Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

4 Ways to Get Organized for Tax Season

| Leave a Comment

Looking to get organized for tax season? Here are four systems that will save you time and stress when the tax deadline rolls around. #BeatTheDeadlineThis post is part of the TaxACT #BeatTheDeadline blog tour which shares tips on how to make tax time a smooth and easy process before the April 15 deadline. TaxACT provides the tools and guidance to help you confidently file taxes easy and fast. Do your own taxes today at TaxACT. You got this.

The tax deadline is quickly approaching and we all know that gathering up tax documents is half of the process when it comes to filing an income tax return.

Whether you’ve already filed your taxes or are still putting it off I want to show you a few different ways you can get (and stay) organized for tax season. Trust me, it will make filing so much easier.

Use an Expanding Folder or File Folder System

I’ve used an expanding folder for keeping my bills organized for years. It’s also an amazing way to keep your tax documents organized.

With expanding folders you can generally put tabs at the top of each section. This makes a great and super easy way to keep ahold of all of your tax documents.

You can make one section for income, another for expenses, and a third for investment documents, just to name a few. Since these sections expand so well they’re also perfect to hold the prior year’s tax returns.

If you’re not into the expanding folder another option is to just use regular file folders. You can keep all of your tax information in one folder or break it down by type.

Use an Income Tax Binder

Aside from the expanding folders I also have a thing for binders. Binders are an easily customizable way to stay completely organized.

To get started purchase a binder and tabs and then create sections for your individual tax situation. When documents come in just grab a hole punch and place them in the binder.

Go (Mostly) Digital

If you hate the idea of hanging onto a bunch of physical copies of your documents then consider going digital. You can scan your items into your computer and organize them in a folder on your desktop. This works especially well if you have a ton of receipts you’re keeping track of.

Just be sure to backup all of your data. You don’t want to lose everything you have in the event of a computer crash.

Use a Spreadsheet

In addition to using expanding folders and binders I also like to keep track of my income and expenses on a spreadsheet.

I record any applicable expenses all year long as well as all 1099 income. At the end of the year I know exactly who I should receive 1099’s from and how much they should be.

You can also create a spreadsheet to keep track of what tax documents you’ll be receiving and then check them off as they come. By doing this you won’t accidentally file your taxes before you have everything you need to report.

Get Organized, It Makes Taxes Easier!

Once you’re organized filing your taxes is easy.

If you still haven’t filed your taxes this year don’t worry, you still have time. Use the next couple of days to come up with an organizational system that works best for you and then get to filing.

If you can keep your system up all year long you’ll see how much time and stress you can save when tax season rolls around again.

Beating the tax deadline doesn’t have to be stressful. With TaxACT, everything you need to confidently prepare and e-file your taxes is right at your fingertips. You got this. File your simple or complex federal return FREE today with TaxACT Free Edition.

Staying Organized During the Holidays

| Leave a Comment

holiday organizationThis is a crazy time of year for most people. I have a relatively small family but every time slot of December is consumed with events. Between work parties, family gatherings, Christmas eve/day events and New Years plans, if you don’t stay organized it will be easy to get stressed out! I learned years ago that starting early with my organizing is what helps keep me calm.

 

Get a Calendar

I have a large central calendar on my fridge where I write out everything. No detail is too small. It is in a visible spot where I frequently look at it. I used to hide it in the cupboard but it wasn’t working for me. I got over the fact that it looked messy on the fridge and put it up! As soon as an event is planned write it out, even if it conflicts with something else, still write it down so you don’t forget. This is where you’ll have decisions to make. If you child’s Christmas concert is the same night as your staff party, something will have to give but this way you’re reminded what you have to RSVP to.

Write reminders on the calendar too since you’re likely to forget. We’re responsible for making the dinner rolls for our family dinner. I have a note written on the 23rd to remember the rolls giving me two days to find time to buy or make them.

 

Declutter

This is something I start in October/November. Around the same time I take out/put away the Halloween decorations is when I casually declutter certain areas of the home that accumulate over the year.  Our crawl space, where most of our storage is, has a tendency to have stuff shoved in it throughout the year. One evening in November I reorganize it so everything is accessible and I can easily get the Christmas stuff in and out without making a huge mess. In the month of November I also make a point of organizing the closets and ”junk drawer” in our house. Christmas is so busy for us that I need to make sure I know where everything is so no time is wasted. My friend couldn’t find her (fake) Christmas tree this year so went and bought a new one. How do you lose a seven-foot tree? She found it when putting the new one away, imagine.

I also anticipate certain things like needing space to make room for gifts I know the little one will receive. Just today I cleaned out her closet and cleaned her room, getting rid of toys and clothes she doesn’t play with or fit into. Decluttering is also a great way to give back by donating unused things to charitable organizations or to sell unwanted items and fund your Holiday budget!

 

Clean!

