Comments on: The One Hour Project: Go Through Your Important Papers http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/ Simple, applicable personal finance advice for the modern world Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:50:09 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jo http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-145396 Jo Mon, 31 Dec 2007 09:30:24 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-145396 Not to mention the psychologic effect of having all important papers checked - it's a good base to start new things out of sorted old ones. Not to mention the psychologic effect of having all important papers checked – it’s a good base to start new things out of sorted old ones.

]]> By: Lorna http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-80651 Lorna Tue, 02 Oct 2007 17:14:52 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-80651 Have you heard of the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EEFAK) packet http://www.operationhope.org/effak/ We just covered this information at work and it is very much in line with your blog. Have you heard of the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EEFAK) packet http://www.operationhope.org/effak/
We just covered this information at work and it is very much in line with your blog.

]]> By: Mom http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-73923 Mom Thu, 20 Sep 2007 04:07:21 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-73923 My legal papers and other papers I need to save are in a Rubbermaid black box which lets you hang folders in there. It was about $5. It is a very simple collection!The other important papers that I have are letters and photographs!! I have finally figured that I will put the zillions of photographs into boxes by decades. The letters are grouped by who sent them. My mother's letters to me fill up a Rubbermaid big box you can see through. The photographs are in similar boxes, stacked in my closet. One day, my children can have a bonfire if the want to, but I am unable to throw away 67 years of family letters. They are a hoot! My legal papers and other papers I need to save are in a Rubbermaid black box which lets you hang folders in there. It was about $5. It is a very simple collection!The other important papers that I have are letters and photographs!! I have finally figured that I will put the zillions of photographs into boxes by decades. The letters are grouped by who sent them. My mother’s letters to me fill up a Rubbermaid big box you can see through. The photographs are in similar boxes, stacked in my closet. One day, my children can have a bonfire if the want to, but I am unable to throw away 67 years of family letters. They are a hoot!

]]> By: Christine http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-67481 Christine Thu, 06 Sep 2007 23:03:02 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-67481 Thanks Margaret and Trent! I'll be sure to look through those posts you mentioned. Thanks Margaret and Trent! I’ll be sure to look through those posts you mentioned.

]]> By: Mitch http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-67280 Mitch Thu, 06 Sep 2007 13:47:51 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-67280 Christine, have you read through the "how to make your blog successful" stuff on this site? That might help even though it's more of a column. As for topics--how about instructions for fixing frugal-ish healthy-ish food in a dorm-room microwave? (I must say that my 4-cup pyrex measuring cup was really handy for canned soup, jello, and, oh, yeah, measuring. I also ate a lot of plain rice that year.) Or how about reviewing each of the credit card offers that gets hawked on campus as a regular feature? Eventually maybe people will learn how to understand the offers. Christine, have you read through the “how to make your blog successful” stuff on this site? That might help even though it’s more of a column. As for topics–how about instructions for fixing frugal-ish healthy-ish food in a dorm-room microwave? (I must say that my 4-cup pyrex measuring cup was really handy for canned soup, jello, and, oh, yeah, measuring. I also ate a lot of plain rice that year.) Or how about reviewing each of the credit card offers that gets hawked on campus as a regular feature? Eventually maybe people will learn how to understand the offers.

]]> By: Margaret http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-67274 Margaret Thu, 06 Sep 2007 13:24:08 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-67274 Christine -- if there were one thing I really wish I had known AND taken to heart when I was in university, it would have been the profound difference in savings if you start in your 20s versus starting in your 30s or 40s. At some point I saw a chart (I've actually seen it several times) that showed if you start investing a set amount of money (say $100) every month at age 18 and stop at age 28 and never invest another cent, you will end up with more money at age 65 than if you start investing the same amount monthly at age 28 and continue until you retire. I would recommend anything about benefits of retiring (if you are in Canada, than info about how RRSPs work; if US, then stuff about your Roth plans and employer matches, etc). A big problem I saw (had) in university was getting into credit card debt, so stuff on using credit responsibly, and a calculation about how long it takes to pay a credit card off at the minimum payment and how that doubles or triples the cost of whatever you have bought. I think the earlier you become aware of these things, the better. It seems like I have known about these things forever, but actually, I probably didn't start reading about them and thinking about them until my mid 20s. Christine — if there were one thing I really wish I had known AND taken to heart when I was in university, it would have been the profound difference in savings if you start in your 20s versus starting in your 30s or 40s. At some point I saw a chart (I’ve actually seen it several times) that showed if you start investing a set amount of money (say $100) every month at age 18 and stop at age 28 and never invest another cent, you will end up with more money at age 65 than if you start investing the same amount monthly at age 28 and continue until you retire. I would recommend anything about benefits of retiring (if you are in Canada, than info about how RRSPs work; if US, then stuff about your Roth plans and employer matches, etc). A big problem I saw (had) in university was getting into credit card debt, so stuff on using credit responsibly, and a calculation about how long it takes to pay a credit card off at the minimum payment and how that doubles or triples the cost of whatever you have bought. I think the earlier you become aware of these things, the better. It seems like I have known about these things forever, but actually, I probably didn’t start reading about them and thinking about them until my mid 20s.

