Ok then, if I cannot talk you out of moving, here are a few tips to make it a little easier. These tips are the product of 8 moves in a dozen years, five of which occurred in four consecutive years. In Arizona. In the summer. But I digress.

Color code your boxes

Take a minute to think about your new home. How many floors are there? How many rooms will you need boxes placed in? For example, you may want all of the kitchen, living room and dining room stuff put in the living room temporarily. Or you may want all of the bedroom stuff put in the spare bedroom down the hall so you can have room to sleep. Write down a list of the places you want boxes dropped off. We decided to have one color for each floor, so my list was:

1. First floor (kitchen, living room, dining room)
2. Master Bedroom & wife’s office
3. My office and den
4. Basement

For each drop off location, I assigned a color that made some kind on mnemonic:

1. First floor (kitchen, living room, dining room): Green (ground floor)
2. Master Bedroom & wife’s office: Blue (blue for two)
3. My office and den: Red (for danger, it’s a 3rd floor walk-up)
4. Basement (Black for basement)

Calculate roughly how many boxes you will need and then go to FindTape.com and order at least a dozen rolls of colored packing tape (3 of each color, or 2 of some, 4 of others, depending on how many boxes you estimate. Whatever you have for the kitchen, double it). It’s about as cheap as regular packing tape, and it comes in a few days. It’s better to over-order than under–at least you’re saving on shipping, and colored tape will find uses after your move. You should also buy about a dozen rolls of clear packing tape and at least two packing guns ($9 each at Home Depot).

When you start packing, load one tape gun with clear tape and the other with the color of the drop off location you are packing for. Create a box using clear tape (see below). Fill the box and tape it shut using the colored tape. Roll a line of colored tape around all four sides of the top of the box. Write with a permanent marker on the colored tape the room it’s going to and briefly, what’s in it. (If you don’t write on the box, you can resell the boxes or give them to a friend).

On moving day, you will have a color-coded stack of boxes that you or your movers will know instantly what is in them and where they should go.

Hire movers
If you can afford to hire professional movers, you should. If you cannot afford to, wait until you can. Movers, if they are professional, know what they are doing and can move heavy and bulky items in a fraction of the time you can. Moreover, most movers are motivated to get out quickly even if they’re paid by the hour. A few tips on hiring and using movers:

1. Don’t go with bargain basement movers. Get a mover whose cost is in line with the value of your possessions. If you’re still living with mostly IKEA, like I am, you can probably hire mid-range movers for $1200 to $1800 for a 2-3 bedroom move. If you have anything whose name includes reference to a French King, go for the top-end movers.
2. Insurance: if you have homeowners or renters insurance at either location, ask your insurance company if your move is covered. It probably is, as most policies cover your possessions wherever they are on the planet. Provided your move date is within one of your policies’ coverage period, there is no reason to pay for additional insurance from the movers.
3. Treat the movers right. Make sure you have a case of bottled water at the old and new location. If the move starts early, pick up a box of joe and some donuts ahead of time. And talk to the foreman about what they want for lunch and/or dinner. You may spend a $100 or $200 on these niceties, but the respect you show will be returned. No one wants to break the stuff of a guy they like. Cheapy McNoTip, however, somehow always finds a puzzle where his plates were.
4. Don’t forget to tip. Movers generally do not get a lot for the move, and a tip at the end of the job ($50-$100 per guy depending on the work and how well it was done) is more than appropriate.
5. Don’t rely on the estimator. Moving companies like to hire professional liars to conduct estimates. If they say 9:00, and you ask for an “early start,” they will agree, but the guys will show up at 9:00. Same too if you say five guys when they only offered four. Four guys will show up. At 9:00. When making your decision, think about any special treatment you’ve asked for, and see if you would still pick those movers without it.
6. Check the house after the truck is loaded, and check the truck after it is unloaded. Movers are just as honest (and dishonest) as the next guy, but mistakes can be made by anyone. I’m still pining for baking supplies I lost two moves ago.

Get organized about address changes
If you have a few weeks before your move, collect a list of your non-junk mail as it comes in. Add to that all the companies or government agencies that you know will need an address change notification. You will work off of this master list later, when the move is done and you make the address change. My basic list includes:

• DMV of new and old location
• You and your wife’s employers
• Gas, electric and oil companies
• Telephone companies
• Credit cards and banks (remember that your zip has changed, so when you enter it at a gas station or online, you need to use the new zip)
• Professional boards (bar association, medical association)
• Magazines
• Amazon or any other site you order from frequently

Bolster that with a forwarding request online, and you should not miss a package or letter (or bill). Keep in mind, even if you’ve signed up for e-billing, your credit card and bank addresses have changed. The credit card will likely be rejected if the billing address is out of date.

Don’t spend a lot of money on boxes
There is nothing so costly for the time you use it as moving boxes. Okay, maybe aluminum foil, but moving boxes are up there. The best way to get moving boxes is to have a friend who moved recently give you theirs. You can also get decent boxes from a local store (we had a GNC in our neighborhood that threw out more boxes than we could handle).

If you take odd or used boxes, first make sure they are still serviceable. You should not see any of the corrugation, and they should be able to hold their form against gravity (no flopping). It’s mostly the tape that keeps the stuff together, so a little wear and tear won’t hurt (provided you tape properly). Second, try to find boxes that are all the same size; or at least 4-5 of each size. Stacking uneven boxes is dangerous for you and your stuff.

You should also discuss with your mover how many and what type of boxes they will provide. Most movers will include several wardrobe boxes (the most valuable type of moving box) and an assortment of china, linen and book boxes. If you have a lot of heavy things, including books, shift the balance to book boxes. If you have lots of pillows and small appliances, shift towards the larger boxes. Finally, for last minute boxes, try Home Depot or Lowes. U-haul and UPS charge over $2.00 for simple boxes. Home Depot has book boxes for $.67 each. Find the moving section of your local store and stock up.

Learn how to tape a box
Here is my method. It may use some tape, but it won’t let you (or your stuff) down:

1. Turn the box over, push the inner flaps in and align the outer flap seams.
2. Using a tape gun, pull a length of tape from one side of the box, perpendicular to the seam, to the other side. There should be about a hand’s width of tape on both sides of the box. This perpendicular strip will keep the flaps aligned as you tape the seam.
3. Again, starting about a hand’s width from the bottom of the box, pull a length of tape tightly across the seam and cut it so there is another hand’s length on the other side.
4. If the boxes are not going to be stored long and there’s no risk of water getting to them, run two lengths of tape perpendicular to the seam at two spots, both midway between the first perpendicular strip and either end of the box. You should now have three roughly evenly spaced strips of tape going across the seam and one longer strip covering the seam. If you have particularly heavy things, or particularly weak boxes, you can run a long piece of tape along the perimeter of the sides, covering the hand’s width pieces of tape. This will create a tape basket that, even if the box breaks, should keep your stuff from falling out.
5. If the boxes will be stored a while or water (or bugs) might get to them, instead of running the two strips of tape above, run one long strip around the perimeter of the box so that half the tape is on the side and the other half is below the bottom of the box. Once you complete a perimeter around the box, cut the tape and fold it so that the dangling half sticks to the bottom of the box (the turns will become triangles that overlap at the corner). This will seal the box, so that bugs, water and everything else will need to get through cardboard before surprising you in your new house.
6. Flip the box over and fold the top flaps down (outside of the box, not inside). Take two short lengths of tape and join the flaps on diagonal sides. (For example, the right flap and the front flap are taped to each other on the near right corner, and the left flap and rear flap are taped at the far left corner). A small (1-2″) piece of tape will suffice to keep the flaps down while you load the box.
7. After you’ve filled the box, remove the small tape strips and switch to your colored tape gun.
8. Run a length of colored tape tightly across the top seam, sealing the box. If you stand next to the box so that the seam runs towards your stomach, you can pull the box in to insure it is well aligned as you tape it. (The boxes will be a bit wonky if you do not square them as they are taped. You should not see any cardboard overlapping the top flaps.)
9. Run a second length around the perimeter of the sides, so that the color is visible no matter how you stack the boxes.
10. Use a thick permanent marker to briefly note the contents (or at least something that will tell you what’s in it) and the target room in the new location.