The weeks leading up to Christmas I make sure the house has at least one good deep clean. Spending one day to make sure the house is nice and clean is much easier to maintain with frequent tidying than constantly trying to get one room done. If you have little kids I know this is hard. Get a babysitter for a day, or at least a few hours to dedicate to getting things cleaned and put away. Someone told me trying to put laundry away with a toddler running around is like blowing a fan onto a desk full of papers, and I could not agree more.Cleaning with kids is one step forward and at least four steps back. Send young kids away for the day when you clean and if they’re older have them help out.

The holidays are fun, family filled time. Stay organized so you can enjoy it all!

What do you do to stay organized?

Keep Your Kids Artwork without Cluttering Your Home or Spending Money

| Leave a Comment

display kids artworkThe school year will be wrapping up shortly, which means if you aren’t already inundated with your little ones artwork and projects, you soon will be.  While you may cherish the artwork your little darling produces, the fact is that they produce A LOT of artwork, and if you don’t do something, it will seemingly overrun the house!

Here are several ways you could choose to handle your child’s artwork, depending on your personality and minimalist inclinations:

Display then toss

Some moms display the artwork for a few days or weeks some place such as the refrigerator, and then they toss it and make way for the next group of projects.  If you are not sentimental about the artwork, this is an excellent way to keep kids’ projects under control.

Let your child choose

Keep a small box, maybe about 2 or 3 inches deep and a little larger than 8.5 x 11 inches, and designate it the place where your child can keep all of her artwork from home and school.  She is in charge of what she saves.  When the box is full, some must go out before new artwork can be saved.  Then she will be able to keep her favorites but throw away those that don’t matter to her.

Just save the milestone projects

You could choose to just save the milestone projects such as birthday cards or Mother’s Day cards your child makes for you.  My mom hates clutter, and that is what she did.  Each one of her children has about five or six cards, letters and special works that we made for my mom, which she keeps in our baby book.  As an adult, I like to look at these cards, but I doubt I would want tub after tub of my artwork to go through.

Turn it into a photo album or virtual scrapbook

When your child brings home works of art, take a digital photo of the picture.  Then, when you have enough photos, get them turned into a custom made photo books. It’s easy to do and you don’t need to enroll in graphic design courses to put one together. Of course, you can do this any time of the year, but you can really save money by waiting until right before Mother’s Day or Christmas when many companies offer deeply discounted or free photo books.  Using this method, your child can look back on their artwork, but very little space is needed.

Keep it all

If you just can’t bear to part with any of your child’s work, buy storage tubs and keep them somewhere out of the way like the basement.  This obviously takes the most space, but if you are sentimental, it might be the solution for you.

Kids are prolific artists, and as parents, we want to cherish all of their works.  However, there are simple ways you can still encourage their artistic endeavors and keep the clutter out of the house without spending a lot of money.  Pick the method that works best for you to tame the artwork clutter.

How do you save your children’s artwork?

5 Lazy Couponing Strategies

| Leave a Comment

Coupon

(via capl@washjeff.edu)

Couponing is great! As I have mentioned before, I have been bitten by the coupon bug and I have had a great time learning the ropes from experienced coupon bloggers in my area. So far it it has saved my family and I lots of money — plus it’s really fun (and a little addicting). Even though I enjoy doing it, I simply do not have the time, energy or drive — to spend hours on end working as hard as some of these extreme couponers do. So as you might imagine, I am a HUGE fan of couponing shortcuts and that is what I plan on sharing with you in this post today.

If your goal is to get cart loads of items for free or almost free, or reduce you bill for grocery and household items by 80% or more, or you want insider information from an highly experienced couponing expert — this post is not for you. There are many awesome couponing gurus from all across the country who are sharing their tips and tricks and all kinds of great coupon information on blogs. I am what some might call a lazy couponer — or perhaps a better, nicer term might be a laid back couponer. I have only been couponing effectively for about four months but during that time I have learned a lot and I am excited to share what I know.

So without further adieu here are some simple tips that you can use to save on your grocery bill:

1. Pay Attention

I had no idea how much things really cost. I know that may sound silly but I really wasn’t paying attention to the actual price of the items we were purchasing. I had a general idea of course but when I really started to look at the prices – and realize what was and wasn’t a good deal – it really opened my eyes. Prices on items can vary drastically. I thought all retailers were within a few cents of each other on most items, but boy was I wrong! I would have to say that this is one of the most important tips for saving money because even if coupons became extinct, you would still save just by being observant and shopping sales.

2. Do Your Research

I do not have time to spend hours on end matching up the coupons I have, with items that retailers put on sale. This was probably one of the biggest reasons I didn’t coupon before — I just didn’t have the time to commit to such a project. Luckily, there are people out there who do this for a living and I love them for it! I have three favorite coupon blogs that I visit. They do store and coupon match-ups, they alert me to other sales that I might find on the internet, they provide money saving tips and they do so in a fun and informative way. Oh yeah, and the best part is it’s F-R-E-E. Just be sure that if you decided to take advantage of any coupons or deals they tell you about, that you use the links provided on their site. This is how they can bring such valuable information to you at no-charge. I highly encourage you to seek out these sites in your area. Facebook is a great place to find these people and if you have any frugal friends, ask them who their favorite coupon bloggers are.

