Bills and paperwork and junk mail and identify theft: how do I manage the clutter?

[BamaTanya]

First stop: Mail. Dh is a little paranoid about identity theft. I would like to throw all these piles of junk directly into the garbage can, but I know preapproved credit offers could be troublesome. We have a shredder that gets overused when I attack these piles. What exactly NEEDS to be shredded? Which can I just toss?

 

Online bill-paying is a blessing/curse to me. I have to keep up with all these passwords for all these accounts. At first I tried to keep one password but then one account would periodically tell me it was time to change and they have different length requirements, etc and my password maze makes me nuts. I'm wishing I had them all on paper through the mail again!

 

When I pay something online, it always takes me to a screen that says: Print this page for your records.

 

Do you do that?

 

If not, do you write down confirmation numbers? Or save the page electronically?

 

And my email inbox. These confirmation emails take up a lot of space. How long do you keep those?

 

Just when I think I've defeated the piles on my tables, I remember the mess in my online files. UGH.

 

I would appreciate hearing your management tips.

[justasque]

 

Online bill-paying is a blessing/curse to me. I have to keep up with all these passwords for all these accounts. At first I tried to keep one password but then one account would periodically tell me it was time to change and they have different length requirements, etc and my password maze makes me nuts. I'm wishing I had them all on paper through the mail again!

 

When I pay something online, it always takes me to a screen that says: Print this page for your records.

 

Do you do that?

 

If not, do you write down confirmation numbers? Or save the page electronically?

 

And my email inbox. These confirmation emails take up a lot of space. How long do you keep those?

 

Just when I think I've defeated the piles on my tables, I remember the mess in my online files. UGH.

 

I would appreciate hearing your management tips.

 

Mail - no idea about the shredding, but you should weed out junk immediately as it comes in. Don't even put it down - just stand there and either shred or rip up and toss or whatever. That helps a lot.

 

Passwords - ugh. Can you keep a little notebook and write them down? The chances of someone getting their hands on the notebook are slim. It's not ideal though. I use the same or similar passwords for non-financial sites, but never do so for the stuff that would really mess us up. If someone hacks my WTM account it's not going to affect my finances, KWIM?

 

Ordering online - there's usually an option to have the info emailed to you. I keep the conf. page open until I verify I have gotten the email, then I can close the conf. page. Sometimes I jot the conf # down in my planner on the date page - I can find it if need be. I move the email into an Outlook folder called something like "online buying" (where I keep various correspondence related to that kind of thing), and the folder has an automatic archive/delete set-up so that the emails are deleted after a year or so. Again, I can find it if need be, but otherwise it automatically goes away without me having to deal with it.

 

Emails in general - learn to use filtering and the auto-archive/delete feature. It really helps, though it still takes work.

[shalom22]

I have the same problem with the mail. I am currently going through a shredding marathon. I had a pile of stuff dating back to 2008.:001_huh: I think my problem was that my shredder was in my closet. I have now put it out in my school room/dining room area. Maybe, just maybe, I will be able to stay on top of the shredding.

 

As far as what to shred. I open all the envelopes and only shred the parts that contain our name, address or any applications for credit cards. The misc. paper usually incuded in the envelopes just gets thrown away. That makes the actual shredding faster.

 

For passwords, I have a special file that is named something that has nothing to do with passwords or important info. And I only put down the actual password and account info. I don't use the word 'password' in the file. Hopefully that would make it difficult for anyone to search for it.

[LaxMom]

We just changed banks and the credit union emails me when direct deposit comes in or bills are paid. I set up ebills to come directly to our account from Verizon/Verizon Wireless and the electric company. Others send bills via email and I get the aforementioned email confirmation when they are paid. That cuts way down on the paper & password situation. I also set up an Accounts folder with various sub-folders I gmail, along with filters to shuttle the bulk of the accounting into the appropriate place so they don't get lost in my inbox.

 

I shred anything that looks like then sender has personal information on us. Pre-approved would fall in that category. We get lots of "pre-selected" offers; those are ripped up & tossed. They just send those because we own the house or whatever. There hasn't been any check where they would have our information on file for someone else to use it.

[mrs.m]

1. We keep a box that we take to the city shredding day every 6 months. They have one of those massive shredders that chops it up. See if your city has this. Or you can take it to a company that specializes in this. (we are usually shredding paywork that isn't necessary to keep from over 10 yrs. ago) I only use this for documents that I think someone can get info off us to use. The rest gets ripped up and put in the trash.

 

2. I have a pattern for passwords that makes them different at each site but easier to remember. So, as an example, if it was Kohl's I would use 8345azKOH5. (That isn't my code for real!!!). It's a number pattern with the first three letters of the company with a number at the end. I never had a company tell me to change a password but I do have about 3 of these codes, so I know one will work.

 

3. No, I do not print the page. First, they will probably email it to me. If they don't I can usually access the information from their website when I log into my account.

 

4. I file the confirmation emails into a folder and they get archived automatically about every 3 months.

Edited July 31, 2011 by jannylynn

[Sushi's Mom]

I just got rid of my big shredder because it was in a place that was hard to get to, so I would save up the papers so I could shred a big pile at one time.

 

Now, as I open something, I just rip off the section with my name, then the section with my account numbers. I just rip those up small, only takes me a second. The name and ripped up account number go into the trash and the rest of the paper goes in the recycling. I'm almost always kept up with the mail now.

