We’ve all heard the phrase time is money. It’s true any way you look at it. Saving time can save us money, but saving time can also cost us money. On the wall of my first mechanic it said “We do 3 types of service: Good, Fast and Cheap. You can only get 2 at a time. If it’s good and cheap, it will not be fast. If it’s fast and cheap it will not be good. If it’s good and fast it will not be cheap.” That sign was so funny but so true. The same principles apply in our lives today.
Have you ever felt the pain of finding a good coupon after you already purchased an item? Sure you could go back and return the item to get the discount, but that will cost additional time, plus money for gas or public transportation. And what if the coupon already expired? The horror! Let’s not even get into late fees for missing a deadline. No matter how we look at it. Time is money. Our goal now is to save time and money. How can we do that? Through organization.
Now is a perfect time to complete a few organizational projects since we have some extra time at home. Two major pain points for most people are emails and paperwork, including physical mail.
Is your little red icon showing a number 3 digits or higher? If so, you are not alone. And if not, congrats! The flood of emails that many of us receive each week is unreasonable. It’s nearly impossible to keep up with so much information. And buried deep within all the unwanted emails are the important ones that can be easily overlooked, which can cost us money.
So where do we start? It depends on how many you have. If you have several hundred, it will take a bit of time but it’s a nice Saturday project. If you have a number deep into the 4 digits then you may just want to consider starting fresh. Delete any emails older than 3 months and go from there. Keep in mind this is an individual decision. If you know you had some extremely important emails several months back then option B will not work for you. Feel free to create your own option or extend the project over several days.
Next, create folders or labels depending on your email provider with the names of recurring senders or categories that you want to keep. A few examples are: Travel, Bank, Coupons, Newsletters, Receipts and Confirmations. Customize to what suits you best. As you add emails you want to keep, delete and unsubscribe from the rest. Remember, the less you have to sort through each week the better. Finally, set reminders and a plan going forward. If you noticed important dates when sorting your emails add them to your calendar or planner so you won’t forget. Create a system or flow that works for you. Decide when you will sort your email so that it doesn’t get out of hand again (at least not for a while 🙂 ).
Paperwork
Paperwork works similar to email. Mail, papers from work and appointments, kid’s notes from school, the list goes on and the paper piles up. A similar approach can be taken with paper files. Sort, save, delete and unsubscribe. We can also add scan. A digital file storage system like Dropbox is every practical and allows you to have everything you need at your finger tips at any given time. Scanner Pro by Readdle is also a great phone scanner that syncs with online storage apps such as Dropbox and Google Drive. Please remember to always keep important originals, such as birth certificates, in a safe place.
Keep Going
It feels good! Once the organizational wave hits keep riding it until you are smooth sailing. Today we discussed the two major pain points for most but there are others. Closets, pantries, junk drawers and the like. Organization is a long term project that yields rich returns, such as time, money and peace of mind. Also, by having a clear space you can see what is being used and what isn’t then donate or sell the excess. The options are limitless. From calendar blocking to bullet journaling and everything in between, there is a whole world of organization and productivity for those that like that sort of thing. Find the sweet spot that’s best for you. You’re certain to Save Yourself Some Time, Energy and Money. After all, that’s what systems are for.
Until next time, Crystal
Crystal Hicks is an accountant with well over a decade of experience in tax, finance, audit and accounting in New York and Florida. Each week in Money Talks, she’ll share her advice to help individuals to navigate their financial challenges!
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