OC's rules

[helencons]

sis aquacharly, may i have a copy of your manual too.thanks in advance.

[DV]

OC girls, how do you deal with receipts?  My bag is full of them!  Syempre I keep these in case of returns, for service warranties, for free meals (like BPI Real Thrills promo) at para makakuha ng discount card at certain shops.    Kaya lang natatabunan na ko ng resibo!  How do you organize these (if you don't have somebody else to do the filing for you)?  TIA! 

[marose17]

1.  Receipts of appliances, furniture, etc. - I file these in a folder; the warranty cards are in a separate file together with the operating manuals of each appliance.
2.  Restaurant, gas and parking receipts - I file them separately (per category) and liquidate these as part of my reimbursable expenses at work.
3.  Grocery receipts - I keep these in an envelope so I can compare prices. I also have a notebook where I list our grocery expenses per month.  I throw the receipts after 6-7 months.
4.  Receipts of payments for insurance, credit cards and utilities - I also file these and designate a folder per category (e.g., Water, Electricity, Cable, Association Dues, Insurance of my husband, my insurance, my kids' insurance, etc.).
5.  Special needs receipts (such as for collecting rebates or discount cards) - I segregate these per establishment or company and put them in separate envelopes.  I label the envelopes (e.g. Receipts for X Store discount, Receipts for Z Miles) so that it will be easy for me to keep track of them.

I do a bi-monthly/monthly inspection of my receipts and papers para hindi mag-pile up.  I keep only those I need to store for future reference and throw away the others.

[lukrecia]

hi sis aquacharly, pasend din ng sample ng household manual mo pls.. thanks!

[DV]

^^Great!  Thanks, marose17!

[aquacharly]

DV, the run-through of MAROSE is complete.

May I add... whatever is convenient for you, file, categorize that way.

Like, I do not keep all property  insurance payments together. 
Even if an accountant does my filing.. I am the gave her the system and manner by which to file my docs.

1st -- any OR related to a property -- there is 1 ring binder per property.  Kasi it is either the house we stay in, or a house or condo/townhouse we rent -- so kelangan 1 property - 1 binder.  OR, an idle property, pero kahit na idle eh there are taxes to be paid di ba.  And dues to be paid too.  hay buhay

In each binder, I keep a copy of the Deed of Sale, the payments related thereto, and property taxes -- forever.  (Originals are in the SDB).  Property and contents insurance are kept for 3 years (more for comparison purposes for the next insurance assessment).   (What is in the SDB is only the current insurance ORs)   Andoon na rin the current pest control receipts, lease contract, list of postdated payment checks, and ORs for any equipment installed on the property (kasi pag nasira ng tenant -- o eh di maliwanag ang start off point of claim ko) -- forever din kept the equipment ORs and warranties until the equipment is thrown out.
Payment for Dues -- keep only what is current.

The same thing for my residence as done with the lease properties vis-a-vis receipts.

Now, I keep the manuals for appliances/equipment in a clearbook easy for all ouf us to access.  But I keep ORs and warranties in a separate clearbook.  Kasi madali mag request for another manual copy, but it is very inconvenient to misplace ORs and warranties.  Just file accdg to chronology of acquisition.  Atchaka, file also ORs for repairs done... keep forever until you throw out the equipment/appliance.

Credit card ORs - kept for 6 months now only.  That is all that the US Embassy, and other 1st world country embassies,  LOL require.
Credit card slips are kept only up to date required to compare entries on the statement.  Then it either goes to the warranty file, for reimbursement (yes, we have expense limits and reimbursements even if we own the companies);or thrown out.    Grocery receipts I throw out after checking vs the credit card statement, or if paid in cash.. throw out agad.

For family insurance -- I keep all original ORs forever. Xerox file in the office.

Club memberships =-- acquisition of share -- kept forever in a SDB.  Annual fees, only the current year kept. 
SAme with magazine subscriptions and the like... keep until the subscription is fully delivered.
Same with kids' tuition payments. Lalo na if you pay on an annual basis -- keep the deposit/reservation made before the current SY and the ORs for the current SY.  Other years - discard.  Hindi ka na maka collect/reimburse sa anak mo naman eh.  hehe

ORs for loans -- keep filed for 5 years at least, together with any document to certify as to the Final and Full SEttlement of the Loan.

Pre-need edu plans, etc... keep ORs forever including your returned checks + Cert of Final and Full payment Certificate.
Pre-need anything, kahit na memorial plan -- keep forever like that.

I have always kept impt ORs and other documents in a SDB.  I choose SDBoxes located INSIDE walk-in vaults.  Mabaha man, masunog man ang building or bank -- the walk -in vault is assumed to be air-tight.  Your documents and valuables are safer there than in any safe at home.  Atchaka, sino bang bank robbers ever nagtiaga to open SDBoxes?

Beware of SDBs located in just ordinary rooms or heaven forbid! in just part of a bank room.  Delikado yan in terms of nasty surveillance on you, and baha, sunog.  Choose your SDB location well.

