Money and Procrastination Don’t Mix

By moneygodmother

Want to take control of your financial life and stay organized, but you keep putting it off? Here’s why March may be your month to get started.

March begins with National Procrastination Week and ends with National I-Am-In-Control Day on March 30. What a coincidence.

Are You Guilty?

Most of us have the best intentions to get organized and stay that way, particularly when it comes to our finances. But life’s hectic pace just gets in the way – so we put out the immediate fire and leave the rest for “I’ll do it later.”

We often push off countless, small financial tasks to another day. What’s one more day in the grand scheme? But have you….

• Ever misplaced a bill and forgot to pay it?
• Filed a tax return on the due date…or later?
• Stashed bank statements, thinking you’d reconcile soon?
• Tossed receipts in random drawers and can’t find them now?
• Considered freezing your credit files but haven’t done it yet?
• Realized you need a will, but think you have time to wait?
• Forgot to make an estimated tax payment one quarter?
• Not gotten around to making a budget…for years?
• Wanted to find a side hustle but haven’t started?
• Missed the deadline and paid extra to get concert tickets, conference registration, airfare or other things?

Ten Tips to Start

When it comes to financial chores, we often don’t see the immediacy…until it costs us something. Here are 10 ideas to get on track and stay in control with your finances:

1. List your tasks and make a timeline. Find a sample here. You might include goals too.
2. Make it a habit to accomplish one small project or financial task each week. Break larger chores into do-able bites.
3. Structure a “Command-Central” – your hub to store financial stuff and tackle chores.
4. Use a file system or notebook that works for your organizational style. Here’s sample docs to add, and you might use a safe deposit box too.
5. Act-Save-Toss to simplify your financial life.
6. Keep and update contact info for mentors and financial professionals you use.
7. Keep records, dates and receipts for financial transactions. Here’s a list of what to keep and for how long.
8. Develop a good decision-making process and build confidence to make those big decisions.
9. Eliminate procrastination – just do it, like making that budget.
10. Continue learning, since personal finance products evolve, tasks change over time, and no one knows it all, whether it’s investing, credit, philanthropy, estate planning, or more.

Are you starting to feel more in control?  You can do this!