Thursday, March 28, 2024

Survey Results: Are you Organized?
by Scott Bilker
Scott Bilker is the author of the best-selling books, Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt, Credit Card and Debt Management, and How to be more Credit Card and Debt Smart. He's also the founder of DebtSmart.com. More about and DebtSmart can be found in the online media kit.

Scott Bilker This survey originally ran in the 11/20/02 DebtSmart Email Newsletter.
To take the survey click here.

Do you have a filing system for your paperwork?

80% of respondents said Yes
18.5% of respondents said No

When you get your mail do you...

38.5% of respondents said 'Pile the bills on the kitchen table or other place'
61.5% of respondents said 'Sort, review, and file bills'

Do you use accounting software to track spending?

78.5% of respondents said No
21.5% of respondents said Yes

If you don't use software then do you have a notebook or other method for organizing your transactions?

50.8% of respondents said Yes
36.9% of respondents said No
12.3% of respondents said Don't Know

Do you pay bills...

60% of respondents said 'On a specific day'
32.3% of respondents said 'Randomly'
7.7% of respondents said 'As soon as I get them'

Do you balance your checking account?

75.4% of respondents said Yes
23% of respondents said No

Have you created a master list of all bills and debts?

60% of respondents said Yes
40% of respondents said No

Do you track your credit offers?

72.3% of respondents said No
23% of respondents said Yes
4.6% of respondents said Don't Know

Do you consider yourself to be organized?

69.2% of respondents said Yes
30.8% of respondents said No

Are you interested in learning how to become more organized financially?

84.6% of respondents said Yes
7.7% of respondents said No
7.7% of respondents said n/a

What do you Think?
Fill out the Survey

Reader Comments

"It is time to do an InvestSmart newsletter. I'm out of debt, now (excpet for a Student Loan - blah!)"
--Angela

"I really enjoy this newsletter--it always makes me think about issues (like this organization issue!!) and how disorganized I truly am. My apartment always looks like a tornado hit it, and it isn't unusual for me to lose track of something for a few days/weeks. So, usually, I am in a jam with bills. And although I am trying hard to get better, all these bad habits are hard to correct. It takes a conscious effort to do it all right."
--Lucy

"I feel organized financially, finally, but I am always willing to look at other ways. I recently adopted a "tickler" organizer and put all the bills to be paid with a specific paycheck in that days' folder. Once paid, the bill goes into it's file in my filing cabinet. I just started a list and calendar to help me track my bills also. Thanks for all the great ideas!"
--Anonymous

"I've always looked at all my credit card offers and will hold on to the ones that I think I might be interested in using. Any credit card offer I consider to not be in my best interest I immediately shred and get rid of."
--Anonymous

"I only have one credit card and do not carry a balance so I am not interested in any other offers that arrive in the mail"
--Anonymous

"I'm an accountant, and it's always satisfying not only having my own finances organized, but to help other people as well. Your newsletter always seems to have relevant articles that get incorporated in my discussions with clients who somehow know that I just read an article about 'that'. Keep up the good work!"
--James


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