]]> By: plonkee http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-67256 plonkee Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:32:55 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-67256 I find that the more international trips you make, the more likely you are to remember to update your passport as necessary. I guess that something that's easier to do in Europe though. @ClickerTrainer: Off the top of my head, the other papers I keep in the same place are my degree and school leaving certificates and my European Health Insurance Card (replaces E111). Its a place for important things that wouldn't otherwise have a home really. I find that the more international trips you make, the more likely you are to remember to update your passport as necessary. I guess that something that’s easier to do in Europe though.

@ClickerTrainer:
Off the top of my head, the other papers I keep in the same place are my degree and school leaving certificates and my European Health Insurance Card (replaces E111). Its a place for important things that wouldn’t otherwise have a home really.

]]> By: Ken S. http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-67029 Ken S. Thu, 06 Sep 2007 03:23:24 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-67029 An hour?!? While I won't discount the value of going thru important papers for an hour, I'm pretty certain this will just make a small dent in my many piles, files, stacks and such. An hour?!? While I won’t discount the value of going thru important papers for an hour, I’m pretty certain this will just make a small dent in my many piles, files, stacks and such.

]]> By: Christine http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-66998 Christine Thu, 06 Sep 2007 01:39:23 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-66998 Hey Trent! I'm going to be writing personal finance stuff (Frugal living, investing, debt (although I don't know anything about that yet) etc.) for my college's school newspaper. Any advice? Hey Trent! I’m going to be writing personal finance stuff (Frugal living, investing, debt (although I don’t know anything about that yet) etc.) for my college’s school newspaper. Any advice?

]]> By: ClickerTrainer http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-66986 ClickerTrainer Thu, 06 Sep 2007 00:50:34 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-66986 I find I'm struggling with what defines a paper as important? Passport, birth certificate, SSN card, Will, Living Will (or DNR), instructions as to pets, instructions as to computer records/finances. Got those....am I missing anything? What do you include? I find I’m struggling with what defines a paper as important? Passport, birth certificate, SSN card, Will, Living Will (or DNR), instructions as to pets, instructions as to computer records/finances. Got those….am I missing anything? What do you include?

]]> By: FIRE Finance http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-66936 FIRE Finance Wed, 05 Sep 2007 22:18:57 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-66936 This is one of the most important tasks about keeping our finances in order. We usually update our records and order them every quarter. Also, we need to know which stuff we need to keep and what to throw. As Mark says, a system is necessary. Else we might get drowned with boxes of bills, tax filings, etc. We had spent quite some time researching about the storage time of different classes of documents and had prepared a nice chart (http://firefinance.blogspot.com/2007/01/safekeeping-of-records_24.html). We hope our experience helps in clearing clutter and keeping finances in shape. Cheers, FIRE Finance This is one of the most important tasks about keeping our finances in order. We usually update our records and order them every quarter. Also, we need to know which stuff we need to keep and what to throw. As Mark says, a system is necessary. Else we might get drowned with boxes of bills, tax filings, etc. We had spent quite some time researching about the storage time of different classes of documents and had prepared a nice chart (http://firefinance.blogspot.com/2007/01/safekeeping-of-records_24.html).
We hope our experience helps in clearing clutter and keeping finances in shape.
Cheers,
FIRE Finance

]]> By: Mark A http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/comment-page-1/#comment-66917 Mark A Wed, 05 Sep 2007 21:25:30 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/09/05/the-one-hour-project-go-through-your-important-papers/#comment-66917 I just did this over the labor day weekend, I'm actually asking readers how they get organized on my blog. My wife had a giant "box of important papers" so I wouldn't call it a one-hour project for us. We set up a system though, so important papers have a place now. I just did this over the labor day weekend, I’m actually asking readers how they get organized on my blog. My wife had a giant “box of important papers” so I wouldn’t call it a one-hour project for us. We set up a system though, so important papers have a place now.

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