I'm also thinking of starting a new series, "Money Talks," where I would reveal a bit of our finances and talk about where we've gotten things right (no more student loans!) and where there's room for improvement (I missed a bill payment because it got lost on my messy desk!). I'm thinking of sharing money saving tips (big and small) plus our own financial highs and lows. The same way I am with DIY projects and home stuff, I wouldn't gloss over the problem areas or some of our blunders. I'd share what we've learned - good and bad. But I'm working up the courage. In the meantime, here's how I "fixed" the lost bill problem.
Enter toast stand:
When I stumbled across a 10 cent stainless steel toast stand at a yard sale, I thought it looked sufficiently paper-holdery. In fact, it perfectly holds any folded sheets of paper, from bills to letters awaiting a response. Didn't Martha Stewart do this? I can't have come up with this - it must be a stolen idea that has been buried in my subconscious.
I tested this for two whole months (that is why it's a wee bit dusty in the photo).
Verdict: it doesn't look too toast-stand-ish on my desk (see the rest of the office here) and and it really helps keep important paperwork in sight and unburied. I organize the bills chronologically in the stand, so Hubs and I can always see which one is up for payment next and, as a result, life is that tiny bit easier. Which makes us that tiny bit happier. And, no more missed payments makes us that tiny bit richer, too. 10 cents well spent.