Good luck, and congratulations on your new home!

Professor Cavanagh’s story (too long ago to remember and too good to check) was about a group of executives on a dais at an industry conference. These executives were on a panel to discuss topics relevant to the industry, but during the Q&A, they were led astray and began to discuss price. Future price. One of the executives–and this is the bit a young corporate lawyer remembers–one of the executives stood up, dumped a pitcher of ice water all over the table, and shouted “you people are talking price, it is illegal, and I am leaving.”

That caused one hell of a scene. When the murmuring quieted down, the Q&A discussion continued without that executive. Several years later, however, as the Department of Justice Antitrust Division’s case was being made, all of the corporations were named in a price fixing scheme–all but one. There were literally hundreds of witnesses who remembered crazy Charlie, who dumped the pitcher of ice water, shouted about price fixing, and left the room.

Notwithstanding Maureen Dowd’s fantasies, which involve sipping mint juleps on her plantation while bossing around her slaves, Joe Wilson’s outburst was not racist.

For obvious reasons, undignified outbursts have been on my mind lately. Notwithstanding Maureen Dowd’s personal power fantasies (which apparently involve sipping mint juleps on her plantation while bossing around her slaves–Maureen, it’s called projection, see a professional, get help), Joe Wilson’s outburst was not racist.  The Obama administration was lying to the public, and was calling Republicans liars for exposing the lie.  Faced with this hypocrisy, Wilson lost his temper and his composure and shouted in rejection.

Now, I am not suggesting that Wilson was correct or that he need not apologize.  What he did was inappropriate, but not necessarily wrong.  First, he had a duty to his constituents to protect them and their property from what he saw as a threat (the taking of their money to pay for healthcare for illegals).  His outburst was successful in a way no civil discourse was.  The Obama administration was forced to agree to a provision it had previously rejected, mandating that illegal aliens not be covered by ObamaCare.  I am reminded about the French proverb about a small carafe of wine being illogical, immoral, and inadequate.  In some circumstances, doing the impolite thing is the only way to do the right thing.

Not only is this normal, it is healthy and far too infrequent.  In one of my favorite, life-changing books,  The Wisdom of Crowds, James Suroweicki describes conformity and peer pressure experiments first conducted by Solomon Asch.  In the basic experiment, the scientist places between 4 and 20 subjects in a room and shows each subject a note card with a straight line on it.  The scientist then projects an image with three lines, labeled A, B and C of varying lengths, and asks each subject which of the labeled lines is the same length as the one on the note card.  The process is repeated with different note cards and new projected images.

The trick is that only one of the “subjects” is actually a subject.  The others are all actors who are told that after the third or fourth note card, they are all to intentionally and unanimously pick the same wrong line.  The real test is to see whether the actual subject (who always picks last) will go along with the group, who is obviously wrong.  The fascinating conclusion of these experiments is that, to a large degree, people will go along with a group they know to be wrong, simply because no one else will speak up.  The implied (or explicit) consensus of the group acts to silence dissent.

Even more fascinating is that, no matter how many wrongheaded people there are making up the groupthink bubble, that bubble will burst when just one actor speaks up.  In other words, if “A” is the correct answer, and there are 10 “subjects” (9 actors and 1 actual subject), even though 8 actors (wrongly) say the right answer is “B”, but the ninth says “A”, suddenly the subject is liberated.  The peer pressure vanishes and the subject is free to speak their mind.  What is even more fascinating is that, even if the ninth subject says “C”, the other wrong answer, the effect is the same.  The subject is still liberated simply by the bubble bursting–even if it’s by a wrong answer.

Whether for the sake of comity, job security or apathy, we do not speak up when others tell tall tales or plan our or their own downfall.

This is the theory behind the centuries old Catholic practice of the Devil’s Advocate.  When a person is considered for sainthood, the Church will appoint an expert in canon law (yes, there are attorneys who are allowed in church) to argue against canonization.  Although the Devil’s Advocate will of course raise valid points, he will also allow others who have doubts to be free to raise them without feeling peer pressure.  The Church, in 1587, codified an anti-groupthink process that is only now becoming mainstream.  (Sometimes tradition is ahead of the times.)

Too often, in our personal, professional and political lives, we  let things slide.  We hear lies, half truths and hypocrisy and we don’t call each other on it.  Whether for the sake of comity, job security or apathy, we do not speak up when others tell tall tales or plan our or their own downfall.  That failure to speak up–to dump a pitcher of ice water on a table once in a while–happens every day in small, but important ways.  Ordinary Americans are starting to fight against Hope·ocrisy, and we need to do more.

We need to keep speaking up.  At work, at home, and everywhere else, when you hear lies, hypocrisy, and things that just don’t sound right, challenge them openly.  Be that dissenting voice and know that, when you speak, you will be bursting the bubble for millions of others–even if you don’t have all the right answers.  When someone brings up Global Warming™, don’t politely change the subject, challenge them, even if you don’t have an advanced degree in climatology (they don’t either).  Opening a dialogue is the point.  Challenging the “consensus” is all you need to do, someone else may hear you and that alone will be enough to make them question the status quo.

We also need to encourage those who speak out against Obama, Reid and Pelosi, (and, for that matter, Michael Steel, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and everyone else in a position to direct public opinion and policy)–even if we disagree with those who speak up.  Their dissenting voices help to burst the groupthink bubble–even if they don’t have the right answers.  The mere fact that they speak up is enough to burst the bubble.

This weekend, nearly 2 million Americans poured a pitcher of ice water on Washington D.C.  The bubble is already bursting.

We have crossed the debt Rubicon.

I tell you all this because, as Americans, we have crossed the debt Rubicon. We have to begin to face our consumerism and our debt issues openly and honestly. This is as true of our personal debt as it is of our public debt. The first step in that process is admitting that you have a problem. I am happy to report that, after about three years of focusing and firm, but not psychotic discipline, my wife and I have weened our consumer debt back down to nearly four figures and expect to pay it off in the next six months. The purpose of this article is to provide generalized guidance on how you can do the same.

First, some emotional advice: take a deep breath and relax. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Nothing is going to change overnight. Just like it took years to get this far into debt, it will take years to get out of it. Don’t dwell on the money or the depression. Don’t think about what you can’t have. Think about how much money you’re paying off each month, and then think about what you can do with that money when you’re free from debt. It will make your heart sing, trust me.

Second, a few disclaimers: this is not for people who are truly insolvent. If you are unable to make the minimum payment on your loans and credit cards, you need to seek protection, possibly in bankruptcy. This post is meant for people who have a lot of debt and are feeling overwhelmed.  If you’re beyond that and are already defaulting on debt and receiving calls from collection agencies, you should get help elsewhere.  There are places you can go for that guidance, some starting points are listed below. Everyone’s tolerance and preferences are different. Saving money is like dieting. Some people can go cold turkey and make drastic changes and stick with them. Dave Ramsey is the guy for you. Other people need to live by the 80/20 rule: live within the lines 80% of the time and relax and have the chocolate cake 20% of the time. If that sounds like you, this may help.  A word about credit counseling: anyone who tells you to stop paying your credit card companies is a scam artist, drop them like a hot rock.  A legitimate credit counseling agency would not put you at risk of default, but would negotiate better terms while you repay your credit cards.

This is the Law of Unintended Consequences once again slapping Congress in the face, but consumers are the ones feeling the sting.

