When trying or organize, how long should I save a copy of my utility bills?
One year is the general rule of thumb. If there was some issue with a particular bill for a particular month, keep it for a little longer – perhaps two years, with the notes of your conversations about the problem and any other documentation of the issue and its resolution. If you are claiming any portion of your utility bills on your tax returns, keep them with your tax returns and save them for at least 7 years. Here is a quick and easy filing system that may help keep your utility bills organized and prevent you from having to sort through piles of them in the future: Set up 12 manilla file folders in a filing cabinet drawer or stand-up file on top of your desk. Label the folders with each month of the year. Every month, after you pay your utility bills, place the stub in the folder for that month. Next year, at the beginning of January, pull out everything in the January folder and shred it and you will have an empty folder for your new utility bill stubs. At the beginning of Febru
