Paper Project Update

Ok the last few steps have been a little simpler and so I haven't given them each a post. So let's just call this the steps 3-5 update!

Step # 3 - Receipts

This is not a huge issue for us. We use the Dave Ramsey envelope system and the receipts are kept in there. I like the idea of keeping them elsewhere, but I worry that might be a bit too much of a change for us right now. For the time being, I vow to work hard to actually keep track of my reciepts and to actually record all of my purchases. Then down the line we can see if there is a better system to implement.

Step #4 - Maintaining

This is a big one, however not something I acn do on my own and write a cute post about! I did talk to the dear husband this weekend, and we have come up with some plans.

Here is our "before" routine:
- he's home at 5:30
- grab mail on the way in
- open mail and leave on chair
- leave pile of mail for me either in the diaper bag or on the floor next to the diaper bag
- I'm home at 7:30
- don't see the piles
- assume there's no mail
- wonder how the house got trashed

So I asked my loved one if he minded NOT bringing in the mail as soon as he got home. It had become part of his routine because "I'm outside anyway" but he understands why it's best to leave it in the mail box until we need it. I want to invest in a mail center for us where I can put things "to file" and "to do" etc. Then once a week I can go through and get it all put up. My logic says "put it up as you go" but this is not a reasonable expectation from my husband. I think a good compromise will be to have a place for him to put it, and then I can deal with it Friday on my day off.

Today is the first mail day since this discussion, so we'll see how it goes! I think that having our clean office space will be a big help with this as well. I receive so many free samples every week, and if I have a clean desk, he can just plop them there for me to go through.


Step #5 - Going Paperless

I need to come up with a POA (plan of action) for this one. We do not get paper bank statements, but we do get statements from most credit cards/utility companies. What I need to do is make a list and then go company by company requesting to go paperless. This shouldn't take long, but needs to be done. Maybe a good Friday project.



So here is my step 3-5 gameplan (so y'all can keep me honest!):

1) Get better about tracking cash payments and keeping reciepts
2) Work with husband to get our new (less paper-piley) routine going
3) Contact anyone who sends me a bill to ask them about paperless