Third, some lay of the land: as I have already mentioned here, and here, I am not a fan of the newly passed Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights. I work in the industry, so I suppose I am biased, but even so the unintended consequences should have been obvious. Although the credit card companies have made some egregious errors in judgment and there are clear systemic problems, these laws create massively perverse incentives against consumer interests. Banks will not lose money.  They will always find a way to protect their financial interest within the rules of the game.  As you may already know, credit card companies are reducing cardholders credit lines, changing grace periods,  and increasing their base interest rates. Many industry experts predict that 0% interest teaser rates and some rewards plans may also go away. This is the Law of Unintended Consequences once again slapping Congress in the face, but consumers are the ones feeling the sting.

So how to navigate this new morass, and get rid of your debt while keeping your sanity.  The general plan is to payoff the credit cards as fast as possible.  The way to do this is to get the lowest interest rate possible, so that your payments go towards principal, rather than interest.  The best way to ensure you’re getting the best interest rate is to know and improve your FICO score and your credit history.  Here are some simple steps to do that, and more importantly, why:

1. FICO Score: The first thing you need to do is obtain and monitor your FICO score and at least one credit report.  I use MyFICO.com, but FreeCreditReport.com and others are just as good.  You should check your FICO score and your credit report at least once per year under normal circumstances.  If you’re looking to make a major purchase (like buying  a house or a car), just paid down a large amount of debt or made other changes, you should check more frequently.  I subscribe to MyFICO’s monitoring service, which notifies me when my score fluctuates by more than a set amount.  I recommend that service, which costs about $85 per year.  Why? Credit card companies and most financial institutions base most of their decisions on your FICO score.  It may be unfair, but so is life.  If you know your score, you will know your chances of being approved for a 0% interest credit card, a mortgage loan or any other loan or insurance policy.  Knowing is half the battle.  The rest involves objective setting and TPS reports.

Knowing is half the battle.  The rest involves objective setting and TPS reports.

2. Use Your Credit Cards More: This may seem counter-intuitive, but you need to use your credit cards–or at least one of them–more often.  Credit cards are a financial tool (said the guy who works in the industry).  When used properly, they allow you to stretch your purchasing power, keep better control of your expenses, avoid carrying cash and checks, and a whole host of other benefits.  If you use them properly, there is no reason you will have to go into debt.  BUT, YOU MUST PAYOFF THE NEW AMOUNT EVERY MONTH. If you don’t do this, you will only be making things worse.  Pick the card that meets the following criteria: (i) a good rewards program that you can actually use (points for air miles are great, but if you don’t travel a lot, what good does it do you?  And should you really be traveling a lot if you’re trying to pay down $60,000 in debt? I’ve picked one with retail gift cards to give me more flexibility.); (ii) enough credit limit remaining to provide you with 1.5 months of recurring expenses (more on this later) and (iii) a reasonably low interest rate (this is only important if you need to carry a balance on this card–if you are starting from zero, the interest rate is irrelevant).  Then take this card, your new utility card, and do three things (a) use it for your recurring payments (more on that in a minute); (b) move it to the front of your wallet for groceries, gasoline and all the other expenses your now paying in cash or debit and (c) if possible, move any balance you have off of that card (it’s best to start with a brand new card with no balance, but if your credit isn’t great, this may not be possible).  Recurring expenses are monthly payments like your cable bill, your phone bill and your mobile phone.  Contact all of these companies and put them on auto-pay with your credit card.  Most companies will be happy to have the certainty of a credit card on file.  Some utilities, however, (like Con Ed) will charge a “convenience fee” for accepting credit cards.  Don’t pay this, it’s a waste of money.  Just keep paying them by check until they join the 20th century.  (That wasn’t a typo).  Why? This will do several things:
   1. Rehab. Most importantly, this will rehabilitate your credit.  When you pay your bill, credit card companies generally put you into one of three categories: (a) paid less than the minimum; (b) paid the minimum; or (c) paid more than the minimum.  Most companies will put you in the last category even if you pay a dollar more than the minimum.  If you put recurring payments and ordinary expenses on your credit card and pay off the entire amount every month, your credit history, and eventually, your FICO score, will improve.
   2. Affluency. Charging these amounts (and paying them off every month) will make you a medium to high-spend customer–your bank’s favorite friend.  If you’re like me, a family of two, you spend about $450 per month on cable, telephone, internet, mobile phone, NetFlix and other assorted recurring bills.  Groceries add another $1,200-$1,300 per month and gas adds another $250.  That’s $2,000 per month in expenses or $24,000 per year.  Keep in mind, this is money that you are already spending.  Banks earn money every time you use the card, even if you pay it off without paying interest.  (See my post here for more on interchange).  The bank will love you and it will treat you very differently than a customer that keeps a few thousand dollars and pays the minimum every month.  You will get more and better offers (and if you’re not a platinum cardholder, you probably will be soon) and when you call to negotiate a new rate, your spending habits will be taken into account.
   3. Simplicity. This will uncomplicate your life.  The utilities and other expenses you have to pay every month are to about 5-10 different companies.  This will make all those payments into one company at one time each month.  You can schedule this payment to coincide with the paycheck opposite your rent or mortgage payment.  (Banks will work with you to reschedule your due date.)
   4. Interest Free Loans. Credit cards give you a 20-28 day grace period (but the calculation of interest on the grace period often depends on whether you carry a balance, which is why its best to start with a blank slate).  By using the grace period, you’re stretching your money and taking a 20-28 day interest free.  Although your cable bill gets paid on the 1st, you might not pay off your credit card until the 20th.  For 19 days, that money sits in your checking, money market or savings account earning interest.  It may not seem like a lot, but $24,000 earning interest over the course of a year adds up.  And its money your giving away today.
   5. Rewards. Rewards points will accumulate fast.  If you’ve selected a card with a rewards program that works for you, you will see the effects almost immediately.  We use a Citi card with the Thank You Points program and redeem the points for retail gift cards.  6,000 points equate to a $50 card, so about every 2-3 months we can get a $50 gift card for Best Buy or Bed Bath and Beyond or somewhere else and either buy something we need or something we want, but wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.
   6. Protection. When you buy things with your credit card, depending on the brand and type of card, you will probably be getting price, warranty and theft protection under your card agreement.  This may not help for your weekly arugula salad, but it will help when you buy something at the drug store or supermarket that’s meant to last past dinner time.
3. Zero Percent Interest. This is the key to a speedy payoff: getting and manipulating zero or low-interest cards.  First, you should not apply for new zero percent credit cards if your FICO score is well below 700.  The market is still adjusting, but if your credit score is at 650 (the old “good credit”) you may want to try.  If you’ve rehabilitated your credit and you’re ready to start looking, try www.creditcards.com.  They provide a list of credit cards by type (zero interest, balance transfer cards, rewards, etc.)  The risk in applying and getting turned down, of course, is that by merely applying for a new credit card, your FICO score may go down.  (Your FICO score, among other things, is based in part on the number of times banks have looked into your credit history in the past six months.  So requesting a new credit card, asking for a higher credit line or applying for a loan are all things that should be done sparingly.)  The second option is to use what you already have.  If banks are not already, as you repair your credit, your existing banks will begin sending you balance transfer offers.  These rates are calculated based on your FICO score and credit history.  The better your history, the better your rate.  Here are some suggestions on how to use the zero percent or low interest rate cards:
   1. One Basket. Do your best to pick one card per year (most offers are good for 12 months) and load up only this card with all of the debt you are carrying.  This may not be possible at first, but work towards it as your goal.  This will do two things: (a) it puts all your eggs in one basket; you only need to make one payment per month and you will know how much you owe at any moment; (b) when it comes time to transfer the balance, when you get another card with a limited balance transfer fee (these are becoming more rare), you will only pay it once.  For example, let’s say you owe a total of $30,000.  If Capital One is offering 0% for 12 months with a 3% fee up to $75 per transfer; you would pay $75 to transfer one balance from, say a Chase card.  If, however, that $30,000 was split over 4 cards, you would need to do 4 separate transfers and the fee would cost you $300.  That $225 difference is a monthly payment.
   2. Flip it. As the offers expire, go to the next card or cards in your inventory and transfer the remaining balance to those new cards.  This will not be free.  As mentioned above, most cards have a balance transfer fee of about 3%, but some still cap this fee at a fixed amount ($75-$150).  The offers come out on a monthly basis, usually at the beginning of the month.  When you flip, be sure that you don’t miss a payment on the outgoing card.
   3. Don’t cancel the cards. This may seem counter-intuitive.  Part of your FICO score is based on the length of your credit history and the utilization of your available credit.  If you drop an existing credit card, your total available credit will go down and you will eventually only have a very short period of credit history with a handful of banks.  Moreover, as you accumulate cards, you will get offers on cards that have no balance.  Of course, use your judgment.  When your debt stabilizes, if you have 10 credit cards and only need three and six of them have a credit limit of $1,000, feel free to cancel those six.
   4. Keep the Utility Card Separate. Whether you have zero or low interest cards, do your best to keep them separate from the card you are using above for recurring and ordinary expenses.  If you are paying that off every month (and you had better be), the interest rate on that card is irrelevant, so don’t waste a zero percent balance transfer offer on that card.  (If that bank makes an offer and you need room, do take advantage, but things get complicated as the rules for which balances get paid down vary based on the bank and the new legislation).

