your Paperwork

Bills, junk mail, newspapers, magazines, store receipts, coupons. We all get inundated with papers. They pile up on the kitchen counter, or on the coffee table. Even if they make it to your "office/computer room", the piles finally get unmanageable. With a little organization and a "place for everything" attitude, those paper problems will disappear.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Files
• File cabinet/box
• Shredder

1. Store Receipts - If you itemize deductions at tax time, think you might want to return a purchase, check credit card statements against the receipts, or use them for budgeting purposes, then put the receipts into a marked folder as soon as you return home. Throw away any receipts not needed, or when their usefulness is over.

2. Bills - Have a bill paying folder. When the bills arrive in the mail, put them in the folder immediately. Have a bill paying day every week or every two weeks. At the end of the month, transfer all bill statements to an envelope marked with the month and year, leaving the folder empty for the next months bills.

3. Mail - Sort the mail everyday as it comes in. Bills to the bill folder, junk mail to the recycling bin, newspapers and magazines next to where you usually sit and read, coupons and offers to a coupon file.

4. Tax Papers - Keep all paperwork you know you will need at tax time in a separate folder. This saves time later on, no last minute sorting through boxes or drawers to find everything.

5. Coupons - Clip coupons from the Sunday newspaper or print them online, or cut them from the junk mail. As soon as you clip them, sort them into categories in a small expanding file. Whenever you make a grocery list, check the file for a coupon. Carry the file in the car for spur of the moment purchases. Check the expiration dates regularly, it saves embarrassment at the check-out!

6. A file cabinet is a handy thing to have in the "office" or garage or basement. Folders for manuals (every appliance, big or small has one),warranties, receipts, bills, insurance policies, etc. can easily be organised.

Tips & Warnings

• Shred all mail except junk mail before putting it in the trash.
• Check the files every 6 months and discard any old insurance policies
• Throw out old manuals when the appliance or gadget is replaced.

[vintage]

on 9/2/2009 good tips 5*