Not long ago, I opened up my bank statement and found a series of unauthorized charges. I promptly called the bank and reported the charges. Then I cut up my debit card and threw it away.
Imagine my surprise when I received one of the stolen goods in the mail!
Not sure what to do, I consulted with a family friend who is also a police officer and he said, “Make a police report.”
The next day an officer arrived at my house. He examined the merchandise and began taking notes for his report.
“Do you have the debit card?” he asked.
“Shoot. No. I cut it up and threw it away.”
“I really need that number for the report.”
I glanced at the top of the bank statement I held in my hand. No debit card number, only the bank account number. Ok. Now what? I thought.
That’s when I remembered the Grab and Go Binder.
A Grab and Go Binder is a binder that holds all your important documents in one portable spot. The wisdom behind it is this: In the event of an emergency evacuation, it will be much quicker to grab one 3-ring binder than it would be to rummage through several file folders in a locked desk drawer.
If you don’t have one already, no worries. Assembling a Grab and Go Binder is a pretty straightforward task. Pick up a 1 ½ inch 3-ring binder, a pack of clear sheet protectors, and some tab dividers from your local office supply store, then get busy organizing all your personal papers.
Here are the categories I used to help me get everything organized:
- Emergency Plan
- Auto
- Education
- Employment
- Family
- Financial
- Housing
- Insurance
- Life Planning
- Medical
- Pets
When you’re done, find a safe yet accessible spot to store it, like a fire-proof safe.
Need some ideas of the documents you’ll want to include in your binder?
Download this checklist to help you gather your important papers together:
Grab and Go Binder Documents Checklist
One more tip…
Once you’ve collected all the documents, take the time to scan them, then save the files on two flash drives. Throw one in your emergency kit and store the other at an away-from-home location, like a safe deposit box or trusted relative’s house.
The Grab and Go Binder came through for me big time. I was able to find the information the officer needed for his police report and he even complimented me on my organization skills! 😉
Don’t wait. Go get your supplies and get organized today.