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What Do You Think?: On-line Bill Managing Tool

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What Do You Think: Manilla.com, on-line bill managing tool

Photograph Credit: Manilla

Around the blogosphere, many bloggers share their perspective on life. As I contemplate these many ideas (and some are really out there), sometimes I’m not sure what I think.

During this week of What Do You Think?, I will share a topic and give you my 2¢. Please share your opinion.

The topics chosen will follow the posting schedule. Thanks in advance for your contributions on this journey to Using Time Wisely!

What Do You Think about Using an On-line Bill Managing Tool?

Tracy’s 2¢: My bill paying routine consist of logging due dates on a calendar and sending the balance due amount via on-line transactions. I only have two set payments setup on bill pay through our credit union. Every other payment is made manually.

Hearing and reading reviews of Manilla.com, I wonder if this tool would save time and energy. Do you use it? Would you recommend it? What do you think?

Additional Items in Box 2 of our Important Documents

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Insurance File - Box 2 of Important DocumentsIn completing file Box 2, I mentioned in last week’s post that I had a few extra documents tucked into the last pocket of my filing system.

The first and last pockets in my accordion file do not have a label holder, so I usually skip those slots when filing items.

However, the openings can hold items if needed, so I chose to place a few uncategorized documents in the last pocket for safe keeping.

Employer’s Bankruptcy Court Documents

After leaving being laid off from his previous employer (2006), my husband, Paul, began receiving legal notices of that company’s bankruptcy proceedings.

Though he was no longer an employee, Paul got these notices seeking to find all the company’s debts. As a previous employee, Paul got these notice. Even though the company fulfilled all its payments to us, we continued to receive the correspondence.

Since these notices did not pertain to any of our accounts or policies, I needed to assign a place to file this paperwork. With the last file opening of Box 2 empty, I filed the documents in this slot near other paperwork from that employer.

Though the last correspondence was in 2010, I still keep the documents in the event the case enters the appeals process. By assigning a place for these documents, I know where to find them and can add more items if necessary.

This concludes the documents in Box 2 of my important documents. As you organize your paperwork and assign spaces for your documents, I hope this sample of my filing system points you in the right direction.

Our situations are different and thus our documents and policies will differ. However, knowing what items you have and assigning a space for each category is the key to organizing your paperwork. This journey is a marathon, and we are two-thirds of the way to the finish line. Keep going!

Question: What odd documents do you have in your stash that do not fit within the “normal” categories? 

Long-Term Disability Insurance

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Insurance File - Box 2 of Important DocumentsToday is monumental – the last category in Box 2 of our important documents! Though these last two categories (short-term and long-term disability) only hold a few documents, I keep them separate due to different types of policies. Also, should claims get filed, I need space to keep all the documentation for proof of submission.

Kept within the eleventh file opening are the documents for our long-term disability insurance which makes up our ninth and last category in our insurance filing system. 🙂

Long-Term Disability Insurance

Defined

Similar to our short-term disability, our long-term disability insurance policies protect Paul’s paycheck should he become disabled. Paul’s employer offers a basic long-term disability policy free of charge to all active employees. This benefit has basic coverage, but we choose to pay for supplemental long-term disability which provides at least 65% of Paul’s covered pre-disability earnings.

Our long-term disability policies work together and begin on day 90 of Paul’s disability. Should Paul become disabled, our family would receive compensation beginning on day 7 with short-term disability and then transfer to long-term disability on day 91.

Documents

For these policies, I keep the following documents in this eleventh file opening of our insurance file box:

Summary Page

This one-page document has the administrator’s contact information and instructions for filing claims.

Policies

From the employer’s web site, I downloaded (and still need to print out) these two policies. I do keep a record of these links in this file opening.

Instructions

Since Paul’s employer holds these policies, we do not have personal policy numbers. If we need to file a claim, Paul’s benefits’ office has specific instructions and deadlines for submitting documentation. I have included these instructions to make finding the information quick.

All these documents make up the ninth category of our insurance documents. Remember your file will hold your documents which may or may not include all these items.

If you have a long-term disability policy, then gather those documents and place them in this file opening. If you don’t have this policy and hope to have one in the future, then create a label and leave an empty space in your file.

All the categories are now complete. Yeah!

However, I have other documents in the last section of this file. My accordion file offers a front and back opening without a slot for a label. Usually I keep these pockets empty, but we had some unusual documents. I will share that information with you next week. In the meantime, keep up the good work, and happy organizing!

Question: How is your document organization coming along?

Short-Term Disability Insurance

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Returning from the Quick Tip Week refreshed, I’m ready to start and finish another category in our document organization.

We are in the home stretch in organizing our insurance paperwork in Box 2 of our important documents.

Kept within the tenth file opening are the documents for our short-term disability insurance which makes up our eighth category in our insurance filing system.

Short Term Disability Insurance

Defined

This type of policy protects Paul’s paycheck should he become disabled. Short term disability insurance is typically more expensive than long-term disability since you have a greater chance of using short-term than long-term.

Our policy will pay us 60% of Paul’s paycheck from day 7-90 should he become disabled. Our short-term policy covers the first 3 months before our long-term insurance takes effect. Each policy has different options, but this is a typical policy.

Documents

For this policy, I keep the following documents in this tenth file opening of our insurance file box:

1. Summary Page: This one-page document has the administrator’s contact information, our policy number, and instructions for filing claims.

2. Policy: Approximately 15 pages in length, this document lists our coverage, claim information, and limits.

3. Notifications: Currently, we carry a policy with the largest coverage allowed. We started out with 40% coverage and have inched it up to the 60% limit. With each increase, our policyholder has approved our request and sent notification of the changes.

4. Correspondence: Since Paul’s employer changed providers a few years ago and the rates were better with the new company, we switched our policy to the new provider to save money and stay in the group options. I keep the documents from our former contract should I need that information.

5. Release Authorization: Since Paul is the insured, the provider required his authorization before releasing information to me. In making the calls and keeping the documents, I periodically need information from the company. To prevent frustration with agents, Paul authorized a permanent release for me.

These documents placed together stay in this eighth category of our insurance documents.

If you have a short-term disability policy, then gather those documents and place them in this file. If you don’t have this policy and hope to have one, then create a label and leave an empty space in your file for the future. Easy peasy!

With another category complete, we only have one more category to complete file box 2. Keep up the good work. Happy organizing!

Question: Do you carry a short-term disability policy?

2012 Second Quick Tip Week: Filing Driving Directions

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Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Needing to concentrate on some cleaning projects at home and scheduling our school’s fall festival, I present the second Quick Tip Week.

Each day this week, I will post an article about that day’s category of the blogging schedule.

These tips save my sanity in addition to staying organizing while saving money, energy, and time. Enjoy your week!

Quick Tip #1: Filing Driving Directions

Without a GPS, I depend on printed driving directions when traveling to new places. These sheets of paper could end up in the trash after completing the trip, but I choose to keep the directions. In using time wisely when returning to a destination to which we have been before, I only need to reach into the file folder with all the printouts to find the directions.

Upon receiving directions by e-mail, I created a folder in my inbox titled “directions.” After printing a copy, I move the message to my “directions” folder. Should I misplace my printout, I can print again without wasting time searching for the address.

Keeping the driving directions in a file folder or a designated space saves on ink from reprinting (money), digging through piles of paperwork for the address (energy), and searching for the directions to print (time).

If you print driving directions, then consider making a home for those items which you can quickly access for your next visit. Happy organizing!

Question: Do you keep printouts of driving directions?