A sister is more OC than I am -- in addition to the SDB gimmick she picked up from me... she has the energy and time to scan impt ORs.

I keep reimbursable ORs just up to Thursday... when I turn over to the accountant. 

For ORs you keep to accummulate for a discount card -- just dump it all in a plastic folder.  When you have time, total what you can, staple together with the total written on top.  Next time you total -- eh di addition na lang of what you did not add up before.

DV the 1st criteria is to determine which ORs are forever to be kept ... for which you will have a permannent filing system ... kahit nga lang hanging folders in a simple bracket holder ... to put in a cabinet in your house.  That is fine.  But better, get an SDB.   May mga ORs kasi na parang MArriage Contract -- keep until you drop dead.  LOL

Nga pala... do not forget the informal ORs -- mga bayad ng sweldo sa helpers mo. Eto may notebook ka at the minimum, where the katulong signs basta nagets ang sweldo or gets an advance from you.
Make sure you keep their SSS ORs yourself, parang hindi ka ever makasuhan, or if you give the ORs to them... pay the SSS with your checks... and write details at the back of checks.  MAganda kasi the system of banks now... the statements arrive with mini copies of fronts and backs of checks per statement di ba.  So easier to file.

Other ORS to keep forever -- those for jewelry, artworks, and whatever else expensive stuff you buy.  Kung madami... hehe, eh di clearbooks with photos filed together with the OR for the jewelry.   
Keep the ORs in the SDB too.
Be careful you file ORs and returned checks for artworks. In case of dispute.... easier to defend your rightful possession thereof.

Mga car payments, payments for helicopters, yachts ... ha! fantasy!  teka, kahit na may ganoon si Willie Revillame,  yoko pa rin sa kanya.  LOL
Purchase ORs with the Deed of Sale or whatever document from the casa.. keep forever until you part with your vehicle.  Insurance and registration,and any other annual fees... keep only the current ones.

Mga travel expenses/ORs -- junk once you are sure you will not claim for insurance or reimbursement.
 
Medical ORs -- keep only if youi can reimburse.  Otherwise, why bother to file?

The designer bags you buy... keep ORs in the bag itself.    

Now for ORs na ayaw ko malaman ng husband ko... I either keep agad in the SDB (ex. Birkin ORs) or throw away (my chicharon OR).

MAROSE -- ano pa nakalimutan ko?

For the manual... I will give samples or portions lang ha.  paki pm naman which area of the house or activity you are interested in.
Patience please ha... am sooo tired kasi with my involvement iwth the baha victims.  Kaawa ha. 
Pero madamoi din nakakinis!  Mga"victims kuno" forever ,  hay buhay.  AS if, we owe them a living.  Excuse me for saying this, batuhin man ako, but some really deserve to be poor.  Wala na nga ayaw mag work, mapili sa work eh wala namang masyadong skills tapos ang dami daming anak hindi naman masipag kumita para pakainin mga anak.  hay buhay.

[marose17]

^ Complete na iyan.   Basta, DV, you can devise your own system in accordance with your needs.

True about the relief operations.  There are people na hindi victims ng baha na nakikisama rin sa distribution ng goods.  Naka-motor pa nga sila.  Parang nag-grocery sa relief center ang dating.

May ex-helper kami who came to our house to ask for help kasi binaha rin ang house nila in Marikina.  The first time, our senior helper (wala kasi kami ng hubby ko) gave her money pambili ng rice and food.  The second time, nakausap siya ng mommy ko and my mom asked if nakakuha ba siya ng relief goods.  Ang sagot ba naman, "naku Ma'm, ang haba ng pila at maraming nag-aawayan kaya hindi na kami pumipila doon."  My mom answered, "pag wala kang tiyaga pumila, hindi ka talaga makakakuha."  Tsk... tsk...

[DV]

^^Wow, ang daming ORs!  Thanks for the input, aquacharly!  Simple lang naman ang lifestyle namin, kasya na siguro sa isang box ng hanging folder. 

Medyo naiinis na ako sa mga papel na ito.  Sana in 10 years paperless na most establishments.  Yun bang meron ka lang USB key na pwede mong ibigay sa cashier tapos meron ka nang e-resibo.    Kaya fan din ako ng online banking.

Yung mga bank statements, how long do you keep these?

[marose17]

^ Ako, up to 2 years or pag makapal na yung folder, hehe.

If you have a business, you should keep files up to 3 years kasi baka ma-assess ng BIR and you have to show supporting documents.

[sweetut]

haayyy natapos din ako sa backreading ko HAHAHA! nag enjoy ako sis aquacharly sa mga TIPS mo sobra! di naman ako super OC but hubby says i am. problem ko lang since we live in an apartment kulang ng storage or cabinets for our clothes. kaya minsan naka pile up lang sa isang corner mga bagong plancha. sis pls don't forget to include me sa manual. thanks. looking forward to your inspiring post/tips.

