5 Ways Being Organized Saves You Money

I’m a FlyLady fan. There, I’ve said it. Not familiar with FlyLady? She offers a virtual community to help people who are living in CHAOS (can’t have anyone over syndrome) start to get their lives back on track. It is because of FlyLady that I’ve learned that I can do anything in 15 minutes and why I rely on a timer or the alarm clock on my cell phone to get so much done in a single day.

Yesterday, one of her messages (she sends out multiple ones a day, plus tweets her suggested tasks) was about how being organized can help you save money. Here’s a summary of what she said:

  1. Decluttering 15 minutes a day. In doing this you can uncover items you forgot you even owned and get rid of stuff you no longer need–either by selling it on Craigslist, giving it away to charity or throwing it away (those are my suggestions–I’ve got “cash for clutter” on my brain because of my new book deal). According to FlyLady taking back control of your clutter can save you about $20 a week. You save $1,040 annually.
  2. Organizing your morning the night before. The notion here is not only about laying out your outfit and making sure your bags are packed for an easy getaway in the a.m., but also that your kitchen is picked up enough so that you have the time and ability to make yourself breakfast and coffee in the morning. This will help you save the $5 or more you spend each day doing drive-through breakfast. You save $1,300 annually.
  3. Planning your meals weekly. You’ve heard me give this advice before and for a simple reason: when you know ahead of time what you’re going to feed your family for dinner at night, you won’t be tempted to stop on the way home for a pizza or take-out food, which is sure to bust your budget. Just one take-out meal a week could set you back $25. You save $3,900 annually.
  4. Getting dressed to your shoes. OK, so this “rule” takes some getting used to–especially if you were raised to take your shoes off at the door. But here’s where the logic comes in: if you wear shoes, you won’t break your toe or cut your feet. Because if you do and you have to go to the doctor or the emergency room, then you have to lay out a co-pay–assuming you even have insurance. FlyLady says that one broken foot, paid for in full, could cost you more than $1,500.
  5. Paying your bills online and on time. One late fee on one credit card bill could set you back as much as $100. Do it monthly because you can’t keep track of your bills or don’t know where your checkbook is and the money quickly adds up. Spend time getting your bills organized so that you can pay them automatically, and you won’t have to worry about late fees like you used to. You save $1,500 annually.

These five tips could potentially save you a little over $9,000 a year. What’s not to love about that?

9 Comments

  1. I love FlyLady! I just started over with the BabySteps. I did them before a few years ago, but I kind of forgot about it. I never realized FLYing could save me money though! That sure is interesting.

    Blessings!

  2. I’m a big Flylady fan! I’ve even put together my notebook of zones and routines. I highly recommend Flylady. Although my disorganization was not extreme, just using her simple 15 minutes a day to organize has made my life so much easier.
    And, yes, being organized does help you save money!

  3. I’m bookmarking this post! Things I know, but definitely a reminder needed daily, at this point. Actually…perhaps I’ll make it my home page! ha!

  4. Love Flylady…nothing like a virtual challenge and the bar set…i love the room rescue and the challenges i tend to over look like magazine collections. Really has made a huge difference in how i do house work as a young wife and mother of 2 boys…big difference! Husband actually noticed! Actually made me feel good about being a stay at home mom!
    Megs

  5. I like #2. I set the table for breakfast, pack my lunch, set out my clothes, and set the timer on the coffeemaker. That way, I can sleepwalk (with shoes on? Nope) through my morning routine.

  6. It just has kept me to keep my productivity higher since I don’t have to worry about clutter getting in the way. Also, helps me pay my bills on time.

  7. I haven’t subscribed to FlyLady in a while – I found the messages a little annoying. But I do like the 15 minute decluttering idea. I try to keep up with that. And because I have accumulated so much stuff, I try to get rid of (as in put in a box to be donated, or possibly sold) 5 items a day. We have always done the rest of the stuff. And instead of shoes, I always wear slippers in the house. Especially in winter. Keeps my feet warm, less wear and tear on rugs and floors. Still protects my feet.

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