Organizing Could Save You Money

Just about every one takes a day or two out of the year to clean out closets and cabinets to declutter. For most of us, getting organized is a space clearing endeavor, but did you know it can also save money? It’s true. Someone who lives among disorganization and clutter might have trouble keeping track of every penny because he or she has problems locating important items. What follows is a discussion of how money can be saved by organizing your home and your life.

If you bring in your afternoon mail and discard it to a side table, intending to get to it later, you’re wasting money. While your intentions are honorable, the majority of people who throw their mail into a pile never end up going back to the pile until the very last minute or even worse, when the bill is overdue. When this happens you can incur late fees and high interest charges. In addition, there may be a discrepancy on your bill, a discrepancy that’s easily removed if it’s nipped in the bud right away, but if brought to the attention of the credit card or utility company three months later, they may question why you’re only bringing it up at that time.

While you’re getting organized, you might want to consider those kitchen cabinets. Why? Because if you’re not aware of an item’s existence, you may end up purchasing that item more than once. If it’s not something you use often, it may pass its expiration date which means money in the garbage. If you organize your cabinets and take stock of its contents, you’re less likely to purchase duplicates.

Coupons are another area requiring organization. Are your coupons a jumbled mass in a drawer or envelope somewhere? The last thing you probably want to do is go through all those coupons to receive a twenty-cent discount on tomato sauce, only to find out the coupon expired months ago. If you keep your coupons in an organized pouch or card file, grouped by item or food group, it will be much easier to find what you’re looking for. With today’s double and triple coupon savings, you don’t want to miss out on any bargains.

What do you do with your receipts when you leave the checkout counter? Do you cram them into your wallet or purse compartment only to throw them in the garbage when you’ve accumulated a large wad? If so, why bother keeping them at all? If you want receipts to work for you, you’ll need to keep them organized. File them by date or item. For instance, keep all receipts for appliances in one file, receipts for electronics in another and food in a third. This way when you need to refer back to a receipt, it will much easier to find. What if your brand new toaster oven breaks down soon after it’s purchased? Not only will you need proof of purchase, but you’ll want to prove the date of purchase in order to get free replacement or repairs. Without a receipt, you may have to pay for a whole new product, and that’s a waste.

Another reason to keep receipts is for your taxes, especially if you itemize or own a home business. If you want to write off office supplies and computer equipment, you best organize those receipts.

While you’re organizing your coupon and receipt files, organize your home files as well. There will come a time when you’ll need a copy of a birth certificate or other important paperwork. If you don’t have the original at home, you may have to pay for a replacement.

In addition, a disorganized person tends to lose rented movies or borrowed library books. Why pay a late charge that could have been avoided by keeping rentals in a designated spot in your home?

There’s no reason to lose money because you’re disorganized. Once you free up all the clutter in your home, you’re sure to have an uncluttered life as well.