[aquacharly]

Konting antay please ha.  Am actually going through my manuals to update.  Mga simple lang naman, kasi kelangan nga KISS -- but I do listen to my helpers' feedback.  Portions lang share ko ha... just to give an example of how you can do your own manual.  Now, I am sure all of you will have improved versions -- so, reciprocate ha.  Send me naman your improved versions!   

DV as for the BANK STATEMENTS --
I keep 6 months minimum of my personal statements, for visa application purposes.  LOL, the embassies may not require it but the consuls  sure like to go through your clear book when they see you have 1 with you.  Or, I submit together with 6 months' original credit card statements.  Hindi pa ako ever na deny kahit saan ha with that gimmick of mine.

But when my visas are not due for renewal -- I keep only the latest personal bank statement.

But be sure to keep returned checks of important expenditures... like the check you used to pay for a house downpayment, insurance, etc..  file it together with the OR.

For business -- we  keep for 5 years minimum.

I prefer maintaing documents on file, specially if the information is meant to be kept confidential.
Let me put it this way -- computerized filing allows us instant access to information we require. However,  equipment and gadgets can malfunction, or are easier to lose/misplace.
There are just some documents best maintained in print.

 

[lalei]

Hi Ladies.
Just wanna share finally nakatapos din ako sa aking menu planning. Inabot ng may kung ilang linggo bago ko talaga naisulat lahat ng alam ko iluto at mailagay sya on a weekly basis para ndi sila mag-ulit-ulit and in such a way na spread ang fish, chicken, pork at beef throughout the week.

Ngayon implementation naman ang problema. But, I think it's a lot easier now since I don't have to think what to cook. Ipinapa-approve ko din kay hubby para walang sisihan.

[aquacharly]

LALEI -- now that you have your weekly menu, and your husband has committed to honor it likewise hehe),  -- get familiar with the quantity per dish that your family consumes in 1 sitting. 
   
From that quantification per dish, you work backwards and write down the quantity of each ingredient you need to produce that dish on the table. 

Then, for a week... if for example, you grocery and market on a weekly basis... you right away, without needing to analyze anymore each week.... what and how much of what you will buy from the grocery/supermarket and the wet market.  Hindi ka na find yourself in a situation of having to send your helper off to rush buy a missing or kulang ingredient.

I have clearbooks.
1 week... 1 clearbook.

[aquacharly]

To continue.. coz the screen was jumping around, must be the new configurationsn to discourage long posts.  hehe

1 clearbook has 2 weeks' menu
breakfast and dinner and the weekend expanded menus

1st page of clearbook lists down the menu
then EACH dish in that menu has a recipe
    Now, each recipe is printed out the usual way
         list of ingredients with quantities
         then the procedure.

Now, my recipes are based on OUR quantities per 1 meal... IF I decide to cook double (freeze half for use after 2 weeks or whatever... I just double my recipe.  But consistently, my recipes are based on what my family eats in 1 seating/meal)

So, my cook and the cleaner-trying hard to be a cook ko eh... do not have to overload their memory banks as to what is required for the meals...

Going back,  at the end of each week.. after the recipes, there is a summary of  all the requirements per ingredient... naka total and na 1 lists na .. market vs grocery.

Kasi, we have to market every week for fresh food (fish and seafoods and veggeis), but I prefer doing my groceries 1x per quarter.. katamad eh.



   
       

[aquacharly]

LALEI - part 3 na ito, ka suya to deal with the jumping screen eh. 

So, the ingredients from the market, kelangan talaga buy on Sunday.. we order from our sukis at the Northeast Greenhills Market (the next village lang eh).
and the cook just checks availability of the grocery items from the bodega stash.... and brings out from the bodega into the service kitchen ONLY what is required for the coming week.

I have another separate folder for party food.
Whether it is for a party of 2 or 30 -- the approach is the same... there is an ingredient list.  Kasama na din listing and pictures of table presentation and requirements (madali kasi pag may photos. madaling mag monkey-see, monkey-do)

SO LALEI-- do not stop with your menu, go to the next step of quantification of your family single-meal consumption and the corresonding ingredient listing - market vs grocery.

keep us posted!

[treasuresfrombeneath]

sis acquacharly may i have a copy too if natapos mo na sis... thank you.

[FOURever]

my dad. everyday, morning before aalis, linis na yan. sa gabi rin maglilinis din. yung paglilinis niya super over. hindi pa yan ang general cleaning. general cleaning niya tuwing saturday and sunday.

may maiwan lang sa table or kahit saan, liligpitin. minsan nakakainis.

[aquacharly]

sis acquacharly may i have a copy too if natapos mo na sis... thank you.

Thank you all for your patience... soon, will email you parts of the manual.

Actually, I just have to take out some of the details or photos that make it easy to "connect the dots"  LOL to me.. It isn't me that has issues with this... it is my Atchi.... (LOL, i told her:  Why should we care  when we all here are  anonymous?  Actually, the only thing I care about here is that I do not go into a situation of "the blind leading the blind", or intentionally being rude.    )

[super bratinella]

^That is ok, just for as long as you add me up in your list... Thank you in advance.

[kaiz]

^^pasali din ako sis aquacharly