   The lottery is a tax on people who can’t do statistics

4. Learn to Live Within Your Means. The first three suggestions were about what to do on a technical level.  The rest are about how to change your lifestyle.  This is one of the hardest things to do because it requires a fundamental change in your psyche.   Nonetheless, this is the most important step because without it, even if you hit the lottery tomorrow (and don’t play lotto, the lottery is a tax on people who can’t do statistics), you would eventually be back in debt.  Learning to live within your means requires  (i) an emotional detachment to money and consumerism; (ii) discipline to stick to decisions once they are made; and (iii) knowledge and know-how about finance and money.  This blog post, even at 3,700 words, won’t get you there.  What will is a lifetime of deciding to get back up when you’re knocked down.  Here are a few suggestions to start you on the path:
   1. Pay Yourself First. One of the easiest and most effective ways to learn to live within your means is to pay yourself first.  Decide on an amount of money that you can live with each month, call it an allowance, a stipend, a tin or petty cash.  Put that money aside in a separate account or withdraw it into cash in your wallet or a coffee jar.  Do not mingle it with household money or use it for groceries or gas or any “needs”  or to pay off debt.  This is a promise you’re making to yourself.  Use this money for movies, dinner, drinks, a pedicure–all of the fun stuff that make you happy and make  life worth living.  Why? Saving and dieting are like holding your breath under water.  If you go too far too long, you’re going to come up gasping.  You need to have an outlet to allow yourself life’s little pleasures on a regular basis so that you don’t snap and binge.  I take about $600 every month for personal expenses.  For me, this includes snacks, (I don’t drink coffee), dinners away from home, gifts for my wife, toys for my dog, the occasional Wii game, etc. If you’re struggling with debt, $600 is obviously a lot of money, and you need to set an amount that works for you.  But do it knowingly.  You need to add up all the Starbucks runs, all of the lunches, all of the McDonalds, all of the candy, cigarettes, skoal, and every other little personal item.  And then you need to decide, am I going to give it up or am I going to make it part of my stipend.  Either way, you are spending the money now.
   2. Situational Awareness. “Budget” is one of the scariest words for people with financial problems.  If you’re like me, it conjures up thoughts of spreadsheets, gut wrenching conversations, belt tightening and buckets of antacid.  As I note below, there are alternatives to rigorous budgets, and if you’re like me (I hate calorie counting, too), All Your Worth, is a good place to start.  But what you do absolutely need to do is figure out where you are now.  Invest in a program like Quicken or Money or use a free online program like Mint.com to keep track of your finances.  This will help you find recurring expenses, know how much you’re spending on groceries and find places to save money.  In addition, just like the journalist’s diet, just knowing how much you’re spending will help you curb unnecessary expenses.
   3. Debtor, Heal Yourself. Often, one of the hidden reasons for debt is another, related issue.  Now I hate psychobabble, so let me be clear: I am not saying you use credit cards too much because you weren’t breast fed (or you were breastfed too much).  But if you are, like I am, overweight, or if you have emotional issues like one of my friends did that meant her self-worth was tied to shopping, these are serious problems that need to be fixed.  Most healthcare plans will cover weight-loss and psychotherapy.  If you’re covered, look into your plan’s coverage and see what the options are.  If not, look at your employer’s mental health benefits.  They may have counseling that you can go to.  Why? Taking obesity as an example: I recently went on a diet and lost 30 lbs.  I feel great and am in far less danger of dying before 40.  But financially, I am also better off.  My body needs less food at every meal, instead of eggs, bacon and a snack for breakfast, I have a shake.  My snacks between meals are limited to protein bars ($2), rather than candy bars, soda, chips, etc. ($5-7).  Over a week the $3-5 adds up to $20-$30.  For lunch and dinner, I no longer go for the chicken parm hero or the extra food with my meal.  Some slices of chicken breast, some broccoli and carrots and I’m full).  I save on food, clothing and even utilities (skinny people don’t need the thermostat set at 65º–although that may have a reverse effect in February).
   4. Read. There are a few books that changed my perspective on money and made me stop chasing the Joneses.  Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyosaki, Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand, and All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan by Elizabeth Warren, Amelia Warren Tyagi.  Rich Dad, Poor Dad made me question my understanding of consumerism and whether I needed a big house, a BMW and a large screen TV.  (No, no and yes).  It will also make you realize that being an employee is not such a great bargain.  Atlas Shrugged will make you appreciate capitalism and money in a way you probably have not before.  All Your Worth provides an easy to use budget theory that you can apply to your lifestyle without being a CPA.
   5. Get support. Talk to people who are going through the same thing.  If your married, be open and honest with your spouse.  There’s nothing worse than bearing the burden of crushing debt alone, especially while your spouse unknowingly spends you both further into debt.  It’s not fair to either of you, and it will strain your marriage and only drive you deeper under.  If you’re not married, find friends who are going through the same thing and rely on them.  If you don’t, you’ll be hanging out with people for whom money is no object.  That’s what got you into this in the first place.

Reliable Resources for Credit Counseling and Financial Literacy

Start with these webstites and come back to them to check on any credit counseling agency you may be thinking about.  Keep in mind, there is no such thing as a free lunch.

• Feed the Pig Financial literacy and savings non-profit.
• MyMoney.gov Government-run website that provides information on credit counseling companies.
• National Foundation for Credit Counseling These are accredited credit counselors who will work with you to develop a debt management plan (similar to bankruptcy, but voluntary).  This will adversely effect your credit rating, so don’t do this on a whim.
• MasterCard’s Debt Know How. Financial literacy program.  Priceless (and free).

So for what FedExKinkos Online is trying to charge me $450, I could do myself for $300 and at the end of it, I would have a color printer, a year’s worth of toner and 150 sheets of cardstock left over.  I called the local FedEx and they quoted me $2.33 per page.  That puts the same run at $233, still more than the cost of the color printer.  So guess who’s getting a new color laser printer?

This reminded me of something else that’s been bothering me lately.  Almost everywhere you look lately some schmuck is trying to sell you gold.  Glenn Beck is hawking it on Sirius XM, G. Gordon Liddy and That Guy are pitching it on FNC and elsewhere.  I hope people out there are not buying gold now.  That’s like buying an extended warranty after your car breaks down.

