Organizing your financial records may not be the most fun, but it is a critical part of achieving financial success. Imagine walking into a messy room every day. It is simply not conducive to happiness. In the same way, financial success depends on being clutter-free. By organizing your financial records, you are actually laying the path- brick by brick- to your future success!

The benefits of being organized:

• Have more time, energy, space
• Find papers and receipts quickly
• Reduce and help eliminate late fees
• Find key documents when you need to
• Gain a greater peace of mind

Things you may need:

• Envelopes, bill organizers, file folders
• A shredder
• Filing cabinet or fireproof safe
• Computer software, if desired
• Storage containers or boxes

Developing Your Financial Routine
First off, decide when and how you will pay your bills. You can schedule and send payments when you receive them or keep a consistent routine, like the 1st or 15th of every month. Whatever you do, make sure it works for you and is easy to maintain.

Paperless has its perks
Online Banking reduces paperwork and allows you account access 24/7, 365 days of the year. You can check your balance, transfer money and download your account information. It also protects your identity!

Make it automatic
An automatic routine is an efficient one. Set up your bill-pay system to schedule regular payments to avoid late or missed payments- and decrease the chances of a check getting delayed in the mail. Plus, you will save time, postage and paper. This service is completely free at Dover Federal!

Find your balance
Remember to gather and keep all your bills in one location and organize them regularly. Read credit card statements closely. You may even enlist the help of computer software, like Quicken or Microsoft Money. If you do so, ensure that you have anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed on your computer, and keep it updated regularly. You do not want anyone but you accessing your important and very personal financial records. Also keep medical information in a safe place to help safeguard your identity.