How to Manage Files

In the advent of technology where everything seems to be done in the computer with all but soft copies, there are still hard copies of documents that needs document management system. This is especially try if the documents concerned are important ones.

First off, granting they are aplenty and will not fit in safety deposit boxes, make sure you have photocopies of them. Investing on steel file cabinets could be a good option too. When those safety measures are taken cared of, then it's time to get those documents categorized and collated to their respective folders. It can be time consuming, true. But there's no short cut to good management. Just look at the long run benefit.

File Those Bills Payment Receipts!

As organized as I try to be, for some reason, I lost one $13 credit card payment receipt during the holidays. I was shocked to receive a billing statement over email with an amount that of more than $31 than I expect. I make sure I pay the full amount of my bill before the due date, so alarmed as I was, I called Citibank to ask for the breakdown. It turned out, I got penalized and the payment never got through. I always pay via the bank and thought maybe the bank failed to upload the payments over the holidays.

After rummaging for all probable place I could have placed it, I finally saw the receipt which was collected alongside all the other receipts (probably by my weekend cleaning girl), it's on top of the fridge. I found out that the account number that it got credited in was the old Citibank credit card that was long terminated. I called Citiphone again (for the fourth time) and they saw that the payment was indeed credited to the terminated account. I faxed the transaction receipt and they are going to reverse all charges very soon! Whew!

I always file my receipts, but because of busyness and because of the amount of the receipt was too small to bother with, I took for granted to keep it until I receive a confirmation of the receipt of payment. No, I don't keep my receipts for ages to gather dust and all. I have my email archive to do the job- a confirmation receipt is enough. Another lesson learned by yours truly. As much as I was confident that I paid my obligation, it was not enough. I have got to get hold of the receipt for proof until it gets credited and I have received confirmation.

Meanwhile, I am happy that I don't need to pay that extra $31 (charges and penalty) for that would have been treated as $13 unpaid bill. Atleast the company gave me credit for the good standing and prompt payments I have always had with them. :-)