Well there it is in a nutshell. If you have any ideas for simplifying this process, feel free to share!
Honey, what's in the mail?
BILLS! Yuck. No fun to get but we have to keep track of them somehow. Here is a peek at how I do it:
Here is the front. I may not like paying bills but it helps if the stuff I'm working with is pretty. I know I'm weird that way, you should see some of the pens I have. Anyway, when I look at the picture of the cute little yard it reminds me how lucky I am to have a home full of people I love. Jehovah-Jireh is also on the cover, which means 'The Lord will provide'. He has so many times and it is a nice reminder that it's a blessing to have bills to pay because it means I have a home, utilities and food.
Here is the inside. After I get a bill, I mark the due date on my calendar (that's a whole other post) then I stick it in the front pocket. I also keep automatic draft info in there as well. In the zipper bag is our credit cards ( I don't like to carry them in my wallet ) and some banking info and things like that. I also have a checklist on the front that I review every month to make sure I've paid everything. It might sound elementary but it helps me to check off each one and see they are all taken care of. If you laminate it you can use a dry erase marker too. I obviously covered the bills because that's just a little too much information to send out in blogland. :)
After the zipper bag is a list of all of our passwords, which is becoming increasingly large! Then I have a file folder for each month of the year. The current month is at the front and after a bill is paid and the confirmation number written on the stub it goes into the file folder ( I put a paper clip at the top of each to hold them ) Then when the month is over I move that folder to the back of the binder and start all over again. When I start a new month, I remove the stubs from the previous year and shred them. This way I have my stubs for a full year in case any problems arise. It has definitely helped me out in the past.
Well there it is in a nutshell. If you have any ideas for simplifying this process, feel free to share!
Well there it is in a nutshell. If you have any ideas for simplifying this process, feel free to share!
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Jeremy pays our bills now, but this is awesome! I wish I had this blog bit when I was paying the bills. You're so organized. I really like that you've put that specific name of God on the front cover.
ReplyDeleteBefore you even delve into those bills, you know where your help comes from! Great Post Lori
Thanks Jaime!
ReplyDeleteCool! It is the best system, isn't it? I love how it's all in one binder! Great minds do think alike! Angie xo
ReplyDeleteI found your post on Angie's blog. You guys both have great systems. I would love for you to link your up also to my Organizing Mission Link party. I have been working on offices this month and just did my bill organizing that Angie linked up to. Since I'm not on blogger, I'll give you the link.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.organizewithsandy.com/2011/02/07/organizing-mission-monday-mission-office-week-8/
Just did, thanks Sandy! Great idea for a linky party! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Lori!!
ReplyDeleteHi Lori, I just came from Angie's blog which had been pinned. I am always hunting for tips to improve. Really like the Jehovah~ Jireh at the top of your notebook. My set up is similar. I have a finances section in my home keeper (one page has listed by month what bills are due when), a small divider slot on the wall beside my desk & a thirteen slot expandable file folder with one slot labeled taxes.
ReplyDeleteMy husband puts all the bills in the divider. On the Monday closest to the 1st & the 15th, I take the stack out of the slot, pay the bills (bills to be paid later in the month go back in the divider slot.), toss the excess & put the stubs behind their divider in the expandable folder. No holes to punch! Receipts that might be needed go in a legal envelope in the back of the file clipped by month.
Here's the good part. At the end of the year, all the tax info is already together. I take it out of the file & send it to the tax man. Done. When the tax info comes back I add the bank statements to the folder he sends & that folder goes into a two drawer file in the basement. The expandable folder I label with the year & put in the second drawer. No sorting or resetting. When the expandable file is stored for five years I just give it to the kids with the paper shredder (it's still a fun game to them.) That's my bill system ~ super easy & portable if I want to work outside or somewhere else.
Sounds awesome Jen! Thanks for the comments! :)
ReplyDeleteFiles or documents that are no longer needed must be recycled or shredded. Throwing them is somewhat dangerous for those documents might have important information that can be used to steal your identity.
ReplyDelete- WilliamsDataManagement.com