Gold near an all time high now because of the financial mess.  Gold always increases in value when things get bad, but it loses value when the broader economy (businesses, housing, commodities) get better.  While it’s true that things could and might get worse, (i) do you really think they will and (ii) are you willing to bet that they are with what little investment money you have left?  Buying gold now is a foolish investment, and Glenn Beck and others should be ashamed of pitching it.  Buying gold now is buying high; when, exactly do you expect to sell?

As for what makes sense, the same advice that has worked for generations is still the best: buy low, sell high.  If you have money to invest, now is the time to invest in the companies that are getting beaten up by the current market, but will (in your opinion) survive the storm.  For example, certain banks are better than others.  They are well managed, but are taking a beating because they’re colleagues aren’t.  Buying the right bank stock now would make you a fortune later.  As Warren Buffet says, be cautious when others are greedy, be greedy when others are cautious.

The point of all of this is, other than provinding 500 words in a suitable order for publishing, is engage your brain before your credit card.  If someone offers you a service, (or God forbid, an extended warranty) think about what it is that you are really paying for and whether or not it’s worth it.  In negotiating, there is a concept known as the best alternative to a negotiated agreement or BATNA.  Keep that concept in mind whenever you have your wallet out: what are my other options.  You could save yourself some money, or you could wind up with a new color laser printer.  Shiny!

1. Lie. Do not, under any circumstances, tell anyone at work that you are not going anywhere for your vacation. When people know you’re not going anywhere, they feel no guilt about calling you and dragging you into their work-related mess.   Make up a familiar, plausible, unexotic vacation and stick to it. Follow every one of those tips:
   • Familiar: The destination should be a place you are familiar with.  A family or friends place; a play you’ve been before.  Somewhere you can talk about without putting your foot in your mouth.
   • Plausible: “Really, you’re going to Phoenix?  In August?”
   • Unexotic: If you’re going to Bali, people want to hear stories, regale in the description of the food and the sunsets.  If you went to Orlando, eh, nobody cares.
2. Turn off the TV. This is perhaps the most challenging, but you’ve got to try.  Turn off the idiot box, and for that matter, the internet delivery device.  The point of a vacation is to unwind so that you don’t come into the office, snap and kill your coworkers. This benefits everyone by keeping insurance premiums down. If you sit on your couch and watch Matlock reruns for a week or two, you will be grumpy and pale when you get back, and nobody likes a grumpy, pale mass murderer. During a vacation, you may wake up around 9:00, take a shower and eat breakfast.  So you start your day at 10:00.  Let’s say you eat dinner around 8:00.  That gives you 10 hours per day of sunlight and freedom.  If you watch one movie (probably a movie with commercials that you’ve seen already), you’ve wasted 20% of that.  If you watch a movie and a news program, you’ve lost nearly 1/3.  It’s not worth it.  If you must watch TV, only watch TV after dinner, when it’s dark out. (See our post about Vampire Survival Techniques [coming soon - ed.])
3. Plan to spend some money. According to AAA, the average cost of a vacation for two adults in the US in 2008 was $244 per day, including lodging and meals.  The purpose of a staycation, of course, is to save money, but let’s be reasonable.  You are going to spend some money, even if it’s just on groceries.  Develop a budget that fits your needs and try to live within it.  When planning a budget, factor in what you spend in a normal work week, including gas and tolls, dry cleaning, food and drink (including coffee, snacks, and bottled water).  You’ll be surprised how much you save by not going to work for a week.  Use that money as the bare minimum for your budget.  If you plan to be happy, at least double it.  (You will, after all, still need to eat.)
4. Do something out of the ordinary. Now that you have a budget, use it for something.  Try to do things you haven’t done in your own area.  There’s got to be a little restaurant in your town you drive past every day, but never went to (and not because of the numerous food poisonings).  Go there for dinner or lunch.  Go to the local zoo or a museum.  See a local sports team.  Watch a movie in IMAX.  Pretend you are a tourist in your own town and see it with fresh eyes.  What would you do if you really went to a different city?  Rent a bicycle?  Take a bus tour of a nearby city?  Go horseback riding?  Go to the mall and poke around like a teenager? Google your town and see what there is to do.  You will be amazed at what a sheltered life you lead.  This message brought to you by your local chamber of commerce.
5. Eat like you’re on vacation. One of the perks of annual leave is eating like a king/queen.  Don’t deprive yourself of that.  Even if you are (as I am) on a diet, your metabolism will likely increase from your new, more active routine.  Take the time to have a nice leisurely breakfast (use that waffle iron you got as a wedding present).  Go to Cheesecake Factory at 3:00 for a late lunch (it’s the only time there isn’t a line out the door).  Barbecue in the middle of the week, and not just hamburgers and hot dogs–try something exotic, like chicken.  Go nuts, you deserve it!
6. Cover your tracks. This ties back to point one: if you told everyone you went to Duluth to visit friends and a bridge collapsed in Duluth, or a tornado hit downtown, you might want to know about it.  Use news.yahoo.com or news.google.com to check the day before you return or set up an email alert for breaking news focused on the city.  It doesn’t hurt to know what the weather was like while you were “there” either.  If you have to confess, it’s not the end of the world.  So I stayed home.  My plans changed.  What are you writing a book?!?
7. Hobbies/Moonlighting. If you have hobbies or a moonlighting adventure, you will have to decide whether this will be a vacation from those as well or whether you will be working full speed/half speed/double speed.  If you run a blog and you want to make some wholesale changes, this may be the time.  If, on the other hand, the blog has become more work than play, take a break or ask a friend to guest blog for you.  As most bloggers will tell you, a vacation will often destroy your traffic, because once it leaves it doesn’t come back.  Having an iPhone or blackberry with internet and the right aps goes a long way.

Well, I hope this was helpful.  See you all in Duluth!

—–

Thank you Mr. President, Madam Provost.  And thank you to the parents, relatives and friends who have supported these students and enabled them to get where they are.  You students are at the end of a surprisingly short road and the beginning of a far longer one.

My intent here today is not to lecture you about politics or society.  It is not to force upon my captive audience a politically motivated diatribe, best left for close company.  My intent is to congratulate you on a job well done and to give you some perspective from a journeyman not too far down the road than yourselves.  It was not that long ago I sat in your seat, on a hot, sunny day, in a black robe.  Fidgeting.  Compassion therefore requires my remarks be brief.

First, Congratulations.  You have achieved what many people believe to be the worthiest achievement possible: you have become educated.  The scroll you are given today signifies more than the tuition you have paid, the tests you have taken or the papers you have written.  It signifies a journey completed.  A journey filled with uncertainty, joy, sadness, hard work and yes, alcohol.  You have all made it through, and for that, I offer my sincere congratulations.

There is nothing nobler than the pursuit of knowledge, for the very reason that it can be shared infinitely without sacrificing its value.

Now on to the hard bit.  For you and for me.  I know that many of you will be going on to pursue further education, in graduate school, or heaven forbid, law school, as I did.  That is a commendable choice. There is nothing nobler than the pursuit of knowledge, for the very reason that it can be shared infinitely without sacrificing its value.  Getting more of it never hurt anyone.  For you, I wish you the best of luck.

For those who have chosen to leave the safe confines of academia, you will need more than luck.  Many of you have worked in jobs before, at Starbucks, in retail, behind the bar at [insert local bar name here], or in unpaid internships.  This too is commendable as it shows that you understand the meaning of a dollar.  But now, you will embark on a career.

A career is an entirely different animal than a job.  Jobs come and go, much like the weather.  But a career endures.  A career becomes who you are.  “I’m a lawyer.”  “I’m a carpenter.”  “Musician.” “Policeman.” “Nurse.” “Accountant.”  Most people become their career in a way that comforts, and on occasion, frightens them.  My advice to you will therefore centers around this choice.

