Getting organized for the unexpected with an emergency binder

Repost from September 2020: I’m getting ready to share some tips on estate planning. And a good foundational document is an emergency binder! Getting organized for an emergency can serve multiple purposes.

Why bother getting organized??

There are no shortage of reasons to get organized in case of an emergency today. Especially if you live in California! It actually makes me depressed to rattle them off… earthquakes, wildfires, pandemics, riots, and who knows what else. Alien invasion?? đź‘˝

And although it’s a complete coincidence, I’m posting this on the sad day of 9/11- a day when a lot of people faced an immense personal and national disaster. I am sure a number of those people were not prepared for what they were going to face in the weeks and months ahead of them.

But you know what alleviates some of that panic? Getting organized! And making sure you and your family have some control over what you can in situations like this. I will be the first to admit that we haven’t been great about this. We have paperwork scattered everywhere, passwords written in semi-secure places. My Dear Husband and I have been crossing our fingers that we won’t face an emergency, together or alone.

Family Emergency Binder from SmartMoneyMamas

It’s going to take some time to complete it (look at those yellow tabs!) but we are making progress.

Well, recently I put a stop to that “hope for the best” mindset and added the “…and prepare for the worst.” I heard about the Family Emergency Binder from the Physician on FIRE blog, where it was well-reviewed. Before I had time to think it over, I took the leap and ordered it from the SmartMoneyMamas website. It’s a PDF and paper-based compendium of everything your family would need to keep going (at least on an administrative level!!)

The binder includes key family info, financial info, need to know items, and has plenty of space to customize. Plus you can choose different versions for families with minor kids, older kids, no kids.

And I love that I get an email from the creator, Chelsea Brennan, every few weeks reminding me to keep going! It’s only been a few weeks, but we’re already further along than I expected.

It was $39 (I think I found a coupon that brought the price down to $32.) And although you could certainly DIY something similar on your own, having this binder takes the friction out of the process. No excuse not to just start typing.

Check it out, if you, like me, may have been a little less than diligent on getting organized for an emergency.

* An amuse bouche is a single, bite-sized hors d’oeuvre

Author: Amy

Living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area in California- I am always on the lookout for ways to enjoy life in California a little more

2 thoughts on “Getting organized for the unexpected with an emergency binder”

  1. I heartily endorse this product. Although all the data entry can be tedious and laborious, your dead spouse will appreciate it and remember you fondly. It is “tombstoning” of a different kind.

    1. Yes especially since the dead spouse is the one doing all the tedious and laborious work! Thanks dear husband ❤️

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