Do you scan your mail?

Anonymous · ‎09-12-2020

I started scanning my mail since March. It's very easy to do. I have a Brother printer/scanner with a feeder, it make it very easy to scan. It work very well. I use FileCenter Standard. That software manage the different folders. Also it manage the scanner. Here is how I do it.

1. I choose a folder in the computer, in documents. I already have names for Credit Card, Utility etc..

All folders have subfolder with years.
All the bills or documents of a specific payee are in a different folder, with their subfolder. Eg:
Credit card
- Citi
  - 2020
    - Jan 2020 Statement
    - Feb 2020 Statement

2. When I receive mail, I choose the folder.

3. Scan the piece of mail.

4. Give it a name. Month - Year

5. I then look at in into the program. I can open many at the same time.

I can reorder the pages
Put date received.

6. I put a S on the paper for scanned.

7. Put it in a pile to be destroyed. Or put it in physical folder if needed.

8. Do a backup regularly with Macrium, a very nice software.

9. I go what I need in Quicken

10. Pay the bill or else:

The advantage is that finding a paper does not take minutes, but secounds. It remove A LOT of stress to know where things are believe me. Also when some compagy need a document it's often already scanned or if I need I can scan something, fax it too. It's going the extra miles, but it pay off to be organized.

I hope it help someone.

Anonymous · ‎09-13-2020

Considering just about everyone has electronic notices/statements these days I don't really see the appeal of scanning or the time it takes to do so. The only things I scan are documents requiring a signature that needs to be emailed, and even that probably seems archaic to some people. lol

adelphi_sky · ‎09-14-2020

@Anonymous wrote:
Considering just about everyone has electronic notices/statements these days I don't really see the appeal of scanning or the time it takes to do so. The only things I scan are documents requiring a signature that needs to be emailed, and even that probably seems archaic to some people. lol

I agree. I try to get email communication and documents when and where possible. Sometimes I choose electronic statements and they still send me physical statements.

At first I thought the OP meant signing up for USPS Informed Delivery where they scan the mail that will bedelivered to you that day and send you an email with the images.

Brian_Earl_Spilner · ‎09-14-2020

My wife is still old school and needs a filing cabinet. I've tried to get her to scan everything or do electronic statements, but she doesn't trust technology. We've had cloud issues and hard drive failures in the past. Didn't matter that everything was backed up, the fact it happened was enough to spook her.

ccquest · ‎09-14-2020

@adelphi_sky wrote:
At first I thought the OP meant signing up for USPS Informed Delivery where they scan the mail that will bedelivered to you that day and send you an email with the images.

And before anyone thinks this is crazy, it's just the envelope - they don't open your mail and scan it. It's a great service and gives you a heads up on what mail you should be expecting that day. Let me know when I might have wanted to stop home on the way to my second job because a card or check was waiting for me.

As for the question here, no I don't both scanning my mail. Most of it is junk or just duplicate of whatever is available online anyway. I did save (to my computer), copies of the first statement for each of my new cards for quick reference though.

as of 1/1/23
Current Cards:

Anonymous · ‎09-14-2020

Sorry to ear that.

Anonymous · ‎09-14-2020

@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:
My wife is still old school and needs a filing cabinet. I've tried to get her to scan everything or do electronic statements, but she doesn't trust technology. We've had cloud issues and hard drive failures in the past. Didn't matter that everything was backed up, the fact it happened was enough to spook her.

I have that same though and distrust of technology, after all nothing is perfect. And we've all seen the 100's of movies and books that foretell of AI taking over. lol

The only things I physically print off to have in a "file cabinet" are statements with large purchases such as a TV's, Phone, Appliances, Plane Tickets, travel expenses etc. in case I need it for Insurance claims or whatever. Otherise it's shredded and tossed, imply don't have the room for it all. I used to keep everything, old paid bills CC statements you name it for years all teh way back to 08 and 09. I finally last year starting shredding all that and am almost finished.