MY FILE SYSTEM – DAY 12 of PROJECT 365

Cindy
2

Every year I try to change one thing that didn’t work very well the previous year. I’ve tried several new systems for recording our personal finances the last few years and nothing seemed to work until last year (2006) when I decided to quit using Quicken for our personal finances. I really only need to keep track of deductible expenses anyway so entering EVERY SINGLE thing in Quicken was overkill for us.

In previous years, I would have a great big grocery bag sized pile of receipts to wade through and enter. This was usually done over two weekends in Feb or March barely giving me enough time to get our personal information to the accountant. After I decided to quit using Quicken I bought one of the above file organizers. A couple of times a month or whenever I have a few mintues, I simply look through the receipts, circle anything that is deductible or anything that was for business. I write the amount on the receipt and on the yellow handmade spreadsheet and file the receipt. It’s QUICK AND EASY!
This new system also allows me to file in the car and if you’ve read my blog very long you know I spend a LOT of time in the car. I have receipts that pile up out there as well. I have a special compartment for them. Now all I have to do is carry my file box out to the car and I can record/file on our way to/from church or any in-town activities when I’m not the driver (LOL) or while waiting for the kids at any one of their zillion activities.
I know computers and programs are supposed to make our lives easier, but honestly, the paper/pencil and file box system has saved me more time than I can even count as compared to entering everything in Quicken. This is the first year in probably ten that I do NOT have a pile of receipts from last year sitting here waiting for me to record and file. In less than 1/2 an hour I can have everything ready for the accountant and 2007 is already caught up as well…. not bad considering I would normally have 3/4 of 2006 to still figure out.
Now, I’m hoping to fix my scrapbooking system this year! I’ll let you know how it goes at the end of this year.

I did our bills fors the first 14 years of our marriage but almost 6 years ago I handed it all back to Carlos. It is one less thing I have to think about LOL

NO WONDER you have so much time on your hands (LOL), Emily. I could never give this back over to dh because he simply doesn’t have any time at all. He has less than I do and at least I can squeeze in paying a few bills and doing paperwork inbetween the kids doing their schoolwork. Five or ten minutes at a time here or there. It’s the business stuff that’s harder for me to get done because I actually have to go somewhere and do it and I need a couple of hours at a time…. here at home I can get a lot done while waiting for the kids to need my help with their schoolwork… 5-10 minutes here and there throughout the day.

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Cindy
2
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