Paperwork grrrrr

[Puffin]

Is anyone else like me?

I normally let non-urgent paperwork pile up for oooo....say a couple of years before I think I ought to sort it out and file it. However you are then faced with a monumental task of sorting all the crap from the important bits, filing it chronologically (or more like chronically in my case), burning the covering letters with your personal details on them, making a pile of promotional or otherwise boring crap they always send you to put in the recycling bin (which then more than likely goes to landfill anyway) and then wondering for how long I should keep stuff like bank statements, pension forecasts (for that £5 a year pension that you took out eons ago and had forgotten about).

How many bank statements do you chaps normally keep (or is there a recommended time scale?), same for stuff like annual pension forecasts etc.

Needless to say today was the day I chose to "get up to date"....I am now drinking beer.....lots of it

Rob.

[myles]

Does it all get 'stored' in the same place? We seem to put it in one of the four drawers under the bed then panic when we can't find it! We can never find it, guaranteed!

[Puffin]

Well Myles, it's resting place for the last 2 years had been in the 3 drawers in the desk in the study....well most of it. There was some on the floor under the desk, some on the side table next to the settee where "the lord of the remote" sits, some behind the clock on the mantelpiece.....you get the picture

[hifi_dave]

I believe the VAT people go back 3 years and the Tax is 4 years. I keep at least 5 years worth, just in case.

I actually enjoy doing the paperwork and getting everything nicely sorted out and filed away. I couldn't stand delving through piles of paper, frantically sorting out the mess if it was all left for a few months, which many people do..

[Rare Bird]

I keep stuuf seben years..

[Puffin]

Ok, I will probably keep 3 years.

[Macca]

I've got all my bank statements going back 19 years. I should really buy a shredder. All the other mail goes straight in the bin, it's only bills and other bollocks, why even open it?

[Rare Bird]

Rob:

If you have online banking could you not make the online statements as files instead of the physical paperwork? Saying that i love things on the physical side

[Puffin]

Andre, I am still suspicious about having all my financial details online. My son thinks I am a twat.....what do others think

[Puffin]

I've got all my bank statements going back 19 years. I should really buy a shredder. All the other mail goes straight in the bin, it's only bills and other bollocks, why even open it?

Yes, I am one of those nice helpful postie's who help you accumulate all that nice crap