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Do you have a fantastic filing system or a complete shambles crammed into the kitchen drawer?

Im wading through our file, a corcetina type thing chucking out as its at bursting point, how long are you supposed to keep bank statements, pay slips, general bills?

buttercup;511417 wrote: Do you have a fantastic filing system or a complete shambles crammed into the kitchen drawer?

Im wading through our file, a corcetina type thing chucking out as its at bursting point, how long are you supposed to keep bank statements, pay slips, general bills?


Pfft here I keep them for 1 year for tax reasons then they get chucked out. Not organized format here, they are all tossed unceramoniously into a shopping bag ahahahaha

I used to be more organized than I am currently and it bothers me greatly!! But I use filing boxes with hanging files and I save all my bank statements/paid bill receipts/pay stubs etc...I save only the important stuff and put in shoe box at the end of the year...(need to do that) try to keep the filing boxes to a minimum...have little space so have to use the boxes, would love a desk with filing drawers!

Good luck!!:-6

buttercup;511417 wrote: Do you have a fantastic filing system or a complete shambles crammed into the kitchen drawer?

Im wading through our file, a corcetina type thing chucking out as its at bursting point, how long are you supposed to keep bank statements, pay slips, general bills?


The tax man can go back 7 years so bank statements and pay slips should be that long for your own safety.

Go paperless and get a scanner (good ones are quite cheap now if you get a flatbed rather than a multipage scanner) and store them electronically-use an external hard drive for back up if you need to, they're cheap now too. I fill at least what would be a full size filing cabinet every year. Instead of three filing cabinets I have a little black hard drive 6" by 4" sitting on my desk.

You only need to keep bank statements receipts etc if you are self employed for accounting purposes or a higher rate tax payer. What meaningful use is a three month old statement otherwise?

Having said that I have a bad habit of using carrier bags and then spending a week sorting them out for my accounts at the end of the year.

buttercup;511417 wrote: Do you have a fantastic filing system or a complete shambles crammed into the kitchen drawer?

Im wading through our file, a corcetina type thing chucking out as its at bursting point, how long are you supposed to keep bank statements, pay slips, general bills?






7 yrs.

Thats the rule.

Nomad;511811 wrote: 7 yrs.

Thats the rule.


The UK has a different tax system from the US. If employed tax is paid pay as you earn (paye) deducted at source by the employer. You only need to keep accounts yourself if you are self employed or a higher rate tax payer. It's sensible to keep utility bills, salary slips etc in case of dispute, and HMRC can go back as far as they like. Being self employed I have twenty years worth store in the attic in boxes.

Get a shredder as well, the hard part is having the nerve to destroy paper once you've scanned it. I back up business files daily and also have a third weekly backup I keep off site in case the house burns down.

Forget the past, just start scanning from now on otherwise if you try to scan all you already have you will give up frustrated at the time it takes. stick the past in a box under the floor.

posted by pompom

I used to be ultra organised, but now - chaos! I'm undecided as to whether this is good, bad or a symptom of becoming senil




A tidy desk is a sign of a sick mind. be glad you are no longer anal retentive but have grown up and moved on to more important things.

As I pay Tax via the PAYE system I keep pay slips for 1 year only on a rolling 3 months basis.



Most bills get paid 'online' within a couple of days of receiving them but I have started to use 'Paypoint' cards for my utility bills so I pay something off every couple of weeks and the bills are small when they drop through the door.



I have a small filing cabinet which contains everything I need to keep i.e. Pension info. Rental contract, Will, Instruction manuals for TV, Computer, Appliances etc, etc, I also keep paper, envelopes etc in there and other important personal stuff. If I can't find things, I panic, so being organised makes life less stressful.



Pending bills live by my computer until they get paid.



I shred anything with name, address, account numbers before I throw away.



I might try GMCs 'paperless' system....seems like a good idea.



In short, I would say keep organised....saves time and stress in the long run.

Hamster;512248 wrote: Hey Bez can you come and help me out? :wah:


On my way.....I'm ruthless though !! It'll be like a makeover - you'll have to go out for the day and not come back until I've finished !

My husband used to handle everything . It was a big shock when he died and i had to start doing things myself .

princessNicky;512256 wrote: My husband used to handle everything . It was a big shock when he died and i had to start doing things myself .


I think that happens a lot of times. A guy I know recently lost his wife unexpectedly and he had no clue what bill was paid when, etc.

I used to be way organized. Lord I miss those days! Organization seemed to fly out the window once a husband and kids came along. Most of my bills can be found on my desk. I used to keep paid utility bills forever. Now if it's shown credited to the new bill, I throw the old one out. I keep track of my house payments on my computer. That's as organized as I can seem to get now.