The Renaissance was not the product of narrowly defined job descriptions.

First, choose wisely.  From where you are, it is a difficult decision.  You are bombarded with anecdotes and data.  Salaries, growth potential, Uncle Ned’s job offer.  A myriad choices.  Consider these factors carefully, but also consider who you will become.  Have you met a computer technician you liked?  In 20 years, will talking about Trotsky in a coffee-shop still hold your interest?

Second, after you have made your choice, do not be afraid to retool.  Many of you will find that your first choice was not right for you.  You are quicker than most if you realize this before your retirement party.  It is never too late to change careers.  Before becoming an attorney, I designed weather satellites for NASA.  Reinventing yourself is a wonderful tradition in advanced societies.  Do not be afraid to join us.  People will tell you that you are wasting the effort you put into your first career.  You won’t be.  What you have learned will shape the type of person you are.  The Renaissance was not the product of narrowly defined job descriptions.

Finally, don’t listen to anyone else.  (Except me, of course).  You are now, in every way possible, your own person.  You must understand things on your own.  You have been told that there is no such thing as a stupid question.  That is debatable, but there are stupid answers.  Do not accept them.  Investigate on your own.  Ask questions when you don’t understand.  Be a skeptic in all the right ways.  Use the brains that God gave you to separate yourselves from the people who take life for granted.

Do this with the simplest of things.  Rust proofing.  Extended warranties.  The state lottery.  These are traps for people who believe math and science end at the school’s edge.  Learn to question your habits.

Your limits here are all self imposed.

But also engage your brain when it comes to important decisions.  Love, marriage, children; these are affairs of the heart – and that’s another subject.  But where and when to buy your first home; whether to start a business or become an employee; Escalade or Prius.  These are decisions that should focus your mind as much as that Chemistry exam last week.   Do not drift aimlessly along, hoping for things to work out.  Plan your life when you can and learn to accept it when you cannot.  You should not fear change so much that you hold to an unhappy life instead of working to make it better.

We live in an amazing country.  America has more opportunity per capita than any other place in the known universe.  Your limits here are all self imposed.  Never forget that.  Too often today we hear news in the negative.  Murder, corrpution, war, fires, hurricanes, floods.   These are all terrible stories in their own right, but added together, they can become overwhelming; they give us the impression that we are beyond salvation.

We are not.

We are salvation for billions of people in the world.  For them, America is still a shining city on a hill.  A beacon of hope to those who dream of being something more than their government dictates.  You are each a part of that city now.  Your dreams and your choices will help shape our nation and our world.   You have been blessed with an enviable birthright.  Today is the first day of its fulfillment.

Good Luck, and make us proud.

The problem with Nobu, if there is one, is that it is famously difficult to get a reservation.  So here now, at great personal expense (in that you may be taking my table), is Daily Danet’s advice for getting a table at an exclusive restaurant.  The premise here is that you’re trying to get a table the day of.  If this is a truly special occasion, you will want to call ahead and make a reservation.  Most restaurants will only book 30 days in advance, so call early.

1. Show up.  The first, and most valuable tip, is to just show up.  Exclusive restaurants need to be flexible to accommodate last minute requests from special guests.  For example, if Mariah Carey shows up with 5 friends, the manager will need to have space available for 6 people.  But restaurants are a business like any other, and no manager wants their restaurant empty in the event Mariah doesn’t show up.
   Use this to your advantage.  Show up at the restaurant and ask if they have anything available.  You may be told no, you may be told to wait, or you may be asked to eat quickly and be out before another party arrives.  The key, though is that, if you’re already there, they will try to accommodate you.  This is not the same as calling ahead.  If you call to see if anything is available, you’ll likely be told no, as the manager will not want to hold a table indefinitely for someone who could be a minute or an hour away.
   This doesn’t always work, but Nobu in Manhattan is in TriBeCa, and is surrounded by several fantastic (though not equal) restaurants.  (The same is probably true of the exclusive restaurant you’re planning on trying).  If this doesn’t work with the first restaurant, try the next one.
2. Be flexible and patient.  Whether you just show up or if you’ve called ahead, being calm, patient and flexible are the next best tips.  No one, not the hostess, the manager or the owner want an (unfamous) schmuck in their restaurant.  If they know you’re a cool customer, they’re more likely to help you out.  Also, the manager may be trying to do their best for you, and that may mean you need to wait a half hour or an hour.  People always want to help you more if you’re calm, kind and flexible.  If you convey to them that you’re happy to wait, they will work that much harder for you.
3. Don’t be that guy. Similarly, don’t be the guy (or gal) who thinks he’s all that.  The people who work at exclusive restaurants are the type of people who can tell Paris Hilton she has to wait five minutes, they’re not going to be impressed with your $100 bill, your flashing designer brands or bragging on your cell phone about the mega merger you closed.  If you can’t get over yourself, you will be eating alone for a long time (and not at Nobu).
4. Bribes Do NOT work.  In the same vein, slipping the hostess/host a $20 or a $100 will embarrass you and her or him.  Most high-end restaurants discourage tipping managers and hostesses on the way in.  If you’re unable to restrain yourself from splashing cash, tip more than usual, at the table and at the coatcheck.  But keep in mind, these people deal with clientelle far more impressive than you on a daily basis.
5. Dress the part.  Each restaurant has its own, implicit dress code.  Nobu is distinctly classy casual.  Dark jeans, a dark button down shirt untucked and a leather jacket are my staples.  Daniel in midtown is jacket required.  The key is to understand what regulars wear and dress accordingly.  You won’t impress anyone at Nobu by wearing a three piece suit, nor will you score points at Daniel by wearing jeans and a button down.
6. Go regularly.  This may not work with you budget, especially these days, but if at all possible, go regularly.  Once a year for a birthday, or three or four times a year for special occaissions is enough.  If you get to know the staff, they will remember you and treat you the same as all their other regulars.
7. Tip well. Not to be too contrary to number 4, tipping is an important part of building a reputation with a restaurant.  Tipping the waitstaff and coatcheck attendant is not only acceptable, it’s expected.  Tipping the manager, at best is awkward, at worst is an insult.  As for the amount, in New York, tipping anything less than 15% will get you banned for life.  Tipping anything more than 25% means you’re not good at math.  I usually shoot for the high end, around 20%.

