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Scatterbrain Solutions – Get Organized!
Get Organized! How to Organize | Organization Charts | Organize it | Planners | Checklists
Scatterbrain Solutions is all about organizing solutions and checklists for everyday life when you suffer from “I can’t think, remember, or concentrate” syndrome. Find organizing solutions and checklists, plus more! Scatterbrain Solutions not only offers organizing tips and ideas to help you remember, but also various checklist tasks and checklist events to help you organize your life. Get Organized!
For many of us, the holidays are the most financially stressful time of the year. As you relish in the good food and festivities of the season, your wallet gets thinner and thinner. Fortunately, a little frugal holiday planning goes a long way!
Follow this free budgeting guide to help your holiday season be stress-free and affordable. Grab your free copy now!
Click to open the PDF report or right click and select SAVE AS and save the PDF to your computer. Enjoy!
As you grow up and move out of the nest, it can be tempting to let tidiness and organization go out the window. The truth is, being messy can cost you money!
Good organization is the keystone to making and saving money and if you want to do either, you’ll find that you can easily make some progress by organizing your life.
Schedule Your Bills
The first expenses you have to worry about each month are your household bills like the rent or mortgage and utilities. It’s all the more reason to be organized so you can manage your money to pay these on time each month.
* Use a calendar, planner, computer program, or online banking account to schedule when your bills need to be paid. Any delay can cost you substantial late fees and finance charges.
* If you set up electronic banking, make sure you understand exactly how the system works. Some programs will not allow you to make a payment on weekends or holidays while others may need a few days to process the payment.
* Pay your taxes on time or early. Penalties as well as late charges are added if you don’t file the proper extensions. Hire an accountant to help with your preparation, especially if you work independently.
* If you work independently, you may also want to consider paying your taxes quarterly so you don’t have to worry about them at the end of the year.
Organize Your Paperwork
All of your paperwork should be organized so you know exactly where your receipts, financial statements, and bills are filed. There’s nothing worse than going in search of a needle in a haystack when a question arises.
* Everyday take a look at your desk area and think about what pieces of paper you can immediately get rid of. A wastebasket by your desk is essential, as is a shredder to prevent identity theft.
* Utilize file folders or a portable file container instead of having piles of papers on your desk or countertops. This will prevent you from losing important pieces of paperwork under a landslide of unimportant junk.
Consult with a Financial Advisor
Whether you have a substantial investment portfolio or just want to get started, consult with an expert who can help you reach your financial goals. By organizing your finances, you’ll not only save money, but make it too!
* If your current investments aren’t performing well, an advisor can help you move the money around to better performing funds that earn a higher yield or give you greater dividends.
* If you don’t have any investments, an expert can listen to your financial goals and recommend an investment plan for achieving those goals. Even starting off modestly will often bring you some annual dividends. Every little bit helps!
Consolidate Your Debts
Get in control of your money by consolidating large debts with one loan. Research which banks or credit cards will give you the lowest interest rates and consolidate your payments into one. This will save you money by paying fewer interest fees, but you must also limit your spending until the debts are paid off.
* Ask a mortgage broker about refinancing your home or taking out a home equity loan to consolidate debts.
Be in control of your money and your life by evaluating your accounts regularly and staying organized. A little bit of work each day and regularly monitoring your progress will help you reach your financial goals.
Do you need to save some money for a big purchase or recover from a large bill you just paid? Perhaps you just want to gain better control of your spending and get into serious frugal living. Having a frugal No Splurge Month could be the answer for you.
A frugal No Splurge Month is when you designate a month where you won’t spend any money on anything that isn’t absolutely essential. There is no spending money on anything you don’t legitimately need. When done as a family, this is a great way to save some money and learn more about what you can really live without.
Before you decide to stop spending unnecessary money, you will have to make a plan. Otherwise, old habits will probably take over and your frugal No Splurge Month can easily be derailed. Determine that you WANT to get into frugal living.
First of all, pick a month that will realistically work for you and your family to not splurge. You’ll probably want to avoid months where you are celebrating a major holiday or taking a vacation. Also, plan it for a month when you won’t have unexpected genuine needs, like when the kids go back to school.
When you have your month selected, plan how you will handle specific situations that will arise during that month. For example, if there is a child’s birthday party in the month you’re deciding not to splurge, decide ahead of time how you will handle that. That will help you stick to your no-splurging plan.
It might also help for you to set a budget for the month. Better budgeting will help you stay focused in your spending. You may want to put away your credit cards during this time too. Having your credit cards close at hand makes it easy to follow to urge to splurge when it strikes.
In your frugal living planning, be realistic while creating your better budgeting plan. Acknowledge that unexpected yet legitimate expenses may arise, no matter how well you plan. You may want to set aside a certain amount cash to cover those. You can still keep costs down by putting only a small amount of money aside, and any surprise expenses have to come from that amount.
Before you start your frugal No Splurge Month, it’s essential to talk about it as a family. With everyone on board, it will be easier to avoid needless spending. Decide as a family what you are allowed to spend money on. This may be a good time to talk about the difference between needs and wants. If you explain to everyone what you’re doing, and the purpose behind it, they will be more helpful and not ask for things that you haven’t agreed on beforehand. Kids may even view a frugal No Splurge Month as a fun challenge and hold you accountable for your own money spending.
Having a frugal No Splurge Month is a great way to get spending money under control and find out what you really can live without. By planning ahead and involving the whole family, frugal living can be a success for everyone involved.
Okay, so you’ve worked hard to get your home organized and you’ve developed some strong skills to use at the office as well. You might be thinking you have it all covered at home since your pantry is organized immaculately and everything in your kitchen has its place. It doesn’t change the fact that you’re still busy working all day and driving kids to practice, running errands or taking care of your household in the evenings. Another thing you can learn to do to simplify your life is to plan your meals and cook in advance.
Meal planning and bulk cooking are both wonderful techniques you can utilize and modify to fit your families needs. The idea behind this is simple. The principle is that you cook and or prepare your meals ahead of time and then preserve them by either freezing refrigerating them. It can also help stretch your food budget dollar further, since you can cook one large meal and get two or three other meals from it with the proper planning.
Start by writing down a list of your favorite meals and plan on preparing a grocery list that will coincide with your menu. Since you’re learning to cook in bulk, your shopping list will have to change accordingly so you’re sure to have enough ingredients on hand when the time comes to do the cooking.
The most important tool in meal planning and bulk cooking is your freezer. Freezer bags are a great space saver if you have a small freezer. You can fit many in the same space of a few storage containers. Be sure to incorporate lots of quick and easy meals that your family can warm up and serve themselves in the event you’re not able to be at home for dinner or you just need to grab something that’s quick.
You’ll also learn to love your slow cooker. Experiment with different recipes and variations on your favorites. They also make easy work of cooking whole chickens or roasts which can be frozen or refrigerated for later use very easily.
You’re only limited by your own imagination when cooking in bulk for the week ahead. Factor in the time you save by not having to do a lot of after dinner cleanup or dishes, and you’ll be glad you took the time to master this important organizational skill.
