Well, we survived the taxman, or at least put him off! Some of us have had to extend the deadline due to procrastination - either on our part or our CPA's! So if you're ready to do things differently this year but don't know how, here are Five quick, easy and effective ways to get a handle on organizing your finances right now.

1. Consolidate Your Credit Cards
Rather than having a bunch of different credit cards, consolidate all of your expenses on one single credit card, preferably one that has a low finance rate, and perhaps one that offers cash back or airline mileage on every dollar you spend.

BEWARE: if you do this, you will lose the ability to remain ignorant about how you are spending your money! You will see quickly and easily how much debt you're accumulating! But if you're ready to advance into this scary territory, the payoff is the lower rate that may give you more back for your dollar. Plus you'll only have to write one payment check per month.

2. Use Some Type of Bill-Paying Organizational System - Even If It's a BOX!
As soon as you get bills in the mail, they should immediately be put in ONE PLACE! Pay your bills the same time every week, or every two weeks. Scheduling your bill paying reduces the worry about what has been paid and what hasn't. Plus this simple organizational method will reduce late fees, which are now up to $30.00 for some credit cards!

When you are through paying your bills, simply put the receipts in a monthly envelope, or go nuts and have files set up by category. Either way, you will reduce the clutter on your desk and feel a new sense of order.

3. Organize Your Expenses as You Write Your Checks.
Want to know how much you spend each month, so you can determine your monthly spending budget? As you spend, just record that expense, either in a simple-to-use computer program such as Quicken® or by writing each expense in a columnar notebook under the appropriate heading. At the beginning of the year, create categories such as Utilities, Dining Out, Groceries, and Mortgage/Rent (to name a few) at the top of a columnar notebook. Then simply record the expense in the appropriate column each time you write a check.

No big deal - yet at the end of each quarter, add the columns up to see quickly and easily where the money is going! If you are paying for groceries on a credit card, you will have to record each item on the credit card in the appropriate column too, to keep an accurate figure. Doesn't take much time, but at the end of the year: VOILA - a budget for next year!

4. Balance Your Checkbook Monthly.
In order for you to have a good idea of how much money is sitting in your checking account, what checks have cleared, and any errors that you, or your bank, may have made, you must balance your checking account. It really doesn't take that long if you balance your checkbook the same day your statement and cancelled checks arrive back from the bank. WARNING: Calling the bank on a daily basis for your balance is MAGICAL THINKING! This is not a true accounting - only your check register can give you that.

5. Keep Your Tax-Related Stuff Together.
Right before tax season, you'll start to receive tax-related information from your job, your bank, etc. Keep all of these tax-related papers in a labeled file folder, or envelope. When you're ready to do your taxes, you won't have to search for the papers you need.

During the year, drop in items such as Personal Property Tax paid when you license your car, donation receipts from charitable organizations (if you did not write a check for them) or cash items that can be deducted.

If finances keep you stuck, make an effort this year to do things differently. Even if you incorporate only one or two of these items into your financial routine, we guarantee you will be on your way to a more financially organized future.