Being disorganized is costing me a fortune. If I were more organized, I would know exactly how much being disorganized is costing me, but here are two examples that illustrate my problem.
Example 1: Last month I received two tickets for the same infraction. I waited too long to get my smog check and renew my vehicle tags, so I got a $100 ticket from SFPD and a $60 ticket from DPT for expired tags. Both tickets were fixable. All I needed to do was have a police officer sign the backs of the tickets to verify that I had current tags, and send the tickets along with a $10 fee within 21 days. First I procrastinated, then I lost the tickets. By the time I found the tickets, I was over 21 days for the $100 ticket. I just made the deadline for the $60 ticket. Total cost of being disorganized: $110.
Example 2: I haven't filed my tax return on time in many years now. Back when I was single and used to get big refunds from the Federal and State governments, this wasn't much of a problem. In effect, all it cost me was the opportunity to use the money that the government kept from me. The last two years I've been so late in filing that I've had to pay a penalty for filing late, a penalty for underpaying and interest on what I owed. The cause? I'm so disorganized that it takes me days, sometimes weeks, to get my hands on all the papers I need to complete my taxes. Total cost of being disorganized for my 2007 return: $566.23.
I have nine days to complete my 2008 return. Gotta get it done.
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