Hi littlestar 624, Saving is one thing. Many people put their money into the bank ... where it's "safe". And the bank counts on making more on it than the depositor gets. After all - who pays for those fine buildings? Some time ago when I went to attend a seminar on investing put on by a bank, I asked the location of the seminar at the information desk, then moved a bit closer to the advisor to ask, rather conspiratorially, "Do you know what's better than putting your money into the bank?". When she asked what that might be, and I replied, "Buying bank shares", she replied, laughingly, "That's for sure" - and another employee within earshot laughed, as well. Investing, quite often, is a different kettle of fish. I bought bank shares 40 years ago for about $4.20, paying about a dime dividend, which is taxed at a lower rate, in Canada (which benefit is lost if earned within a tax-deferred vehicle). The value of those shares has gone up, down, and sideways over those 40 years, and now sits at about $100. That increase does not become tax-liable until I either sell the shares ... or die (at which time the executor of my estate must declare them as having been sold on the day prior to my death). I don't plan to take either of those routes, this week or next. I like to defer the tax, yes, which I'm doing (as I would be in a tax-deferred retirement plan). But when I liquidate shares in a retirement plan, every dollar coming out is taxed, at regular rate. But when those shares bought with non-deferred money are liquidated, I (or my estate) must pay tax on only half of the increase (at regular rate). I get half of the captal gain free of tax. Over the years between, the annual dividend rate has increased ... a few years ago it was $1.00, then $2.00, last year $2.80, and as of a couple of months ago, is $3.08. Your money put into the bank hasn't seen principal grow ... and the annual rate of return that it produced hasn't grown like that, either, has it? If I borrow to invest, to gain part of the advantage that I lost in the tax that I paid before I invested, the interest is dedudctible, while it isn't if I borrow to invest in a tax-deferred retirement plan. Plus, I figure that I can borrow to invest at very low net cost ... but that's a story for another time. Actually, it's in a thread that I wrote on one of these money management threads, a while back. As is my alternative method of investing rather that in a tax-deferred retirement plan. Learn how money works - in a few years, you'll be glad that you did ... for it pays well! Good wishes to you and yours. ole joyful

It was fun to check in with this forum for the first time in quite a while and see this thread on the first page. I appreciate all of the comments, especially the newest ones. So let me share what I've been doing about organzing my lifef. I have been struggling with the "control journal" concept since I posted this thread over three years ago! for starters, I dislike the name, "control journal." The system seems inflexible. And something that I don't care for about Flylady is that there is a high level of emotionality in that system. But I will admit that she is spot-on about many things and I appreciate all of the insights that I've gained from that system. But back to "control journal" I prefer kitchen binder or household binder. Maybe I'll call my the household binder. But that's not the point. I do have a white 1/2" binder with all of my zones and lists in it... it just looking at that binder every day that is a huge challenge for me. I have seven children and my days seem to bring me such a variety of things, many unanticipated, that it's hard to keep everything on track. Plus, I'm a lazy soul, so it's hard to get me moving. But of course, if I'm not going to work the program then it won't work for me! Just a last week I found a Franklin Covey planner on clearance at Target, so I finally took the plunge to organize my time better. This is a smallish size #4 planner in a six-ring binder, so it doesn't give an hour-by-hour breakdown of the day, but it does provide two pages to a week, a two-page spread for the entire month, and then lots of other forms for a lot of different purposes. Before, I've just used the fridge calendar to keep track of activities. That was hit or miss (things didn't always get recorded). Plus, it's inconvenient to take the enormous calendar off of the fridge door and write things down in front of the computer (we get so much schedule info via email). Now, when I'm going through email, I take my planner with me. That makes it so much easier. And rather than writing things on post-it notes and sticking them to my microwave door, my coffee maker (the really urgent reminders go there), or my key ring (see how zany I was) I jot things down in the planner. So for the first time in the 20 years that I've been a wife and mother, everything is being written in one place. However, we still put notes on the coffee maker when something is very, very important. I make myself read the planner while I drink my coffee in the morning. And now I feel so guilty about not using my control journal *household binder* in three years that I will take that binder with me and my planner and my cup of coffee every morning. Something else that I also do with my *household binder* is put paperwork that needs immediate attention into it so that this stuff doesn't get lost. I noticed on the Franklin Covey website that you can buy "Forms Wizard" which is software to create personalized planner forms. I would love to take my Flylady zone lists and make forms to fit into my planner. By the way, I am a stay-at-home mother and my planner doesn't leave the house. both binders stay on my microwave oven during the day. I read Julie Morgenstern and liked her notion that time is like a closet that you fill with tasks, rather than a real closet that you fill with stuff. It helps me to see my time more concretely. Something else I'm learning is the importance of goal setting. That seems to be a Franklin Covey focus as well. I personally have had such a difficult time (throughout the years of raising my seven children) of actually accomplishing anything for myself, that I really just gave up trying. But about a year ago I decide that the extra weight had to go. So I have lost 55 pounds. That has been my focus in life. But now I can shift back to the household since one of the most important issues in my own life is finally being dealt with successfully. I need to revisit Flylady, I'm sure she's added new ideas to her program. I will check back to the forum for more advice and encouragement on how to get it together and become more organized. Thank you for your posts, I appreciate reading anyone's story, even if it's still in process, of how they created a system to manage time better.

