Paying Debts, Productivity and Organization

How you pay your debts can be viewed in your productivity and organizational skills. Part of that is panning ahead for the unexpected. That is the focus of the Money Monk, who wrote about saving and paying your debts recently.

That has been the topic in someway of a number of bloggers recently. Saving Advice, recently posted 44 ways to improve your productivity. Below is part of Jeff's list and my comments on them.

TV - Jeff suggests watch very little TV. His advice is perfect. If you turn the TV off and get up off that couch (or easy chair) you can focus your attention to actually being productive.

Carry a pocket notebook - This something Jeff suggests, so he can write down ideas, when the thought hits you. Again a great idea, especially if you are a blogger. It doesn't mean, that you have to be a reporter and write everything down. However, when you get an idea, just write it down so you remember to research and write about it when you get home.

Lists - Like Jeff, I love lists. They help me to remember what I have to do, and I can check it off as I finish each task. It is invaluable to me at work as well. Remember, making a shopping list is the best way to shop, when on a budget.

Another blogger, known online as Money Monk, wrote Paying off all debts before saving is foolery.

The monks opinion is that saving is boring, but necessary. He suggests that it is foolery (Dave Ramsey would agree) to pay off your debts first. For me, I am so eager to get rid of my debts, I have focused more on the debt repayment, then I have my emergency fund.

What would happen, if my car were to break down? Or my water heater were to blow up right now? Answer, I would be in a world of hurt, because I haven't been proactive of building my savings. That is the danger of not saving. We can make all the excuses in the world that we want to, but that's what they are, excuses.


I have to be better about saving. I have to be prepared for the unexpected. Which really isn't unexpected, because we know that eventually they will happen. I do like to see my debts getting smaller, but I also need to get excited about seeing my savings grow as well.

Finally, I and a number of my readers need to be better organized. A person who is organized (everything has its place) and has a clean abode and car, will also have an organized financial life. Not only that, but the savings and productivity will also fall into place because they are all part of being organized.

Larry Winget says that he can bet these people he sees on those "clean my home," type programs that their finances are also a wreck. Especially, those people whose homes can't be gotten through, except for the small path in the room.


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go ahead share your thoughts with me now.