Simple, Amplified

Maybe my mind isn't as sharp as it used to be, but lately I've been feeling overwhelmed by complexity.  Most of the complexity surrounds my finances.  I have too many accounts, and Quicken is no longer reliably downloading my transactions.  I've been working hard to streamline things.

Financial

I had two credit card accounts that I rarely used.  I called Citibank and converted one of those cards to the Double Cash Card.  I like how straightforward the card is:  I get 1% cash back when I make a purchase, and 1% back when I pay my balance.  I closed the second card completely.  Soon I will close my Chase Ink Business card.  Now that I can ean 2% cash with my Citibank card, the only benefit of the Ink card is the 5% cashback on office supplies and cell phone bill.  That isn't worth the $95 annual fee.

Clutter Control

We are working hard on getting rid of unnecessary material things.  I don't like to be distracted by my belongings.  This includes the wardrobe, where I am paring back clothes I no longer wear, decor around the house, which just collects dust, and tools, which I own a lot of from working on rental properties.  Since I have transitioned most of the rental properties to management companies I no longer need a lot of the tools I have come to own.  I'll be donating a lot of things, with the goal of taking everything to a charity drop off some time in July.

Other Areas

Several few months ago I closed out my UPS Store mailbox.  I save a decent amount in fees and no longer feel the need to make a special trip to the store to check my mailbox.  I also got rid of one of my computers.  Finally, I am trying out the Nutrisystem diet to simplify my food choices.  Once I learn proper portion control and develop a habit of eating right, I should be losing weight and will start buying healthier food from the grocery store.  We have been eating out less when we aren't traveling and I hope to continue cutting back on restaurant meals.