DIY: Decorate Your Own Receipt Box

After many times of trying to update our budget bi-weekly, I've finally decided to keep our receipts (in a more organized manner).  This way, I can keep track of our expenses more accurately.  Rather than having receipts start piling up, I found an old shoe box to throw them in bi-weekly.  After I update the budget, the receipts will be filed away monthly/yearly.  And in having a specific location for the receipts, my husband will be less likely to just throw them away!

Supplies

• Shoe box
• Masking Tape
• Scissors
• Rubber Cement (or any other kind of glue)
• Decorative Paper

Directions

I wanted a nice rectangular hole in the top of the box, so I cut a piece of masking tape to the length I wanted the opening and placed in where I wanted it on the box.

I then cut around the masking tape and ended up with a nice rectangular opening.

Note: I used an Exacto Knife & it was much easier to cut the hole rather than using scissors.

Next,  I started covering the shoe box with the decorative paper.  I taped down the paper at first, but this step can be skipped if you would like.  I did go back and glue down all the edges and removed the tape.  I did it this way, so if it wasn't working, it wasn't yet glued down.

In the middle of this project, I ran out of rubber cement (I was hoping I had enough!) and ended up using my hot glue gun - and this also worked out great.

And the finished product......

If you'd like, you can also add 'Receipts' to the lid of the box!  This will be much nicer to have out than a pile of receipts! And it was super easy and cheap too (decorative paper cost: $1.50)!

What other uses do you have for old shoe boxes?  What are some other ways you've found to organize all of those receipts?

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