Yesterday’s challenge helped us breath easier. I’m guessing today’s might do the same. We’re headed to your e-mail Inbox – or if you’re like me and manage multiple accounts, your e-mail Inboxes. Once again, we’re looking to eliminate life clutter and financial spending triggers.

Just as a reminder, each of the Financial Decluttering assignments should only take 10-15 minutes and you’ve only missed assignments to Clean Out Your Wallet, Clean Out Your Refrigerator Door, Clean Out Your Car Console, Clean Out Your Sock Drawer, Organize Your Coupons, Clean Out Kids’ Backpacks, Clean Out Your Purse or Bag, Clean Out ONE Pantry Shelf, and Clean Off Your Desk.

Just a reminder, don’t forget to join the Financial Decluttering Facebook Group of over 1200 people for ideas and encouragement. You’ll love the photos of the clean wallets, clean refrigerator doors, car consoles, coupon binders, backpacks, purses, desks, and more!

Now, on to the challenge!

Day 11: Clean Out Your Inbox

I’ve had at least one e-mail account since my junior year of high school. For a time, I hung on to it because I was afraid someone would try to contact me at that address. Now, I primarily use it as a sign up account – the one attached to freebies, deals, and other now essentials.

I have four accounts attached to my websites and business efforts. And then I have a family account used for schools, family members, etc. Needless to say, it’s easy for my Inbox to ping all day long and that little red circle to grow larger and larger in number notifying me of all the unread messages.

Why It Matters:

You may not have 7 Inboxes like me, but I bet you have at least one. The e-mails that come to you vary from essential (Oh yeah! I do need to reschedule that Dr.’s appointment or pay that bill on time) to serious SPAM. Nope, no one is looking to give you their inheritance from across the globe.

Determining what’s helpful and what’s harmful can be tricky. Keeping the box from overflowing or worse yet triggering you into purchase items you didn’t even know about before you opened the e-mail can be stressful. It’s hard to know even where to begin.

But it DOES matter. Every second you spend opening or deleting an e-mail is one you could be using for better purposes. Let’s bring the Inbox down to 0 and get things under control today.

How to Do It:

• Determine if you need to shut down an account. Whether it’s an old work account or one you had from HS, do you really still need it?
• Clear through the unread e-mail. Depending on your Inbox balance, this may take awhile. Read each e-mail carefully. Place SPAM in the Junk or SPAM folder instead of just deleting. When you do this, you help your e-mail client “learn” which e-mails are regular SPAM.
• Unsubscribe from at least five different e-mails. In particular, look for those that cause you to want things you don’t have. Even if it’s just for a season, you need to remove this from you life. My 5 were:
  • Johnny Carrino’s – I haven’t eaten there in years.
  • Saucony – I haven’t bought anything off the site in well over a year.
  • Olay – I signed up for a free sample and they’ve been sending me e-mails like crazy.
  • Jillian Michael’s – I don’t remember ever signing up for this one.
  • Larkburger – a fast-food chain in CO I signed up for this summer to get free food but I’ll unlikely return.
• It’s even OK to unsubscribe from my e-mail (except you won’t know what the next challenge is. Ha!
• When you’re finished, take a photo and post it to the challenge post in the Financial Decluttering Group. We’ll celebrate your victory. And/or post on Instagram with the #FinancialDecluttering Hashtag.
• You’ll get bonus points and virtual fist bumps for interesting discoveries.

How to Keep It That Way:

Thursdays: those are the days I look for e-mails to unsubscribe to. Author Bob Goff says you should quit something every Thursday and so that’s usually the easiest path for me to let something go on that day.

A Few More Thoughts:

There are a few services I’ve used in the past to mass unsubscribe from different e-mails. However, I’m reading conflicting reports on their effectiveness recently. In the end, it’s probably best to hand unsubscribe unless you have a massive amount of subscriptions. It will take awhile and may be a more – as you go sort of thing, but it will be worth it.

I can’t wait to see all we achieve together this month. I’ll continue sharing my own journey in the Financial Decluttering Facebook Group and via e-mails. Be sure you subscribe for both.

Screenshot your Inbox victories and tips in the comments! I want to see what sorts of systems you use to organize.

Our new book Your Money, Your Marriage is now available! Be sure to check out videos on managing money together on Facebook.

My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional on Kindle.  

This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal, learn about a way to save, or maybe even something for free, I may end up making a small commission. All prices are subject to change.

Related posts:

Financial Decluttering Day 4: Clean Out Your Sock Drawer Financial Decluttering Day 7: Clean Out Your Purse or Bag Financial Decluttering Day 8: Clean Out ONE Pantry Shelf Financial Decluttering Day 9: Clean Off Your Desk