3. Get Organized

Before you embark on any shopping trip it is to your advantage to check out what sales are going on at the store you are headed to. I usually just check out one of my favorite coupon blogging sites, make a list of the things I need and the deals that are going on and then I compile my coupons. Sometimes I take my whole coupon binder but most of the time I just throw coupons in of things that I know will be a good deal. It would be nearly impossible for these sites to list EVERY sale item, so it’s good to keep an eye out for other store savings. You can always go back later when you have your coupons with you.

4. Stock Up!

When you see a great deal — stock up! This is really a money saver. Paying attention to sales cycles is a great idea because then you will know what items go on sale at certain times of the year. If you purchase these items when they are at their lowest and stock up until their next sale cycle starts you’ll save a lot! Most of the coupon blogs will make note of “stock up” prices which is helpful for folks like me.

5. Make it a Lifestyle

Saving money can be like a diet. You might do really great for a month or so — you might lose a few pounds (or save a few bucks) then you might revert back to the old ways. If you want to save money you really can do it simply and it really can make a difference. It is a relatively painless process. Sure there is a little hassle associated with it but no pain, no gain right? You don’t need to starve yourself you look like a supermodel, just as you don’t need to spend your every waking hour obsessing over coupons. Once you get into the swing of things you’ll be able to save some money and have a great time doing it!!!

My next post will be about how to save money other than using coupons…stay tuned 🙂

How much effort do you put into couponing?

How to Have a Successful Garage Sale

| Leave a Comment

Garage SaleNow that the weather is warming up –  and the days are a bit dryer – people are  sprucing up their homes. This usually involves spring cleaning, de-cluttering and having garage sales.

I’ve had a garage sale or  two in my day. I’ll be honest, it’s not my favorite thing in the world but it is a great way to get rid of extra stuff and make a bit of cash.  One of the most difficult parts of garage sales – for me anyway  – is pricing. I’m pretty sure this is because I think my old junk, is worth much more than I would want to pay for some one else’s old junk. Of course,  it’s not — but it’s mine, so I am personally attached to it — which makes me think it is pretty much priceless. It’s almost like I am doing people a favor by allowing them to purchase my items. Too bad other people don’t quite see it my way.

I also don’t like haggling. I always second guess myself. If I don’t accept someone’s offer I think, “Maybe I should have just taken it. Now I’m never going to sell this thing!” or if I do give in I think, “I could have gotten a lot more for that. Shoot! Why did I give in so easy.” What I have to keep reminding myself, is that people are paying me, to haul away the things my family and I don’t need or use anymore. When it comes to especially large items — this can be an excellent arrangement.

Getting the most from having a yard sale

I have also learned that there is a real art to this whole garage sale thing. Serious garage sale enthusiasts – both buyers and sellers – have a well thought out system and know just what they are doing. If you want to have a successful garage sale — you do too.

Here are a few things I have learned from others and also from my own experience.

1. Advertise

You need to let people know that you are having a garage sale. If you think people don’t look at the newspapers to see where sales are — you are wrong. It is worth the investment. You don’t have to have a huge ad — just a simple one that lets people know what kind of items you are selling – and where to find you – is great. There are a lot of free ways to get the word out as well. Put your ad on Craigslist, create an event on Facebook letting your friends and family know about your sale, tweet it, tell everyone you can think of. Handing out fliers or placing them on community bulletin boards can be great ways of letting people know about your sale as well.

The day of the Garage Sale be sure to post clearly marked signs so people can find you. Free standing signs are great and can be used again and again. If you get brightly colored poster board, that is effective in catching people’s attention as well.

2. Organize your stuff!

I don’t do a lot of shopping at garage sales, but when I have been out looking for things — an organized garage sale will make me stop. A disorganized or cluttered looking sale, has me hitting the gas peddle. See ya!

If you want top dollar for your items — you need to make it look like they are worth it. Sort items by category, clean your items, hang up the nicer pieces of clothing you want to sell. Take pride in your stuff and others will see the value in it too.

Organization is also important if you are having a multi-family garage sale. Make sure each person’s items are clearly marked. Using a different color of sticker – for each family – is very helpful.

3. Pricing

As I mentioned earlier – I’m not great at pricing my own items – but on FrugalDad.com, he has a great pricing guideline there, which you may find very useful. Something else that might be helpful, is to have someone else help you with the pricing. My Mom is fantastic at this because she has been to lots of garage, yard, and estate sales and she has a pretty good idea about how to price items to sell. My thought is, you can always mark things down later, especially if your sale is going to last a few days – toward the end of the sale if you are just wanting to get stuff out of your garage you might slash prices considerable the last day.

4. Be Prepared

Make sure you have enough change on hand, keep the cash box in a safe place (and makes “drops” when needed), use old grocery bags for people to carry their smaller items home in, and have newspaper available to wrap breakable items.

Do you have any helpful tips for people planning garage sales this year? Do you have tips for people shopping at these types of sales?