Week 2: Calendar

 Today we're going to print a year's worth of calendars (I found a customizable site)



http://www.pdfcalendar.com/monthly/
(Landscape/Portrait is the 2nd to last option) 

It is important to have ONE calendar for the family so all appointments and dates are written in the same place.  Many of you received calendars and newsletters from the school last week now that they've started up again, this is where to put them in so you can see all holidays, activities, and appointments at once.  As they come up, put them in so you can see if there are any conflicting items and you can resolve them right away.


You may want to keep the newsletters/fliers if you don't have enough room to fill in all the details and need to check back on them later.  Then get rid of it once the activity is over.

Week 2: Calendar week- Finish up week 1

Today we are going to have a "catch-up" day- complete anything from week 1 you haven't done yet.

Get materials
Copy birth/marriage certificates, SSN cards
Make copies of wallet
Master phone number list
Grab and Go list
Emergency plan
List what is in your emergency kit (with expirations and sizes)

What's in your wallet?

How's your binder coming along?  I am getting excited and glad that I am doing this little by little.  My binder seems to be getting fuller and I'm feeling more prepared with just one day of copying!

Today you need to sort through your wallet and make copies of your cards and account numbers.  This includes Debit cards, Credit cards, Checking/Saving Accounts, & anything else that has your name on it and you don't want to go missing/stolen.

First, I did my debit cards.  front and back.

Second, I did my credit cards. front and back.

Third, I copied my checking account info and a copy of a check with the routing # and checking # on it.

These copies should go right behind your certificates and Social Security cards.

**Quick Tip:  Check the scanning/printing quality.  Do you need to rewrite your account numbers?  or You may need to rewrite important phone numbers to call just in case they go missing or stolen.**


Did I forget something that might be in my wallet?
What else did you make copies of that I might be forgetting to do?



 

Gathering them up!

 Important papers can be anything from certificates, to licenses, checking/savings account information and so on.

Today get all the certificates gathered up:

* Birth Certificates
* Marriage Certificates
* and Social Security cards

You should make copies of each and place them in your 4th section of your binder labeled, EMERGENCY!

**Just a quick tip: I'm due with our second child any day (or have already had the baby since posting this), so I'm leaving extra page protectors and a few more just in case we add to the family later on.  That way I don't have an excuse to prolong updating the emergency section of the binder.**

Emergency Prep!

Aloha Deals has made August the Emergency Prep Month!

It's Hurricane Season in Hawaii (June-November),and then who knows what can happen when you're a little rock in the middle of the ocean.  With the experience in February 2010, I learned how UNprepared I was for any emergency. 

I really had no idea what to do.  Since the last time we had an emergency I was still under the care of my parents, I just left it all up to my mom and dad.  This time, I was the mom, and had no clue what to do.  We scrounged up what we had stocked up on, threw it in suitcases... needless to say, it was chaotic and I was a hysterical mess!!

This time around I'm going to be prepared but lets start small and with things we have already!

Items you'll need this week:

- 3 ring Binder (find one not being used or hit WalMart/Kmart for their back-to-school deals)
- dividers, so far I'm using a 5 subject divider, it could grow but you can just add on another 5 subject divider (Calendar, Chores, Menu, Emergency, Other)

- page protectors (i bought a bunch at Costco and plan to share with my 2 sisters and mom who are taking part in this project too!)
- important papers... we'll break it down for the rest of the week and give you time to gather them all up to scan, print or copy

Are you ready to get prepared?  I know I AM!

August project: Family Central binder

Some people call it a Home Management binder, others call it a Control Journal- we're calling it "Family Central". 

At the end of the month, you will have everything your family needs in one central location- calendars, schedules, routines, menus, shopping lists, emergency info and planning and lots more!  Each day will be a piece of the Family Central binder so we can built it together a little at a time- each will be customized to your family's needs and information.  This will be your resource.

It's been something on our mental to-do list forever!  We have read how useful this is for families to run their homes- it keeps it going even in the most difficult times.  One family shared how their mom kept a binder like this, until she got in a tragic accident and died.  The husband didn't know what to do about bills or who to call until they pulled out her binder- she even had put in her emergency section, "What to do if I pass away" with all her wishes and even wrote a letter to each family member- her last words to them all.  Not only did the binder help them keep the household running, it also helped them get some finality that they felt was missing.

We wanted to start this sooner, but waited until kids start school so you can participate.  After trying the coupon binder, we wanted to find a better purpose for those folders we bought instead of letting them go to waste.  Please join us and our step by step approach to putting your Family Central binder together!