1. Get One Notebook and Use it. This is one time when you should keep all of your eggs in one basket–and guard that basket.  I have a notebook that I use for everything, personal notes, to-do lists, meeting notes, grocery lists–literally everything.  It comes with me everywhere and I go through about one every 6-8 months.  I use an 8 1/4″ x 5 7/8″ (this is A5 size paper) Black n’ Red ruled hard cover wirebound notebook.  It’s hard shell and straight spiral binding let you take it anywhere and use it whether you’re at a conference table (the unique spiral binding allows it to lay flat) or on a bumpy plane.  You can also slip a Uniball micro pen in the spiral wires.Once you find the proper notebook for you, use it.  Have it handy while at work to jot down people’s names, reference/order numbers, and phone numbers (then put them in your address book later).  When you’re starting out on a new task or planning your work week, make a to do list in the notebook.  Don’t underestimate the power of a list–it forces you to go through open items and mentally prepare yourself for what needs to be done.  There is also a psychological payoff when you cross something off.  Finally, use the (back of the) last few pages of the book as a reference.  Put down frequently used numbers, combinations or password/PIN hints if you need.  You should be able to flip open the back of the book and find these things instantly.
2. “Practice Effective Time Management.” You can’t manage time, it’s passage is unabiding, like the media’s love for Democrats.  This is high-priced consultant speak for “buy a good calendar.”  But that’s not the sort of thing that passes for advice in the Daily Danet newsroom, so here’s something hopefully more helpful.  The key thing about buying a calendar, is to buy the right calendar.  Some people use their phone, blackberry or computer.  Others prefer a notebook or month-per day calendar.  The key components of a good calendar system are:
   • Ease of Use: You have to be able to easily and quickly note appointments, dates and the like.  If you’re computer illiterate, a Blackberry might as well be a rock for you to smash things with.  iPhones, however, are designed for people with little tech savvy, but lots of other-savvy.  If you’re completely helpless with a computer, get a date book that makes sense to you.
   • Portability: You need to be able to take this with you, pretty much everywhere.  (See “Downtime,” below).  The more you have it on you, the more comfortable you’ll become using it, and the more it will become part of your routine.  A 10 pound daily planner is impressive, but you’ll also have to pack it in your checked luggage.
   • Clarity: It’s not any good to you if you cannot, in a second or two, see what’s on tap for that day/week/month.  Calendar’s help you plan.  If you’re planning the month ahead, a daily calendar is not that useful.  If you’re the type of person who takes one day at a time or micro-organizes every minute, a yearly calendar will be just as useless.  If you’re like me, and somewhere in between, try to use two calendars, as I note below.
   • Continuity: Don’t rely on a calendar you cannot replace.  Use a name brand from a reputable office supply store, or a major brand phone/pda.  If you use an electronic planner, be sure to get fully educated on its features and use recurring reminders.  Using this (on Blackberry or Outlook/Lotus Notes) can help you enter birthdays, anniversaries and other annual/monthly/weekly events just once and be reminded every year/month/week.  If you use an electronic PDA, be sure to synchronize it with your PC/Mac at least once per quarter.  If the machine breaks, you’re screwed unless you’ve backed it up.  If you’re using your work Blackberry or PDA, figure out how to download your address book and calendar periodically as well.  You never know when the layoffs hit close by.

I use two calendars: (i) a small 12-month At-A-Glance dry-erase calendar that I tape to my office desk and (ii) my work Blackberry.  The At-A-Glance calendar lets me see the big items (like vacations, birthdays, big meetings, deadlines, doctor’s appointment, etc.), while the Blackberry keeps me up to date with routine appointments and meetings, as well as all the big items.  For the At-A-Glance calendar, I use three colored Sharpie Ultra Fine Point permanent markers (they rub off with a spray of alcohol or a wet nap).  Red is for personal appointments, deadlines and birthdays/anniversaries.  Green is for vacation days and holidays.  And blue is for work related deadlines, important meetings (like quarterly staff meetings) and the like.

3. Purge. Allocate at least one full weekend per quarter at home (that’s a whopping 8 days per year!) and one full workday per quarter (another four days!) to purge your files and clean up your living and working space.  If you can do this monthly, even better.  If you’ve ever worked in retail, think of this as inventory day.  During your purge days, you should:
   • Clean out your inboxes. Every piece of email that you’ve dealt with should be put in a folder.  If space is a concern, anything that you have not looked at in 30-45 days should be archived using your email programs archival process.
   • Clear your desk. File all papers.  Throw out any scraps.  Clean up all the garbage.  You know, just like your mom told you.  A place for everything and everything in its place.  If that sounds like something your (great)grandmother and (great)grandfather would say, think about this: they survived the great depression, defeated Hitler, Tojo and Mussolini, sent a man to the moon and still had the wherewithal to raise your parents and give you and all your cousins gifts on your birthdays.  Maybe they know something you don’t.
   • Print and File. If you need physical print outs of certain documents and you’re not organized enough to print them on the fly, put them all in a queue on your computer and print them at the same time.  Put them in clearly marked folders and file them.
   • Syncrhonize. If you’re using a PDA/Blackberry/iPhone and you cannot wirelessly synchronize, now is the time to plug it in and synchronize your contacts, appointments, etc.  Also, if you’re like me, and use multiple devices with different contacts, once per year, synchronize those address books so that you have the most up-to-date information in each address book.  If you haven’t moved your scribble down phone numbers from the notebook to the address book, now is the time for that as well.  It’s a pain in the butt, but it’s worth doing.  Hotmail and Gmail have contact list organizers that search for multiple contacts and merge them.  They’re helpful, but imperfect.
4. Don’t Answer the Phone. This one is a bit counterintuitive.  If you’re working on something or talking with someone in your office (or even eating dinner), and the phone rings, you don’t have to answer it.  It’s incredibly liberating to let a phone ring and carry on with what you were doing.  Let the phone go to voicemail and check the message as soon as you’re done with what you were doing.  This is particularly true if you’re meeting with someone, even informally chit-chatting.  This person had the decency to drop by in person, whereas the caller didn’t.  You will also find that, if you’re the type of person whose advice everyone seeks, not answering the phone every time will make those around you more self sufficient.In a broader sense, this applies to all distractions.  If you are working on something, keep at it until it is done or until you have a natural break.  If you’re balancing your checkbook, changing your oil or purging your inbox, don’t put down one thing in a frantic rush to get to another thing.  Take the time to slowly and purposefully finish or pause what you’re doing, clean up the mess, and then move on.  This is especially true when writing, otherwise,  , lose your place.
5. Low Hanging Fruit. This is one of the most effective ways to become more productive, and it helps scratch off a ton of to-do’s from your list.  When you have to move a mountain, you move it one pebble at a time.  (Again, Confuscious was more organized than you, too).  When you have a ton of things to do, pick the easiest ones to accomplish and get them done.  Not only will fewer things be on your list, you will have made real progress and will be able to focus on the larger tasks on your list without worrying about the small things festering into bigger ones.  There is also the added benefit of focusing on small, manageable tasks.  The British have a saying, “mind the pennies, the pounds will take care of themselves.”  When you solve small problems and take care of the fundamentals, the larger problems will often either fix themselves or at least not seem so unmanageable.  In addition, be sure to get the small things done right away.  Return phone calls and voicemail right away, before they linger and you forget.
6. Commit 15 Minutes to Unwelcome Tasks. Similarly, when you are done with the low hanging fruit, there will always be at least one dreaded task you need to do.  There’s a story about two platoons of Marines who were part of a sociology experiment.  One platoon was told to run 20 miles, they ran 20 miles.  The second platoon was told to run until they couldn’t run anymore.  That platoon only ran 15 miles.  The point here is that it is easier to endure something when you know there is an end in sight.  Whether it’s calling the insurance company, putting cover sheets on all your TPS reports or completing an online ethics course for some compliance requirement, these tasks will fester unless you commit to getting them done.  One of the least painful ways to do this is to allocate 15 minutes on these tasks each day (or each week, depending on the deadline and the size of the task).  You will often find that, once you get going, the task either wasn’t so bad, or was so engrossing that you find yourself working on it a lot longer than 15 minutes.  If not, well, at least you got some of it done.
7. Organize your computer. This can, (and likely will), become the subject of its own advice column.  There are three major fronts on the battle against information overload.  Your email; your internet and your documents.First, your email.  Whether you use Lotus Notes or Outlook or an online service like Hotmail or gmail, you should devise and use a filing system.  Create folders for each project/client, or area of your personal life.   The folders should be hierarchical so that subfolders naturally fall under the folder above them, and the system should be intuitive so that you instantly know where to look for a missing email.  For example, at work, I have several major clients, each with divisions, and each division has several projects at once.  My filing system then has each client with subfolders for each division and subsubfolders for each division’s project.  When an email comes in and I have responded or taken whatever action I need to, I put the email in the appropriate folder.  Once a project is complete, I archive the folder and delete it from my Lotus Notes database.  If there are any questions, I can open the archive and find the emails quickly.  This also helps by making “All Documents” searches quicker because Lotus Notes has less emails to sift through.  Outlook has similar features.I also make sure that any outgoing email from me is saved in the appropriate folder.  (Lotus has a Send and Save in Foloder option.  Otherwise, you can bcc yourself and move the email over).  In addition to keeping my email organized, this also helps me in my monthly status reports.  Each month I need to produce a report for each client on the progress on each of their projects.  I can go through each folder and see, at a glance, when a draft went out, when comments came back and where we last left off.  It also means that my Inbox doubles as a To Do list.  In addition, If you use a Blackberry on an enterprise server (i.e., if it’s your work Blackberry), and you use a filing system on your desktop (Lotus Notes or Outlook), that filing system should appear on your Blackberry.  (Unfortunately, it does not work with a personal Blackberry using network mail).  You should also have network reconcile enabled.  To check, from your email inbox, click on the wheel and look for “View Folder”.  If you see your list of Lotus Notes/Outlook folders, you’re all set.  You can now file messages from your Blackberry.  The really awesome thing is, the Blackberry will make an educated guess as to which folder you want to put an email in.  (Be sure to have the “View Filed Messages” option set to “No” on your Blackberry).

