Those little pieces of paper AKA receipts

Ahhh receipts, those little pieces of paper you collect in your wallet or purse throughout the day that tell the tale of when and where you spent your hard-earned money.

I worked in retail for many years and was always fascinated by people’s wallets, billfolds, purses and bags. Some wallets were very neat and orderly, the big bills separated from the smaller bills, receipts kept neatly together, and every credit card in its designated slot. Others were crammed full of receipts, bills folded every which way, and credit cards somewhere amongst it all. “My card is in here somewhere,” was a phrase I heard a lot! Sometimes a person’s wallet would be so filled with receipts, notes on napkins and business cards that it wouldn’t close.

Don’t get me wrong! I kept every receipt, credit card statement and utility bill I ever had, every year, for almost 5 years! I had just graduated from college and finally earned enough money to have to file a tax return. I vaguely remembered something about keeping receipts and documentation, but no one really explained the entire taxpaying process to me, or told me that I didn’t need to keep my receipt from my latest trip to the local Hamburger joint. On top of all that, I lugged that box of paper from one place to another. I remember the sheer joy of shredding it all once I learned that I didn’t need it anymore. It was literally a load off of my shoulders!

Do you know what kind of receipts that you need to save? How long do you have to keep your bank statements, credit card statements and utility bills? Not sure? Swing by the Discover Organizing Store in Mt. Lebanon, Pittsburgh, PA and sign up for a the “Quick Pay and Put It Away” class taught by our Financial Organizer Heidi Calhoun. It’s a great class that walks you through processing your receipts and your mail, helping you pay your bills on time and strategies for storing only the important papers. Call (412) 344-3450 to reserve your space today!

If you’ve completed your 2007 taxes and have filed away the small forest of paper you amassed*, get ready for next year by checking back here every month for tips to make next year’s tax prep a breeze!

Happy, and helpful, receipt collecting,

*Great job on getting it done it early!!