Using Time Wisely

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A Clutter-Free Inbox – Step 4 of 4

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If you have been following this series and applying STEP ONE, STEP TWO, and STEP THREE, then your inbox should house only those e-mails you need. In my personal e-mail account, I usually have a minimum of five e-mails each morning. I handle them the following way:

STEP FOUR:

Touching each remaining e-mail.

1.       Click once on the e-mail. Since I have the preview option (located in the settings options) turned on, I can preview the e-mail on the screen.

2.       I then read the e-mail.

  • If the message requires a quick response, I reply immediately.
  • If the message requires a lengthy response, then I click on the next e-mail message.

3.       After I’m finished reading the e-mail, I will do one of the following:

  • Delete messages I do not need.
  • Move messages I need to keep to folders.
  • Leave the read e-mail in my inbox if further action is needed (i.e. need to add to calendar, respond, print, etc.)

By the time I touch each e-mail, I should have no more unread messages in my inbox. All messages have been read, deleted, filed, or spammed. My inbox is clean, organized, and manageable.

Starting out you might have a hundred or thousands of e-mails from which to sort. The 4-step process might seem cumbersome, but as the spam and unsubscribed messages disappear, the process becomes easier. If you spend 10-15 minutes each day following these 4 steps, then your inbox can quickly become clutter-free.

Delegating Responsibilities

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Being a perfectionist, I prefer to handle all aspects of an event. If the event is too large, and I need help, then I get choosy about to whom I delegate. Here are my parameters:

1.       Use someone I have worked with before: If I have seen a person follow through with his/her responsibilities and complete them to the best of their ability, then yes, I want to delegate to this person. I would trust this individual with a large task.

2.       Use someone who is recommended to me: If the recommendation comes from someone I trust, then I would delegate to this person. I would put him/her on a team with others to evaluate their work ethic for the next event.

3.       Use a new volunteer: I will not turn away help. If I don’t know the person, then I would have the individual help someone else who needs some extra assistance in completing his/her task.

Why am I so picky? As coordinator, the event is in my hands. My goal is to provide the best event possible. I will use the best volunteers to oversee the main parts of the event: food, entertainment, advertising/printing, decorating, etc. I will then place others to help those overseers based on what I know or others know of their skill set.

Oh, What a Little Rest Can Do!

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I had great plans to get some tasks accomplished, but I was out of steam. Instead of trudging on at a slow pace to get accomplished what I could, I decided to take a nap. Just taking about an hour nap re-energized me. I awoke feeling refreshed. My two older children were busy playing an X-Box game together while the baby was still taking her nap.

With some uninterrupted time to work, I was able to get the following accomplished in about 20 minutes:

  1. Started dinner.
  2. Unloaded the dishwasher.
  3. Began a load of laundry.
  4. Reloaded the dishwasher with dishes that had been previously rinsed.
  5. Put away the cooled chicken broth from my split chicken breasts purchase.
  6. Welcomed hubby home with a clean kitchen, dinner cooking, and a rested, smiling wife.

Though pressing on and working to accomplish that To Do list is admirable, sometimes taking the time to rest will help you to recharge and accomplish more tasks in a small amount of time. For me, I chose to nap which was my best choice for using my time wisely. How about you . . . can you accomplish more after a little nap? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Credit Report: Reviewing Information

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Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Do you have your credit report? Have you had a chance to review it? If so, do you know for what you are looking?

Each of the three credit bureaus has a slightly different format, but the information is the same. When I read through my credit report, I am looking for the following:

1. My name is correct. Suze Orman recommends in her Protection Portfolio using your full name, including spelling out your middle name, on all documentation to prevent identity theft and confusion.

2. The payment history legend. These symbols will let me know how the bureau is reporting my payment history.

3. Accurate credit accounts. I look at each account and identify the creditor and the type of credit (i.e. revolving, auto, installment, mortgage, etc.). If any of the information is incorrect, I will mark it for ease in locating it later.

4. Accurate reporting of credit limits and balances. I make sure what is listed matches my own records. If not, then mark it for later.

5. Correct Status and Comments. If the account is closed, then I am looking under the comment section for “account closed at consumer’s request.” I make sure this comment is on each of my closed accounts. I never want a creditor to assume that the account was closed by the lender.

TIP: Closed accounts report negatively on your credit due to lowering your overall credit limit available, the overall time you have accounts in good standing, and usually your credit to debt ratio (meaning you have less available credit when you close that account).

Though the credit agencies see a closed account as a negative, I still close accounts that Paul and I deem necessary for our financial future. For example, our Master Card with an $11,000 credit limit was going to be charged an annual fee of $75 per year. Paul and I decided to opt out of the new agreement, and closed our account at the consumer’s request.

Our debt to credit ratio was affected, but our credit score only dropped one point. This drop was worth the savings in our pocket.

6. Up-to-date information on payment history. I want to be sure that all accounts are reported as current. If you were late on a payment, be sure it was reported accurately. If you see a problem, then flag it for later.

7. Browse the list of companies that have requested my credit history. If I don’t recognize a company, then flag it for later.

8. Check inquiries that affect your credit score. Be sure you gave approval to have your credit checked. If not, then mark it.

9. Look for inaccurate reporting of your personal information. Mark anything that is incorrect, especially addresses.

Did you find any discrepancies? I remember all the errors I found the first time I pulled our credit reports. I was busy for weeks getting all the errors investigated and corrected. If you marked the errors, then the next step is disputing those errors with the credit bureau. I will help you dispute the errors next week.

10 Ways to Cut the Expense of Eating Out – Part 1 of 5

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If your family is like ours, then spring is a busy season. With sports games, school plays, and other activities falling on school nights, I am faced with time constraints for feeding my family. Sometimes the best option is eating out. Having someone else prepare, serve, and clean up can be a huge blessing on busy days. The cost of taking a family to a restaurant can quickly eat up the food budget. With a little planning and knowledge, the restaurant option can be worth your time and money.

In this series of 5 posts, I will share 10 ways to cut the expense of eating out. I will share 2 options each week. You may not be able to use all 10 of these options at once, but incorporating even one idea can save you money as you feed your family.

OPTION 1:     Use Coupons.

Many companies provide coupons for buy one entrée, get one free, $5 off a food purchase of $25 or more, etc. If you know which restaurants you plan to visit in advance, then spending a little time searching for coupons could pay off for your family. Here are some places to look for coupons:

  • Check the advertisement section in the phone book for local coupons.
  • Signup for free publications that contain local restaurant coupons (i.e. Clipper magazine).
  • Consult your local newspaper.
  • Subscribe to online newsletters, mobile/text, or e-mail notifications to your favorite restaurants.
  • Visit the website of restaurants for specials and coupons.
  • Purchase discount coupon books (i.e. the Entertainment book).
  • Browse a search engine (Swagbucks, Google, etc.) for “the restaurant name” coupons.

OPTION 2:     Skip the beverage selection and drink water.

When our family chooses to drink water instead of taking advantage of the carbonated beverages or tea options, our total bill can be 10-15% less than when we drink the Coke and tea. Our family does splurge on drinks occasionally. But when we need to shave the excess off our total bill, we will opt for water.

Not every option will work in every situation. Our family uses coupons regularly, but some of our favorite restaurants do not offer coupons. When we visit establishments without using coupons, we use some of the other ways to save money. Sometimes we choose to drink water and save on the cost of a beverage. Before making that choice, we check to see if a drink is included with our meal.

During your busy spring season, I wish you lots of time with your family. I hope eating out is a solution to your time constraints, and that these options help you save money as you use your time wisely.