   Your internet:  The days of just firing up a web browser and poking around are behind us.  If you hope to stay informed and keep up to speed, whether it’s on your beloved New York Giants and their push to repeat, or tracking the latest political news and your favorite blog (hint, hint), you need to devise an organized system to get that stuff off the internet and into your skull.  For me, there’s no subsititute for Firefox with Foxmarks installed.  Firefox (and, I believe Safari for Mac) both have the ability to open multiple bookmarks simultaneously in separate tabs.  Foxmarks is a separate add-on that allows you to synchronize your bookmarks with multiple computers (e.g., your work computer and your home pc).  Using these two together, create bookmark folders and subfolders and populate them with the websites you view on a daily basis.  For example, I have about 10 folders that include “Daily,” “Computer Stuff,” “Financial,” “Blogging” and “Games & Fun Stuff.”  The Daily folder has several subfolders, incuding “Toons,” “Political Toons” and “Shortlist”.  The Toons folder has Dilbert, xkcd, Pearls Before Swine and several other comic strips I check daily.  (Similarly the Political Toons has a bunch of political cartoonists I like to check in on, and the Shortlist is a short list of blogs and news sites I check daily, including Hotair, The Conservative Grapevine and Newbusters.org.)  When I get into work, or during lunch, I can go to that folder and select “Open all in Tabs”, read each on, close that tab and get on with my life.

   Your computer.  Just as with your inbox, if you’re dumping everything in “My Documents,” your life is going to get complicated fast.  Create subfolders and subsubfodlers in a common sense, intuitive heirarchy.  For example, both of my “My Documents” folders (work and home) have several subfolders.  My personal system has “My Home,” which includes subfolders “My Holidays” (Christmas and birthday lists, spreadsheets on gifts given and received and Christmas card lists) and other home and family-related folders.  Back up another level, there’s a My Finances (Quicken files, spreadsheets, financial planning files, etc) and My Businesses (documents for Daily Danet LLC and my wife’s business as well as a folder from my last job search, which includes several copies of my latest résumé).  My work PC has a sleaker folder system (all of my drafts have to be kept on a database), but I have two subfolders called “To Print” and “Sending”.  To Print contains all the documents (final, executed agreements, etc.) that I need to print and physically file.  Sending includes documents that I need to send via email.  (I clean these out during my purge periods, safe in the knowledge that by deleting all, I won’t miss anything).

8. Organize your Finances.  Bills are a real pain in the ass.  Not only do you have to pay them (unless you’re a failing company with a good lobbyist), you have to deal with the little scraps of paper every frigging month.  Except for a handful of bills that I prefer to see on paper, I have most of the companies I deal with send me bills electronically.  This limits the paper clutter and you can set up mail rules (Hotmail and Gmail can do this, so can most personal email services), to automatically sort your bills into email folders.  If you prefer not to clog your personal email inbox, you can get a free dummy account where the bills will be sent like “yourname-bills@hotmail.com” or, if you use hotmail for your personal email, set up the same or similar address as gmail.Of course, you still need reminders to pay them.  One thing that I do is establish a recurring payment scheme with most of the companies I deal with.  My AT&T cellphone, my Verizon home phone, FiOS TV and internet, my Netflix and pretty much everything but ConEd, is all paid through my MasterCard.  I them pay off my MasterCard balance every month (okay, I try to).  The net result is I pay one bill each month (well three, because those jerks at ConEd charge a $5 surcharge and I keep a separate credit card account with a 0% interest offer, where I roll over the big ticket items I can’t pay in just one month).  But I am far less likely to ever miss a bill, plus I can use that one credit card for everything and rack up tons of points.  (By the way, there’s a myth out there that credit card companies don’t make any money if you pay them off each month.  This is completely untrue.  Google “credit card interchange”).
9. Use the 80/20 Rule. This is a form of resource triage.  There are varying interpretations on this rule, which I won’t bore you with now.  My take on it is this:  it takes 20% of the effort to get 80% of a task done, and it takes the remaining 80% of the effort to get the task 100% done.  (Or, put another way, one fifth of the effort does four fifths of the work).  For example, let’s say you’re cleaning out your garage.  Let’s assume it will take 10 hours to completely organize everything perfectly.  The 80/20 rule would suggest that it will take only 2 hours to get the garage 80% organized (the big stuff put away, cobwebs cleaned, junk moved out, etc.)   The remaining 8 hours will be spent putting the finishing touches on.  (This is a bit misleading, as it’s not necessarily time, but effort.)  There’s nothing wrong with spending that effort, and you should get it done, but if you are pressed for time, you need to allocate your resources effectively (you need to stop wasting time polishing the brass handles and get in the lifeboat).  Put another way, don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.  Get done what you can and move on.
10. Maximize your Use of Downtime.  We all have downtime.  From sitting on a train, going to the doctor’s office, waiting for your spouse or even, yes, disposing of the evidence from a tasty meal.  I’m gonna catch crap for this, but it’s true: everyone reads in the shitter.  Most PDA’s have a web browser and you can bookmark your favorite mobile sites (like www.idrudgereport.com (only works on mobile devices) and mobile.wunderground.com).  Catch up on news, weather and sports without bringing the newspaper with you.  Another tip for downtime is to catch up on electronic filing and filling out your calendar.In addition to daily, interpersonal downtime, there is also professional downtime.  Every company has a cycle.  There’s always a period of downtime at work.  Use it wisely.  One thing I do each year is to not take the week off between Christmas and New Years.  These 7 days are the easiest 7 days to work the whole year.  The office is empty and, unless there is a serious emergency, there is hardly ever any work to do.  Save your vacation days for the summer months, or even just until January, and use this time to organize yourself:
    • Do your taxes (sort of).  Estimate your earnings based on your last paycheck and use an online calculator to make a rough estimate of your tax situation.  If you’re going to owe money and have some extra cash or lots of crap lying around, make a tax deductible donation or contribution.  If you’re going to get money back, plan on using the five days you saved by taking a vacation in January.
    • Get up to date on your filing (electronic or physical files).
    • Get a jump on those annoying performance hurdles for next year.  If you have administrative tasks you dred, use this time to put them out of the way instead of making them haunt you for weeks beyond the arbitrary deadline HR sets.
    • Training.  If you are a busy professional, you need training like a hole in the head.  But there are all sorts of requirements from your profession, your employer or your government.  Use this time to catch up on online seminars or reading up on manuals and training publications.  (By the way, you know what the etymology of “seminars” is?  It comes from “semi” meaning half and “arse” meaning ass.  If it’s half-assed, there’s a seminar on it).
    • Make a long winded blog post about being organized.
    • Goof off.  The brain needs a rest sometimes.  Never underestimate the positive impact of relaxing in the place you work.  If you have fun in your office during downtime, there’s a chance you won’t loathe it for the life-sucking prison it sometimes seems to be.