Have you ever thought about how much being disorganized is costing you?  There certainly are costs  attached in more ways than you might have imagined. There are costs to your time, space in your home, your productivity levels and your peace of mind. When thinking of the word cost, many people think in terms of money. Being disorganized can in fact cost you money, but with a few simple ideas, you may be able to change the direction of your cash flow.

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Show me the Money
 
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A few dollars here, a few dollars there. It may not be noticeable at first, but over time, spending money on things, that frankly you shouldn't have, will add up. 

Have you ever missed the due date for a car payment or utility bill?  You're hit with a finance charge.

Have you ever missed the deadline to sign up for a conference or workshop? You're charged a late registration fee.

Have you ever tossed receipts that you later realized were needed to complete an expense report or tax returns? You've lost the opportunity for reimbursement.

Have you ever purchased something because you couldn't find that something (you know you own) in your home? You spent money unnecessarily.

On an individual level these insidious little disturbances in your wallet may not warrant much of your attention, but let's do the math. You may be not-so-pleasantly surprised to learn the real number of dollars lost at the end of the month. The cost of being disorganized  - is costing you money.
    Making Change
Having a system in place to ensure that your bills get paid timely is crucial in ensuring your money isn't wasted. There are many ways to go about it, and the first is to process your mail everyday. Whether you receive your bills via postal mail or e-mail, each must be accounted for and added to the organizing system created especially for them. A labeled folder, an expandable organizer or even a basket where all bills are dropped are good places to start. Paying bills online and setting up automatic withdrawals will also aid in making timely payments, may reduce interest charges, and eliminate the cost of supplies otherwise associated with bill paying.

Think of every statement or bill as an action item and assign the appropriate deadline within your bill-paying system. Use a calendar to jot down reminders and other pertinent payment information and never miss a payment again! I f receipts are required for submitting expense reports or for tax deductions, keep them in a labeled envelope or folder that can be easily referenced. You don't need multiple bins or baskets or an elaborate filing system to keep track of it all, but do make sure that whatever system you choose works for you. You may also need to create some new habits, so keep this in mind as well and stick with it.     
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If you're spending money on duplicate (or triplicate, or more) items because you can't find what you thought you had, it's time to organize your belongings. Creating categories of things, deciding where they should be stored and using labels to identify the categories will not only help you and your family find things when they need to be found, it will make putting things away easier, too. More importantly, you'll stop wasting money purchasing things you already own.

And speaking of purchases, shop with a purpose. Whether it's grocery shopping or holiday shopping or anything in between, make a list of what you need - and stick to it - to avoid any impulse buys. And for goodness sake, don't buy containers before you go through the organizing process. That, for sure, will result in unnecessary spending.
Keeping track of your money is a full-time job unto itself. Yet with a few basic organizing strategies, it can be managed and safeguarded. Eliminating late fees, service charges and other unnecessary spending will keep your hard-earned cash right where it belongs - in your own piggy bank.

Happy ORGANiZiNG,

Nancy Patsios
everday ORGANiZiNG

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