Any reason to keep paper bank statements / fees ?

[Lumiere]

Given they can also be downloaded from bank's website for last 7(?) years which would satisfy HMRC's 6 years requirement, and for own reference all data should be in accounting software.

What do you keep in paper form apart from expenses receipts ?

And how do you easily get rid of big IKEA bag volume of bank documents without access to log burner or industrial shredder ?

[pr1]

Once something has been scanned and/or saved in the accounting software in pdf format I get rid of it. Whether or not that's wise I guess I'll find out one day...

re: log burner, you've just missed bonfire night

[northernladuk]

Bank statements aren't enough as it doesn't have a VAT number on them? Or have I got that completely wrong? Either way I change reward cards regularly so won't work for me but keep the receipts so makes no difference to me

I still keep the paper receipts. Throw them in one tray to be entered in to FA. Once entered, clipped together, ticked and thrown in another tray. every 6 months, punch them, throw in a folder and forget. When I run out of space in my cupboard I throw the oldest folder in the loft. When we have a loft clear out I chuck folders up to 7 years away. I'm not normally to fussed about shredding 7-10 year old receipts, most which have faded, don't have that credit card and are (currently) registered to old address. Niece and nephew used to love shredding stuff when they were younger so just got that out ad let them at it. I'd have to pay the buggers now

Made half an attempt to photo/scan them but never got to grips with it so just carry on the old way.

And how do you easily get rid of big IKEA bag volume of bank documents without access to log burner or industrial shredder ?

Leave the bag out in a rainstorm then chuck in recycle bin. Not much use to anyone after that.

[Lumiere]

re: log burner, you've just missed bonfire night

I know, I know .. wanted to time it to that evening, to not give neighbours an excuse to complain about smoke ..unfortunately still had half of the volume in files and folders.
I have a small bbq but it is only big enough to fit ashes from a single letter from HSBC about £2 fee. Don't really want to have a wild fire in the garden.

[Lumiere]

Bank statements aren't enough as it doesn't have a VAT number on them? Or have I got that completely wrong? Either way I change reward cards regularly so won't work for me but keep the receipts so makes no difference to me

I still keep the paper receipts. Throw them in one tray to be entered in to FA. Once entered, clipped together, ticked and thrown in another tray. every 6 months, punch them, throw in a folder and forget. When I run out of space in my cupboard I throw the oldest folder in the loft. When we have a loft clear out I chuck folders up to 7 years away. I'm not normally to fussed about shredding 7-10 year old receipts, most which have faded, don't have that credit card and are (currently) registered to old address. Niece and nephew used to love shredding stuff when they were younger so just got that out ad let them at it. I'd have to pay the buggers now

Made half an attempt to photo/scan them but never got to grips with it so just carry on the old way.



Leave the bag out in a rainstorm then chuck in recycle bin. Not much use to anyone after that.

For receipts I use Smart Receipts app that generates CSV for accounting and PDF with bundled scans for record keeping, then throw them away, too messy to keep.

For official documents I am trying to move to Office Lens batch scanning -> OneNote archive, but only do it with selected documents, not banks statements .. think it is time to get rid of those.

Also keeping paper copies of dividend minutes and vouchers because of wet signatures and potential problems if losing.

----

Yeah bin+water may work, will still be readable .. not sure if scammers could use 10yo company bank statements for anything though. Burning feels more pleasant on the other hand.

[ladymuck]

Bank statements: download the PDF each month.

Receipts: scan and bin. Attach the scan to the relevant transaction in Xero.

[gixxer2021]

I know, I know .. wanted to time it to that evening, to not give neighbours an excuse to complain about smoke ..unfortunately still had half of the volume in files and folders.
I have a small bbq but it is only big enough to fit ashes from a single letter from HSBC about £2 fee. Don't really want to have a wild fire in the garden.

I bought something like this to burn the piles of stuff I would otherwise have to shred -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Galvanised-...zcF9hdGY&psc=1

I don’t worry about the smoke as the neighbours all have wood burners that plague me with smoke all winter…

[Lumiere]

I bought something like this to burn the piles of stuff I would otherwise have to shred -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Galvanised-...zcF9hdGY&psc=1

I don’t worry about the smoke as the neighbours all have wood burners that plague me with smoke all winter…

Yeah, that's what I had in mind, trying to justify purchase from decluttering pov .. getting rid of piles of paper in the house but getting a metal bucket in the garden.
What can it be used for after, if leaves are not a problem ? Warming hands Brooklyn style perhaps when outside ..

My neighbours were also gasing as with wood burner a few years ago, after some passive aggressive windows closing they stopped using it completely, ideally don't want to provoke them so they think it is fair game again. Won't be delivered in time for diwali, need to wait until the New Year or bbq season.

What do you do with ashes, it is probably toxic due to ink to be damped under the trees ?

[gixxer2021]

Yeah, that's what I had in mind, trying to justify purchase from decluttering pov .. getting rid of piles of paper in the house but getting a metal bucket in the garden.
What can it be used for after, if leaves are not a problem ? Warming hands Brooklyn style perhaps when outside ..

My neighbours were also gasing as with wood burner a few years ago, after some passive aggressive windows closing they stopped using it completely, ideally don't want to provoke them so they think it is fair game again. Won't be delivered in time for diwali, need to wait until the New Year or bbq season.

What do you do with ashes, it is probably toxic due to ink to be damped under the trees ?

I can’t honestly remember what I did with the ashes, maybe still in it! Yeah it does clutter my garage so fair point, and if you’ve actually managed to stop your neighbours using their toxic wood burner then I’d definitely think twice about giving them an excuse to restart! Nearly all mine burn stuff now all winter, so my house is cloaked in a Victorian like smog till spring…

[Snooky]

Leave the bag out in a rainstorm then chuck in recycle bin. Not much use to anyone after that.

Exactly this. I used to methodically shred everything until my wife suggested we just stick the bag of paper in a bucket of water for half an hour, then take it out and scrunch the paper into a ball and chuck it in with the general household rubbish. In theory someone could unpick it and maybe get some info but they'd have to find it among a bin bag of food waste and cat litter.