I started two days ago by cleaning out my folder. If you don’t have one, my suggested task #1 is a three hole punch folder with dividers. Pockets in the front and back have helped me as well.

In the front pocket I have all the documentation for promotions where I am due miles, points or cash. I keep copies of everything and do not dispose of them until the miles, points etc have properly posted to my accounts.

I also have my “trades due” and “due me” with a name, email address and the items exchanged or pledged. There has been more than one occasion I’ve gone back to this list when I needed a travel item and found just what I needed. It’s amazing how much of my memory has deteriorated in the last five years. Past excesses? or just the aging process? Either way, I’m glad I have the trade book.

The center sections are divided into three main sections: airlines, hotels and rental cars and from there further divided by individual airline frequent flyer program, hotel program and rental cars. I keep copies of my temporary membership cards for programs I use seldom, and the others despite my failing memory I know by heart or have listed on the section divider.

And in the back pockets I have the extra goodies. Aaron gave me all his frequent flyer account numbers. I have every ones SW Rapid Rewards numbers and a few temporary membership numbers for the rest of the gang. I even have a few second account numbers for myself where I have opened a second account somehow by mistake

That leads me to suggested task number 2.

If you are the frugal person in your family, sign everybody up for every program and stick the temporary account numbers, passwords and PINs in the back of the folder. You’ll be glad you have it for everybody when the next big deal comes around.

Suggested Task number 3 is clean out completed promotions and defunct programs. I guess my ATA account number is worthless at this point. Aloha Airlines membership card is trash as of last week.

And lastly, suggested task number 4 is to organize your computer favorites, delete the outdated ones and categorize the ones you keep. Banks together, then airline programs, hotel programs, car rentals, search engines, all grouped together. It sure makes my life easier when looking for something in a hurry for myself or someone else. You may want to add some of the links I use in the links list on the right hand column and maybe add some of the “Other Sites You’ll Need” from my somewhat outdated website. That is my next suggested task.