It's almost tax time! Since the beginning of the year I've been helping many clients get their annual files in order, including organizing receipts for tax purposes. It's not glamorous, but it is essential to have a system for your receipts.
Receipts you may want to keep short-term, but don't need forever:
- ATM transactions, until you reconcile with your bank statement
- Clothing purchases, until you decide to keep the item
- Restaurant receipts, if you want to double check the tip/final amount on your credit card statement
Shred these receipts once you have reconciled them with your financial system, or decided to keep the purchased item.
Kinds of receipts to keep long-term:
- Receipts you need for taxes, including business expenses and your charitable donations
- Big purchases
- Purchases under warranty, like a new fridge or washing machine; keep the receipt with the owner's manual or warranty information
- Expenses you can apply to a health care (HCSA) or dependent care spending account
How do you keep your receipts? Shoebox? Folder? Clear plastic bag? Do what works for you, but be consistent. And don't be afraid to get rid of receipts you really don't need to keep. See my favorite ways to store financial papers, including receipts, here on my Blog.
And if you are ready to get rid of the paper, consider scanning those receipts you want to archive. This blog post includes a summary of the NeatDesk scanner, which several of my clients have. For quick access, there are many scanner apps available for your smartphone. Here's a summary of several for the iPhone from the iGeeksBlog.
It's been a very long winter. If you are sick of the state of your house, some new organization can help. 
6 cases that come out and can be carried around. The cases snap tightly to hold LEGOs