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Planning for Success: Insert Credit Report Schedule – Day 6

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Planning for success - Day 6

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

Knowing that a successful year will not materialize on its own, we must plan and prepare for a prosperous 2013.

Throughout the 31 days of January, I will choose one topic each day to prepare or schedule for this year.

Without preparation, I know I will forget, miss, or overlook certain items. If you desire an organized year, then join me in this adventure of Planning for Success for a prosperous 2013.

To receive a daily e-mail around 11:00 a.m. with the new posts of each day, subscribe to my free daily newsletter. In case you miss a post in this series, I will provide the link to each day as the month progresses. 🙂

Day 1: Select a Planning Tool

Day 2: Add Your Priorities

Day 3: Print and Display Your Menu Planner – with free printable

Day 4: Record Membership Expiration Dates 

Day 5: Mark Due Dates for Monthly Bills

Day 6: Insert Credit Report Schedule

With the rise of identity theft, everyone must carefully consider who gets her personal information. Even being careful with your information, hackers and thieves may still gain access. To protect your accounts and learn of issues promptly, request your credit reports throughout the year.

AnnualCreditReport.com provides one free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus each year. All three bureaus should report your information accurately. Therefore, if any new accounts have been opened, you would see that information on your report.

In our household, I request reports from different credit bureaus for Paul and I every 4 months. This way, we can see two different reports to be sure our accounts are still accurate.

My recommended schedule has worked for us. Just remember if you follow my schedule, to check the date of your prior year’s report. To get the free report, you need to wait one full year before getting a new one.

On our calendar, I have added notations to these months to check the following credit reports:

FEBRUARY

  • Paul – Experian
  • Tracy – TransUnion

JUNE

  • Paul – Equifax
  • Tracy – Experian

OCTOBER

  • Paul – TransUnion
  • Tracy – Equifax

In planning for success, insert a credit report schedule into your calendar. By checking your credit, you will find any discrepancies and catch any newly unauthorized activity before more damage is done.

A quick note in your calendar with the chosen credit bureau will remind you to review your credit report for free. Wishing that all your accounts remain free from identity theft as you check your reports often. Happy recording!

Question: How is your schedule similar or different from mine?

Planning for Success: Mark Due Dates for Monthly Bills – Day 5

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Planning for success - Day 5

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

Knowing that a successful year will not materialize on its own, we must plan and prepare for a prosperous 2013.

Throughout the 31 days of January, I will choose one topic each day to prepare or schedule for this year.

Without preparation, I know I will forget, miss, or overlook certain items. If you desire an organized year, then join me in this adventure of Planning for Success for a prosperous 2013.

To receive a daily e-mail around 11:00 a.m. with the new posts of each day, subscribe to my free daily newsletter. In case you miss a post in this series, I will provide the link to each day as the month progresses. 🙂

Day 1: Select a Planning Tool

Day 2: Add Your Priorities

Day 3: Print and Display Your Menu Planner – with free printable

Day 4: Record Membership Expiration Dates 

Day 5: Mark Due Dates for Monthly Bills

One of the easiest ways to keep your hard-earned money in your pocket is to make payments on-time. Those late fees and interest rate hikes eat up your savings, damage your credit, and add stress to your life.

You don’t need these headaches, and you can avoid them by getting your monthly payments organized and scheduling them. Whether you use your bank’s bill pay option, setup automatic payments on your accounts, or use your planner, phone, or planning tool, schedule the payments prior to the due dates.

In completing this step, I added our monthly bills at least two days prior to a payment’s due date on each month of my calendar. Typical recurring monthly bills fall into these six categories:

    • Charitable contributions/tithe
    • Consumer debt: credit card(s), line of credit, car payments
    • Insurance: car, health, and life
    • Mortgage/rent
    • School tuition
    • Utilities: water, electricity, gas, phones, cable, and Internet

In stretching our dollars, I mark due dates for monthly bills on my calendar to assist me in paying our bills on time. Without paying late fees and damaging our credit, I sleep soundly at night without worrying about missing a payment.

As you continue planning for success, mark due dates for your monthly bills and pay them prior to the due date.  By listing them on your calendar one or two days prior to the due date, you provide a buffer for when life happens.

Knowing you have a little grace puts your mind at ease and prevents the additional cost of late payments. Happy sleeping! 😉

Question: Did I miss any type of recurring monthly bill?

Planning for Success: Record Membership Expiration Dates – Day 4

by

Planning for success - Day 4

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

Knowing that a successful year will not materialize on its own, we must plan and prepare for a prosperous 2013.

Throughout the 31 days of January, I will choose one topic each day to prepare or schedule for this year.

Without preparation, I know I will forget, miss, or overlook certain items. If you desire an organized year, then join me in this adventure of Planning for Success for a prosperous 2013.

To receive a daily e-mail around 11:00 a.m. with the new posts of each day, subscribe to my free daily newsletter. In case you miss a post in this series, I will provide the link to each day as the month progresses. 🙂

Day 1: Select a Planning Tool

Day 2: Add Your Priorities

Day 3: Print and Display Your Menu Planner – with free printable

Day 4: Record Membership Expiration Dates

Though I prefer the paper and pen method to scheduling, you may depend on an electronic version. Having dealt with identity theft in 2012, I am not ready to plunge into linking my bank accounts into one on-line source. However, I know others who use and recommend the all-in-one options, including mobile and tablet apps, available through sites like Manilla.com.