 

Another thing you can do is use a shredding service if you have a ton of stuff, like years worth. They will come pick it up even, and some places have a drop off.

 

I no longer use bill pay from each company. I just use my bank's online service and set up checks to be sent from my account. For some bills that are the same each month, I set it up so that a check goes out automatically each month. This has helped me to cut down on my work and the time I spend on the computer doing bills, as well has saved me a few times fom having to pay late fees. I pay off my credit cards each month, but I have it set up to send a minimum payments. When I go to pay the bill, I just change the amount of that check for the month to the correct amount, but at least the minimum is set up in case I forget.

 

Online receipts I save in a receipts folder on the computer. We have a Mac so when I go to print, there is an option to save it to the receipts folder.

Edited July 31, 2011 by Sushi's Mom

[Ellie]

Why don't you pay your bills on-line through your bank instead of individually?? I've been doing that for almost 10 years. One password, one e-mail confirmation.

 

YEs, I print the confirmation page, and I staple it to the bills and file it in a folder. After a year, I shred them. FTR, I've never needed the hardcopy of the confirmation. It's been helpful to look something up, but OTOH I can do that by checking my bank account's on-line bill-pay. I just haven't been able to bring myself not to print it, lol.

[Parrothead]

Why don't you pay your bills on-line through your bank instead of individually?? I've been doing that for almost 10 years. One password, one e-mail confirmation.

 

:iagree: I've gone as paperless as possible. My power company is local so they don't do ebills. Neither does my florist. But most everything else comes as an electronic bill and I pay directly from my bank website. I do pay the power company and the florist through the bill pay. I just can't get monthly statements electronically from them.

[black_midori]

I got a free pdf printer driver - I just print a screen shot (or the confirmation email) to a carefully laid out storage drive & save it indefinitely. That way, I don't even have to print a piece of paper or do any filing!! :) I also have a scanner/printer - paperwork that comes through the mail that I pay online I just scan in to the same folder. Works great!!

 

Of course, as an accountant I tend to save EVERYTHING - so this was the only way I could avoid having excessive amounts of paperwork around the house :)

[QueenCat]

I got a free pdf printer driver - I just print a screen shot (or the confirmation email) to a carefully laid out storage drive & save it indefinitely. That way, I don't even have to print a piece of paper or do any filing!! :) I also have a scanner/printer - paperwork that comes through the mail that I pay online I just scan in to the same folder. Works great!!

 

This is what we do... except not to a separate drive. I save the page as a pdf to my computer, no printing involved.

 

As to mail that comes in, if there is ANYTHING personal, it gets printed. So if it has my name on it, it's shredded.

[stripe]

Just make a reciepts folder and put everything in there. If you need it later, you can search for it.

 

I am hoping for a major shredfest soon, myself.

[ChrisN in NY]

First stop: Mail. Dh is a little paranoid about identity theft. I would like to throw all these piles of junk directly into the garbage can, but I know preapproved credit offers could be troublesome. We have a shredder that gets overused when I attack these piles. What exactly NEEDS to be shredded? Which can I just toss?

 

I shred the entire contents of the CC offer and it's envelope, just to add to the pile. But I have an old shredder and it can only do 2 sheets at a time. I do save it up (in a pile) and spend a day shredding off and on; when the shredder gets too hot I leave it alone for an hour.

 

The only other things I shred are old tax stuff and medical things. But we live in the country, and can burn too, which we do on occasion.

 

Online bill-paying is a blessing/curse to me. I have to keep up with all these passwords for all these accounts. At first I tried to keep one password but then one account would periodically tell me it was time to change and they have different length requirements, etc and my password maze makes me nuts. I'm wishing I had them all on paper through the mail again!

 

When I pay something online, it always takes me to a screen that says: Print this page for your records.

 

Do you do that?

 

Rarely; especially if they send a confirmation email. I may double check to make sure that email has arrived before closing the "print this page..." window.

 

If not, do you write down confirmation numbers? Or save the page electronically?

 

See above.

 

And my email inbox. These confirmation emails take up a lot of space. How long do you keep those?

 

I have an email folder called "Things to keep." Anytime I place an online order, make an online payment, or the like, the related emails go there. I look at the folder periodically (every few months) and delete the older things I am sure I won't need anymore.

 

Just when I think I've defeated the piles on my tables, I remember the mess in my online files. UGH.

 

I would appreciate hearing your management tips.

 

Keep in mind that whatever your payment method, they too have records of your payment and processing date.

 

HTH

[stripe]

Also most stores have a secTion for acct history, so you can find them there,but I don't really cae if the folder is huge. I never browse it, just shove things in. This is the benefit of digital 'space'.

[Just Beachy]

On my way in from collecting the mail, I pause at the garbage can. All junk mail goes in there. It never even enters my house. CC offers, etc are never even opened. They go straight into the shredder. Just doing those 2 things has cut down tremendously on our piles of paper around the house.

 

I do not print out order confirmations, etc. I just save the e-mail confirmation and then delete it once I have received an item or an account is credited, etc. Every Spring, after taxes are done, we shred all the bills from the previous year. (Actually, this is something the kids do.) It does have to be done in batches, but it isn't too bad.

 

I'm still dealing with little piles, but things have gotten much better.

 

:) Beachy

[Ellie]

My favorite resource for learning to handle paper is "File--Don't Pile!" by Pat Dorff. It was a life-changer for me. :-)