Answer yes or no to the following questions:	Yes or No
1	Have you avoided credit card late fees for more than a year?
2	Without looking it up, do you know how much (give or take $100) is in your checking account?
3	Do you know where your passport and birth certificate are?
4	If a disaster ruined your home, do you know how much renter's/homeowner's insurance you would be eligible to receive?
5	Do you have a video tape or photo album of all of your valuables to provide to an insurance adjuster after such a disaster?
6	In the past year, have you tracked your spending for 30 days?
7	Have all your bills been paid on time in the past year?
8	Regardless of whether you abide by it, can you name a dollar amount that you've calculated to be your monthly entertainment budget?
9	Do you know how much you spent last month in entertainment expenses?
10	Do you know how much your disposable income is each month?

You might notice that we didn't ask whether your desk was messy or files were alphabetized and color coded. If that works for you, keep it up, but financial organization isn't about that alone. It's more a state of mind — one in which you know the significance of what you are spending, you have a clear picture of the ebb and flow of monthly income and expenses and where you're prepared for disaster.

If you answered YES to eight or more, you are probably thoroughly organized. Six or more, and you now know a few places you could improve. If you answered YES to five or less, you are likely spending money with little awareness and there are some areas you need to get your organizational and financial house in order. If so, we suggest reading the Getting Organized page in the past issues of Debt Matters. Good luck.