In planning for success, I am adding our membership expiration dates to my calendar. These accounts are typically annual memberships.

Knowing how long I have to use these benefits helps me plan our savings. We enjoy getting the most from our memberships, so I add to the top of my monthly calendar page a list of memberships expiring that month with the exact date.

Internet Option: If you are using an on-line source, like Manilla.com, you can setup alerts prior to your membership expiration date to remind you to plan a visit.

I also list the membership on the calendar day that it expires. Numerous times we have used our membership on the expiration date. When we renew, we wait until the next visit or a great sale. 😉

Memberships Expiration Dates Noted on My Calendar

Other Memberships You Might Add to Your Calendar

In planning for success, record your membership expiration dates on your planning tool. With the dates listed, you will see a reminder to plan that last visit or invest in another membership without losing any benefits.

Annual memberships have been worth the money for our family, and I continue to track the dates to get the most from these activities. Happy recording!

Question: What additional memberships did I miss?

Planning for Success: Print and Display Your Menu Planner – Day 3

by

Planning for success - Day 3

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

Knowing that a successful year will not materialize on its own, we must plan and prepare for a prosperous 2013.

Throughout the 31 days of January, I will choose one topic each day to prepare or schedule for this year.

Without preparation, I know I will forget, miss, or overlook certain items. If you desire an organized year, then join me in this adventure of Planning for Success for a prosperous 2013.

To receive a daily e-mail around 11:00 a.m. with the new posts of each day, subscribe to my free daily newsletter. In case you miss a post in this series, I will provide the link to each day as the month progresses. 🙂

Day 1: Select a Planning Tool

Day 2: Add Your Priorities

 Day 3: Print and Display Your Menu Planner

In preparing to save money while feeding my family, I find my menu planner a key tool in the process. Having worked through different options, I found my tool of choice a monthly menu planner. Though I plan a week at a time, I like to see the entire month on one page as I plan.

Planning for Success - Day 3Keeping my prior menu planners in a 3-ring binder, I planned for 2013 by completing the following:

    • Added 6 page protectors to my notebook. When I complete a month’s plan, I slide it into one side of the page protector. I can fit 2 months per protector when they are facing opposite sides.
    • Printed 12 copies of my monthly menu planner and tucked those pages inside the pocket of my notebook.
    • Completed my weekly menu plan for the rest of this week, and displayed my menu planner on my refrigerator.

Menu Planners

If you desire to change menu planners, try a system, or start for the first time, then these weekly options and my favorite monthly planner (with a free download) might solve your dilemma:

    • Weekly options – Shayla offers 5 different printable weekly planners.
    • Monthly option – click on my Monthly Menu Planner to download the below-pictured printable for free. 

Monthly Menu Planner

In planning for success, print and display your menu planner. With the visible reminder and easy accessibility of adding ideas, my menu planner saves our family from emergency meals at a fast food restaurant.

Though there are times when I chuck the menu planner and choose what is best for my family, our menu planner saves the day quite often.

As you prepare for 2013, remember to plan for meals as they will come three or more times a day. 😉 Happy planning!

Question: What is your favorite menu planner?

Planning for Success: Add Your Priorities – Day 2

by

Planning for success - Day 2

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

Knowing that a successful year will not materialize on its own, we must plan and prepare for a prosperous 2013.

Throughout the 31 days of January, I will choose one topic each day to prepare or schedule for this year.

Without preparation, I know I will forget, miss, or overlook certain items. If you desire an organized year, then join me in this adventure of Planning for Success for a prosperous 2013.

To receive a daily e-mail around 11:00 a.m. with the new posts of each day, subscribe to my free daily newsletter. In case you miss a post in this series, I will provide the link to each day as the month progresses. 🙂

Day 1: Select a Planning Tool

 Day 2: Add Your Priorities

Planning for successWith my calendar selected, I refer to Amy Lynn Andrews’ e-book Tell Your Time to set priorities. If you have not read this short 32-page e-book, then it is worth your time to read it.

Amy posted this video, which I found helpful, regarding defining roles and matching priorities. Then to evaluate each item choosing only the best ways to using time wisely.

As someone who has difficulty saying “no” to good things, I had to determine what was best for my family and my sanity. I could give and give and give all day long, but my family suffered because I was pulled in all directions.

Though I still stay busy in 2013, I have dropped some good responsibilities to focus on what is best for my family.

Though each of us will have differing roles to fill, I have added the following priorities to my calendar:

    • Son’s soccer games and practices (3 times a week)
    • Husband’s church responsibilities (1 time per month)
    • My planned exercise schedule (4 times per week)

These priorities are the best for our family. My son made a soccer squad designed to educate the players in the game and skills. This commitment was made after careful considering and fuses with my exercise schedule as the girls can play while I exercise during his practice.

As you consider your priorities, evaluate the items you add to your calendar. Choose the best options that fit within your family’s dynamic while using time wisely and planning for success. Happy prioritizing!

Question: How many priorities are you scheduling?