Comments on: Start the New Year Off Right – How to Organize Your Finances. http://www.mytwodollars.com/2010/01/04/start-the-new-year-off-right-how-to-organize-your-finances/ A place to discuss money...for the rest of us. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:21:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Man vs Debt – Who Will Win? | Money Smart Lifehttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2010/01/04/start-the-new-year-off-right-how-to-organize-your-finances/#comment-35624 Man vs Debt – Who Will Win? | Money Smart Life Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:00:52 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/?p=2370#comment-35624 [...] Start the New Year Off Right @ My Two Dollars [...] [...] Start the New Year Off Right @ My Two Dollars [...]

]]> By: Justinhttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2010/01/04/start-the-new-year-off-right-how-to-organize-your-finances/#comment-35474 Justin Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:52:42 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/?p=2370#comment-35474 I've just gotten my spending/checkbook under control by the simple act of saving receipts in my wallet and recording them daily...it's shocking how big a difference this 3-minute-a-day routine has made. As far as my filing cabinet, though, I don't think there's been any semblance of organization there since I first bought the thing! I know all of the important documents are in there somewhere, but I couldn't necessarily find them within an hour if I needed to. I should make this a priority in the new year. I’ve just gotten my spending/checkbook under control by the simple act of saving receipts in my wallet and recording them daily…it’s shocking how big a difference this 3-minute-a-day routine has made.

As far as my filing cabinet, though, I don’t think there’s been any semblance of organization there since I first bought the thing! I know all of the important documents are in there somewhere, but I couldn’t necessarily find them within an hour if I needed to. I should make this a priority in the new year.

]]> By: David/Your finances 101http://www.mytwodollars.com/2010/01/04/start-the-new-year-off-right-how-to-organize-your-finances/#comment-35426 David/Your finances 101 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 03:18:28 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/?p=2370#comment-35426 If you do your taxes yourself, which you should by the way, you should have a file for UMEs (unreimbursed medical expenses), and JREs (Job-related expenses) and track your charitable contributions throughou the year. These are the biggies that I track thru the year and it makes tax time a breeze If you do your taxes yourself, which you should by the way, you should have a file for UMEs (unreimbursed medical expenses), and JREs (Job-related expenses) and track your charitable contributions throughou the year. These are the biggies that I track thru the year and it makes tax time a breeze

]]> By: Craighttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2010/01/04/start-the-new-year-off-right-how-to-organize-your-finances/#comment-35425 Craig Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:02:34 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/?p=2370#comment-35425 I really have worked on automating my finances better. This way I can just automatically pay bills right away and transfer money into savings accounts to make things easier and help me budget better. I really have worked on automating my finances better. This way I can just automatically pay bills right away and transfer money into savings accounts to make things easier and help me budget better.

]]> By: nanhttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2010/01/04/start-the-new-year-off-right-how-to-organize-your-finances/#comment-35424 nan Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:15:38 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/?p=2370#comment-35424 For my taxes, I keep 12 folders (paper folders - old school) for receipts and check stubs every month. I have used the same folders for probably four or five years now. Every few months, I input the info into a method my accountant likes (Excel, these days). By the time January rolls around, we are just waiting on 1099s and such. I need to get my taxes done early for financial aid for my kids. It has to be done and submitted by February 15, so I don't have a choice on getting it done. It's really helped me stay organized and on top of my finances, though, especially since I am self-employed, like you. I schedule all my bills (most are e-bills) to be paid through my bank on the 30th of the month. This is REALLY simple. I do very little banking this way. I love it. For my taxes, I keep 12 folders (paper folders – old school) for receipts and check stubs every month. I have used the same folders for probably four or five years now.

Every few months, I input the info into a method my accountant likes (Excel, these days). By the time January rolls around, we are just waiting on 1099s and such. I need to get my taxes done early for financial aid for my kids. It has to be done and submitted by February 15, so I don’t have a choice on getting it done. It’s really helped me stay organized and on top of my finances, though, especially since I am self-employed, like you.

I schedule all my bills (most are e-bills) to be paid through my bank on the 30th of the month. This is REALLY simple. I do very little banking this way. I love it.

]]> By: Benhttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2010/01/04/start-the-new-year-off-right-how-to-organize-your-finances/#comment-35423 Ben Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:21:11 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/?p=2370#comment-35423 I have had your same credit card strategy in the past, but I kept a few cards on hand (when I had balances) to transfer the balance to whoever had the best deal that made sense after paying the transfer fee. I have had your same credit card strategy in the past, but I kept a few cards on hand (when I had balances) to transfer the balance to whoever had the best deal that made sense after paying the transfer fee.

]]> By: Annie Joneshttp://www.mytwodollars.com/2010/01/04/start-the-new-year-off-right-how-to-organize-your-finances/#comment-35422 Annie Jones Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:51:08 +0000 http://www.mytwodollars.com/?p=2370#comment-35422 I balance the checkbook weekly and pay the week's bills at the same time. It only takes a few minutes a week, because there are few transactions, and makes it easy to catch any math or bank errors almost as soon as they happen. I balance the checkbook weekly and pay the week’s bills at the same time. It only takes a few minutes a week, because there are few transactions, and makes it easy to catch any math or bank errors almost as soon as they happen.

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