Interesting thoughts -- we could all improve on paperwork storage in our homes. Two things I think I'm doing well that differ from the above mentioned Script, and someone else might find some ideas in my methods: Taxes. Yes, like Script, I am scrupulous about maintaining records for my taxes. About a dozen years ago I went to the office supply and bought two big boxes of BRIGHT GREEN folders (green like money). I labeled them Taxes 2000 ... Taxes 2001 ... Taxes 2002 ... Taxes 2003 ... and so on. Given my family's typical lifespan, I made enough green folders to take me to age 110 -- probably more than I'll need, but I'm ready! They're all stored in my file cabinet, taking up very little space. Now when I receive anything tax-related -- a charitable receipt, an end-of-the-year bank statement, whatever -- I have a place to file it. In April, I have a place to file a copy of my taxes, and I can go back and see previous tax years. For the rest of my life, this system is in place. Death folder. Ours is a notebook. Two identical notebooks, actually, since we have two children. Our girls are young adults now, but they've never dealt with an estate -- even if they don't open it 'til they're old, it'll be useful to them. It contains a lot of stuff: - A personal letter to the two of them - A list of our wishes about funeral and items we'd like donated to various family members or charities - A list of things they must do immediately; it starts with going to our house and taking possession of the dog, but it also includes small details like canceling our voting registration and destroying any medicines in the house. At every turn this list includes addresses and phone numbers, including the lawyer we suggest for probate, the funeral home our family's always used, and family members who should be contacted. - A copy our will; they know what's in it -- everything split between the two of them - A list of our financial assets -- bank accounts, investments, insurance, deeds/maps of real estate ... when our youngest became a legal adult, we made the two girls co-beneficiaries of every account; note that this was done before either was married, so our two kids -- not future son-in-laws -- will own these items. - A list of the bills we pay each month -- electricity, phone, even the guy who cuts our grass. - Official copies of our birth certificates, our marriage certificates, and the girls' birth certificates -- they might not be needed, but the girls won't have to scramble to find them - A flashdrive with all of the above in digital format plus photographs that might be useful in putting together the funeral Our rule: We keep two years of tax returns in the notebooks ... the reason being that someday an accountant will file our final estate tax return, and he or she will want our last two years of returns -- so every April we pull out the notebook, discard one old return and insert the newest ... so our rule is that every April we look over the notebook and update anything that's changed. For example, last year we changed bank accounts, and someday we hope to add items concerning grandchildren to the book. Our girls know that the notebooks are stored in the safe, and they know where the key to the safe is hidden, and they know it's labeled with a misleading name so that a thief wouldn't look at it twice. Last thought on this notebook: Though this project took us the better part of a year --- we kept remembering one more thing, one more thing that really should be included -- we didn't find it difficult emotionally. I suspect that if we were older and/or one of us were in poor health, it might've been different.

Hey sara ! Layout ??? She asks in awe of those who had such . We never had one LOL. DH and I drew some stuff on graph paper and then the GC said "OK" and it pretty much turned out OK. But for you I went and got my trusty tape measure and here are the dimensions and the final kitchen pics so it makes sense. You are so sweet to like my space !! The kitchen is 15ft( L to R) x16 ft when facing fireplace wall: The marble counter for the coffee area to the left of the fireplace is 4ft long x 2ft deep. Ovens are standard 30" Miele. As I stated above, the cooktop run and sink area are 75" each. The only sink in the kitchen is the antique soapstone. It is 30" wide by 24" deep. DW is standard Bosch width. This cabinet run is 30" deep and 8ft long. The alcove where the Twins are is 7ft wide ( way Twins run) x 10 ft deep (to our Master BR foyer doors). these are the MBR doors on L of the Twins alcove: The island is 38" from cooktop 36" from DW 51" from the fireplace 40" from the long cab run. It is a 3ftx4ft Tabco work table. I hope this helps you ! We could have had lots more countertop space and cabs etc. but most of my cabs are empty LOL I don't like lots of "stuff" and also I would have had to give up the fireplace and that was not gonna happen. The "big sink" in the sunroom is the all purpose sink. I have never cooked in a way that needed more than one sink. Don't expect to change at this late date ! :) Keep me posted on your wonderful kitchen and ask anything you like of me. c