HOW TO SAVE MONEY BY ORGANIZING

Organize and save money.  It’s that simple! 

HERE'S A GREAT POST FROM TAKE CONTROL ORGANIZING!

In today’s world, we all want to save money.  Putting just a few organizing systems in place in your home can achieve this goal! This will not only save you money, but you save you time.
1.  Create a system for your bills-  Have you ever paid a bill late, because you can not find it?  I have.  And it’s frustrating.. Have one place where all the bills go.  For us it’s a file on our desk that says “Bills To Pay”.  Go paperless- pay bills online, do automatic deposits, look at your options, ask your bank for details.
WE USE A DRAWER ON OUR DESK FOR ALL UNPAID BILLS AND I HAVE CREATED AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET TO TRACK THEM.  EACH TIME A BILL IS PAID, I HIGHLIGHT THAT CELL SO I KNOW IT'S PAID AND FILE THE BILL STUBS IN A FILE CABINET WITH FOLDERS FOR EACH TYPE OF BILL.  
2. Stop buying repeat items- being organized means knowing what you have and where it’s located.  This is especially true for the grocery store.  If your refrigerator and pantry are organized, then doing a quick inventory check before heading to the store will be easy.  Have an ongoing list for items you run out of it, again not forgetting anything but not buying what you don’t need.  I have found planning a weekly menu for dinners is a great saver of money.  I only buy what I need for those meals, no more wasted food.
I DO THIS TOO!  MEAL PLANNING IS A MUST!!!  ALSO, EVERYTHING IN MY HOUSE HAS A "HOME".  THIS WAY WE KNOW WHERE THE SCREWDRIVER IS AND WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED A NEW ONE!  STOCKPILING/COUPONING IS ALSO A GREAT WAY TO GET ORGANIZED!  WHEN YOU STOCKPILE YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT ORGANIZED OR YOU WON'T HAVE ROOM!!!  CHECK OUT MY OTHER BLOG FOR COUPONING DEALS! 
3.  Gift Cards- Have one central place for gift cards.  Many people forget they have them or loose them. You could use a special box, a drawer, a file, something so every time you receive a gift card it goes in there immediately. There is never any second guessing on where it could be.
 AND DON'T KEEP THEM IN YOUR PURSE OR CAR.  I HAD ALL OF MINE LAST CHRISTMAS IN MY CAR AND IT GOT BROKEN INTO AND ALL MINE AND MY CHILDREN'S GIFT CARDS WERE GONE. :(
4.  Create a budget- Know your money and where it’s going.  Know how much it costs to run your household and how much extra you have.  Knowing your money will help prevent buying unnecessary purchases.  And everything you do buy, think about it where it’s going in your home.  Every item in your house needs to have a place to live.
I SUGGEST TO EVERYONE THE DAVE RAMSEY FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY!   IT'S A LIFE CHANGING WAY TO LOOK AT MONEY AND YOUR BUDGET!  AND BEST OF ALL, IT'S NOT BORING!!!
5.  Sell your “Stuff” – There are many ways to sell your items.  Craigslist, eBay, consignment shops, garage sales.  Clean it up and present it well and you’ll make an extra buck or two.
Happy Organizing!