Ready to catch up just a little more? I have Week 2 for you. Week 3 will follow very soon so we can get everything back on track so be ready!
Week 2
Organize your Personal Info/Finances/Bill Pay System
Personal Info
__ Decide where you would like to store this information. Store on your computer or write it down on index cards and keep in a small box. If you store on your computer, save a backup copy to a disk or jump drive. (Store in fireproof box) Make sure to remove the info from the hard drive if you get rid of the computer.
__ Label each category so it can be referenced with ease. A few examples of what to record for each category:
A. Finances (Formulate a budget for your finances. You may want to include your spouse or children in this process, too)
__Your credit score
__ Your credit card number (s) and the phone number to call if your card is lost or stolen (same for debit/check cards)
__ Your bank account numbers and the phone number to call if your checkbook is lost or stolen.
__ A budget for your income, expenses, savings and personal goals.
B. Health (There are new Web sites and software that help you store and track your family's health history)
__ Allergies (to food, medicine, animals, etc.)
__ Your blood pressure
__ Health issues that run in your family
__ Your cholesterol level
__ Your blood type and those of your family members.
C. Safety
__Emergency contact numbers
__ License plate number and VIN (Vehicle ID Number)
__ Flight numbers if you or a family member are planning a trip.
__ Current photos of every member of your family, labeled with their heights and weights.
__ Photocopies of your passport and the passports of your spouse and children.
D. Just in Case
__ Your measurements and clothing sizes
__ Your partner's measurements and clothing sizes
__ Your children's measurements and clothing sizes
Purchase a fireproof safety deposit box if you don't own one. Important documents that need to be put in:
__ Marriage certificate __ Wills
__ Birth certificates __ Death certificates
__ Adoption papers __ Household inventory list
__ Automobile titles __ Valuable contracts
__ Stocks and bonds certificates __ Passports
**Stay Organized**
Once a month:
File away any new personal info you receive.
Every 3-6 months:
Add any major new purchases to your household inventory list.
Review your financial budget. Consider ways you can save by cutting back on expenses. Then follow through.
Once a year:
Request a free credit report to make sure nothing unusual or unauthorized has popped up on it.
Take new photos of your family members for your safety folder. Be sure to note their heights and weights.
Update your health records after your annual physical.
Finances
__ Gather all your bills and corresponding paperwork and decide on one place to keep them all. Pay your bills online and request that your bank does not send paper statements.
__ Make a list of all your income and expenses. Use a program or paper and pen. Get a clear pic of your financial situation. Remember to include the due dates next to each bill. Here are examples:
A. Fixed Expenses
__ Mortgage/Rent __ Utilities
__ Phone __ Insurance
__ Taxes/Loans __ Savings
B. Controllable Expenses (You may want to track these expenses for 3 months to get an average)
__ House Maintenance __Transportation: Parking, Gasoline, etc..
__ Child-Rearing Expenses __ Credit Cards
__ All food __ Personal Care
__ Entertainment __ Charitable contributions
__ Habits (coffee-shop drinks, cigarettes)
__ Formulate a budget based on your income and expenses. Your fixed expenses should be no more than 65% of your income.
__ Schedule times each month to pay your bills. The best way is pay as soon as you get paid. Call your payees to see if they can change your due dates to coincide with your plan. Take advantage of automatic bill payment with your bank.
__ Commit right now to your future. If you are not already contributing to a savings account or investment fund, add an amount you are comfortable with to your budget today and stick with it.
__ Ask for help if you need it. If you are not sure how to balance a checkbook, invest or form a budget, ask for help from someone you can trust or a professional.
__ If you have not done so already, set up a college fund for your children. Consider purchasing life insurance for you and your spouse.
**Stay Organized**
Once a Month:
Review your credit card statements to make sure your interest rate has not changed.
Balance your checkbook.
Every 3-6 months:
Review your 401K
Once a year:
Update your budget.
Schedule a time to do your taxes.
Bill Paying System
__ Find a place to pay bills.
__ Set up this area with all bill paying supplies; calculator, envelopes, stamps, pens, return address labels.
__ Shred any old payment books from loans you have paid off. Here is a list to help you decide what financial items to keep or shred: ATM receipts (put with your taxes if necessary), Credit card statements (make sure they are correct, only keep the most current), Insurance policies and bills (only keep most current), Medical bills (Keep for three years), Mortgage records (keep for as long as you own the property), Mutual fund statements (only keep the annual reports), Selling records of previously owned property (save and file), Social security statements (only keep the annual reports), Tax records (file and save for up to seven years)
__ Implement an organized system for paying bills that works for you. Organize your bills in a large manila envelope with a small calendar in it. Each time a bill arrives, place the bill and envelope in the envelope and mark the due date on your calendar. When the bill has been paid, cross it off the calendar.
__ Schedule time in your planner each week to pay bills and check accounts. Pay your bills on time. If you can't, write your creditor or vendor a letter describing your situation. Send them something every month even if it is five dollars.
__ After your bills are paid, write or stamp "paid" on them and place them in a basket or folder until the end of the month. At the end of the month, punch holes in them and file in a large 3 ring binder. Use dividers to mark each category (electric, phone, vehicle, mortgage, etc..) This will keep everything organized and easy to reference.
**Stay Organized**
Once a month:
Keep up with your filing in the three ring binder. You may need to schedule this on your calendar. The longer you let it build, the less likely you are to do it.
Balance your checkbook.
Every 3-6 months:
Replenish any supplies you may be out of in your bill paying area.
Shred and recycle any bank statements you no longer need.
Once a year:
Sort your bills that need to be submitted for taxes.
Pack away bills from the previous year that you need to save. Shred the rest.
Credit to the book: Organize Now by Jennifer Ford Berry
No comments:
Post a Comment