For the next several days, I will sharing some ideas that I use at home for the different focus days of the Basic Weekly Plan. By giving yourself a focus for each day of the week, you are able to be more efficient with your time, and you aren’t constantly playing “catch up” as you run around filling the urgent demands of your week as they come at you. You can actually relax because you don’t have to guess what needs to be done next. Everything has a set time to be done. When I actually take the time follow my Weekly plan, I feel more on top of my home than ever. And that makes me happier and less stressed. And when Mom is happy, so is the rest of my family.
Plan a “Desk Day” Into Your Week
For me, Desk Day happens on Tuesdays. (Pick a day of the week that works good for you). That is the day each week where I take care of my finances, bill paying, any paperwork that needs to be filed or shredded, and any cards or thank you’s that need to go out. I don’t have to do all of these, but paperwork is the focus for the day. I keep a 3×5 Focus card for each day of the week in the inside pocket of my Home Management notebook. I can pull it out and see what things I may want to tackle that day. I love being able to pay my bills once a week, because I can just pay bills due the following week, and then I never miss a payment!
My Bill Pay System
The top drawer of my desk is devoted to my bills. I have a small tray that holds my bills to be paid, envelope opener, stamps and checkbook. I also have a 5×7 size manilla envelope that I use to house that month’s paid bills until I file them at the end of the month.
(1) When a bill comes in the mail, I pull it from its mailing envelope and paperclip my bill with its return envelope. On the flap of the return envelope, I quickly write its due date, and then I put the bill in my tray to be dealt with on my next Desk Day. I also note the due date on my wall calendar above my desk. On Tuesdays, I can glance at the calendar for the following week, and pull the appropriate bills to be paid from my tray and get to work!
(2) I still prefer to pay my bills by mail. So while I pay each one, I write that day’s date, the amount I paid, and how I paid it on my bill stub.
(3) Last, I move my payment stubs to my monthly manilla envelope and write that I paid the bill; then the envelope gets placed at the bottom of my bill tray until I file it in my filing cabinet at the end of the month.
Hope this gives you some ideas for streamlining your own bill pay system. This is just one way to do it. Find a way that works great for you. It so nice to know that bills aren’t getting overlooked anymore, and that I can easily take care of them in short spurts once a week.
Happy Flying!
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