Get Financially Organized for 2008

As tax time nears, I am reminded that I should be better organized for 2008 than I was for 2007. Note to self: buy 13 pocket divider, use only one credit card for "tax worthy" expenses, balance BOTH credit card & bank stmt. monthly, set up automatic savings transfers, don't go out to eat so much.

USE 13 POCKET DIVIDER - every receipt, statement, insurance claim, etc. gets filed here by month.

USE ONE CREDIT CARD - that automatically sends you a year end summary.

BALANCE - balance statements right away.

SET UP AUTO TRANSFERS - even $5 a month transferred to a savings account will make a difference. There are only so many earning years until retirement. Don't get frustrated if you can't set aside the 10-20% like "they" say you should. Some is better than none. Plus, in a year you'll be so proud of yourself.

DON'T EAT OUT SO MUCH!!!!!! - what a waste of money. Yet, every year I chastise myself for the same thing. It is so much easier to eat out. But, oh, the waste of money$$$$$$.

EHM

Anyone who has more than one child knows that staying on top of kids activities, chores, groundings, friends, school, etc. can be very trying. Imagine how it is with four kids - and a dog - and a husband. I can only begin to imagine how it is for families with 6, 8, or even 10 kids (there are families with even MORE than 10!!). In our family, I am the EHM "Executive Home Manager". A self created and applied title. In the corporate world when you don't get your job done, you get fired. It's not so simple in the home arena. When you don't get your job done and done well, really bad things happen. Ranging from minor issues like forgetting a sack lunch for a field trip, to major things like your kids turn out to have some serious issues and are in therapy for the rest of their life. Knowing this - and realizing it more and more each day - has made me take my position pretty seriously.

In the old days it was a given that being a mom was a real "job". Not so anymore. I constantly feel the pressure to return to a corporate position with some huge overinflated title. Even from myself. Everyday I have to remind myself that when I have the laundry clean and cereal in the pantry and give my son his spelling words, MY JOB IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POSITION - especially to my kids.

Blog purpose

Hi out there! I am a mom of four great kids and have been gathering home management information for years. This blog will help me share some of my findings with you.

Enjoy!