5 Reasons to File Your Paperwork
Do you file your paperwork on a regular basis? I know that many of you are going paperless – and that is great! However, not everyone is comfortable eliminating every piece of paper. The question is what process do you use to keep it all organized?
So many of my clients call because of their abundance of paperwork. They simply can’t get a grip on
how to manage it all because it has quickly gotten out of hand. Truth be told, I believe that the majority of the population will never be totally paperless. My parents don’t even own a computer so they receive everything in paper form…which works well for them because my mom has a filing system that rocks!
If you are a “paper person” there are lots of reasons why you should have a filing system that is simple, easy and effective. Here are my Favorite 5 reasons to file your paperwork:
- The ability to quickly and easily check your bills – to avoid any excessive fees.
- The satisfaction of “touching” the paperwork gives the feeling of being in control.
- There are some documents – such as shot records, birth certificates and passports that will always be in paper form.
- Relying on electronic devices is great – as long as your batteries are charged.
- In an emergency, you should be able to grab all of your important information that you need, until you can get to a computer of electronic device.
This week I worked with a client to gather tax paperwork…it was very emotional for her. When we checked her cell phone bill we were shocked. Her payments for her “bundle”, includes her home phone, cell phone, internet and cable. And, it is electronically taken from her account every month…as a matter of convenience, of course.
However, what we discovered is that there was quite a difference in what she was being charged month to month. And, when she actually checked out her bill, she was very upset. Her filing system had failed her and her computerized system was costing her money every month because she just didn’t bother to look at her bill. And, being on a fixed income – this is stressful!
After we gathered all of the bills (that we could find), we were able to determine that we needed to call the company and ask some questions. With some guidance, we were able to receive some immediate credits to her account and have the more complicated questions taken to the next level supervisor for answers.
She is part of my parent’s generation and who can be easily taken advantage of when it comes to their bills. If something looks suspicious it isn’t always an easy fix and just picking up the phone call to ask the question can be very stressful and intimidating.
This is why it is important to have a filing system that is simple to understand, easy and effective. Check your bills every month to make sure that you aren’t being charged for something that you didn’t sign up for and/or that you don’t need. Save money, time and stress by spending a few minutes to do a quick check and then either file your paperwork or shred the bill. The cost of the knowledge that you are not being taken advantage of…priceless.
Do you have a paper story that you would like to share? Let me know and let’s see how we can help you.
Linda Clevenger
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