Battling the Paper Pile-Up

Bills. Coupons. Notes. Cards. Flyers. Junk. It all piles up quickly, and you add to it daily. That endless pile of paper cluttering up your counter space. It’s time to do something about it! Here are some tips to keep the paper mountain to a minimum—but remember, consistency is key with any organization tactic. Pick what works for you and stick to it daily.

Photo Cred: Andrew Mellen

1.     Sign up for online bill pay and email statements. You’d be surprised how much clutter you’ll eliminate with this. You’ll be nicer to the environment, too!

2.     Create one large communal calendar for the family on a wall in your home. Log doctor appointments, birthdays, homework due dates, sports events, and business trips on the calendar. Once you’ve logged it – toss the corresponding piece of paper.  Here’s a chalkboard calendar design you can try: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/396950154629188510/.

3.     If you really have a lot of mail and paperwork to keep track of, consider investing in a filing cabinet. Create two folders for each month or each quarter labeled: TO DO and PAID. Toss the TO DO items once they’re moved to PAID and do this each month or quarter. It would also be a great place to file receipts, bank statements, taxes, insurance paperwork, etc. If you’re keeping important documents in your filing cabinet, label a folder PERSONAL, and make sure you have a lock on the cabinet to keep these items safe.

4.     If a filing cabinet isn’t your style, make paper organization a design tactic in your office. Use magazine holders or decorative boxes to store paperwork and turn available shelf space into functional organization.

5.     Magazines, newspapers and catalogs can really take up a lot of space. Once you receive one, go through it and pull out the things you’ll actually try (recipes, crafts, workouts, etc.) and file them away in labeled binders. Recycle what’s left!

6.     Coupons are like magazines; they pile up and gather dust. Pick up a wallet sized coupon organizer and keep it in your car. Have sections for your favorite retailers and when you get new coupons, filter them in and rotate the expired ones out.

If filing massive amounts of paperwork makes you want to cringe, try tackling the job when you’re watching TV or a movie. It’s easy to get mindless tasks done when you’re not swamped with other important things to do. Do you have other tips to share? Drop them in the comments!

Saving for a Down Payment

Saving for a down payment takes major commitment. It can be difficult to find ways in your current budget to make cuts, but with a little bit of discipline and the support of your spouse and family, you can get it done. Here are ten tips we collected from our experts here at Faber Homes:

 

1. If it’s just you, or you and your spouse, consider moving in with family for a couple years.
2. Not a fan of living with your in-laws? Find a less expensive, one bedroom apartment. You’ll give up a bit of space, but smaller apartments are generally less expensive.
1. Are you living in the western-Rochester area? Consider building with Faber Homes and we’ll set you up with an updated apartment in Chili. We incentivize renters for each year they reside in our Blueberry Apartments with cash towards your brand new Faber Home.
3. Have a couple extra hours to spare during the evenings or weekends? Picking up a second job for a short period of time can really you help save cash quickly. Consider picking up a shift at Home Depot or Lowes, so when you’re ready to build, you can also enjoy an employee discount for furnishings!
4. Do you really need that extra outfit? Probably not. You also don’t need to eat out as often as you are now. Cutting back on these expenditures can really go a long way.
5. If you’re contributing to your 401K at work, consider scaling back a percent or two just while you’re saving. Instead, boost contributions to your IRA. The first-home exemption rule allows individuals to use up to $10,000 in IRA funds toward the purchase of a first home without incurring the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty.
6. Open a separate savings account. This will help you track your savings toward this one, specific goal.
7. Paying off debts is definitely a good thing, but if you can spare that extra monthly payment towards your balances, toss that money into your new savings account until you have enough for a down payment. Then go back to paying off those debts.
8. Inherited money and tax returns should go straight into savings accounts to earn interest. Keep those dollars out of sight so you aren’t tempted to use them!
9. Can you go without cable, Internet, or perhaps a smartphone that requires a data plan?
10. Don’t rule out going without a car for a year or two. It might seem drastic, but it will save you thousands. If you have two cars, consider making due with one.

These are our top ten tips for saving money for a down payment. Do you have any others to share that are working for you?