This past week I bought some CFL bulbs to replace a few lights that had burned out. This time, I bought name brand, since we purchased an off-brand at Walmart the time before and they only lasted as long as a “normal” bulb. I happened to think that I should keep the pacakaging in case it doesn’t last as long as it’s guaranteed to, and noticed that the receipt and UPC is required to get your money back.
I usually keep my grocery receipts in one envelope until it gets full and then throw it away. I’m always hoping I’ll find a rebate for something I’ve already purchased. 
I’ve gotten lazy lately and just thrown some of them away, though. Like the one I needed to save for the CFL light bulbs, just in case.
I’m curious – what type of receipts do you keep, and for how long? Do you have a special storage system? A particular rhyme or reason for saving some and not others?
Please share your opinion and strategies in the comments. Last week we talked about what to do with extra milk, and I and many others learned a ton – here’s hoping we can share more great tips on thits subject! If you are reading via RSS or email, please click here to leave a comment.
Related: How To Read Your Grocery Receipt Series
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
I keep all of them, except small items paid for with cash, ie fast food etc. I do try to keep the diaper receipts in their own envelope so if I need to exchange sizes I don’t have to hunt. Everything else goes in a shoe box or one of the plastic shoe boxes. We moved two and a half years ago, so all receipts before then were thrown out. I should get rid of some of the older ones, it’s on my to do list, lol.
I too keep them all or at least TRY too, from time to time I accidently toss one and is always so happens to be one I need later down the line. I keep them in a file in my filing cabinet sorted by category (my “categories” are pretty simple) I actually have found for some bigger purchases they come in super handy if I am selling the item on Craigslist. For example, we just recently sold our dyson and having the sales receipt paid off in a huge way
Also, I’ve found with lots of companies if the item you buy has a warranty and the time has passed they will still replace your item if you have your original receipt. Last year our coffee pot, crock pot and food processor all died (at different times) and I got them all replaced and shipped for free because I had my receipts 
As for how long…forever…haha, I do from time to time purge them but I still have furniture receipts from years back.
That’s a good point… hadn’t thought about saving receipts for resale…
We usually save the boxes from electronics and small appliances purchases for a few months, and sometimes I put the receipt inside the box in case it needs to be returned. It’s easier than having to look through a stack of uncategorized receipts, and usually I wouldn’t need the receipt unless it needs to be returned anyway.
I don’t save most things once they’ve been recorded in my budget. But I do have an envelope for gift item receipts–especially those that I can’t get a gift receipt for. And I tend to staple receipts for electronics an other items that are warrantied to their instruction manuals. I have saved a fortune in freezer repairs that way, because the receipt, warranty, and manual are ALL together!
I save them all – I have an envelope for each month. Sometimes I need to go back and find a receipt and it is helpful. Has been helpful with taxes in the past.
I have been saving just about anything – I have them sorted by “grocery”, “gas”, “office”, etc…….. used to do a folder every quarter as well, but I stopped doing that. I am actually considering stopping saving all the grocery and small household items. Because of taxes of a self-employed husband I “think” I need to still keep all the “business supplies” and “gas” and “dining out” stuff. I never use it, but I guess I need to keep it! Once I have it recorded in Quicken I rarely if ever have to go back to a receipt. Even work stuff. It sorts it all there and is much easier to find if I need. Obviously, appliance and gifts I would still keep receipts on, but I am thinking grocery and toilet paper and $2 at McDonalds isn’t really necessary
I really hate filing and receipts tend to pile up on me quick!
I save my grocery receipts for about a year (I know a little much) but the reason I do is because last year they back tracked the dates on some of rebates & found that I already purchased the items. All others I saw until their return policy is no longer valid.
I save all of my receipts too, (expect fast food that was paid in cash). I keep all of the receipts in a small accordion file folder labeled with each month of the year. At the beginning of each year when I am getting ready for taxes, I take all of the receipts from the whole year and put them in a gallon size ziploc bag. Then I put it in a bankers box with all of the other papers from that year and label the box. It makes it so easy to go back and find things when it is in one place.
If you make purchases at Costco, I would highly recommend hanging on to the receipts indefinitely. We bought a Keurig coffee maker last February and it stopped working. I took it in with the receipt and they replaced it. He said it was a good thing I bought it from Costco because they guarantee the products they sell for the lifetime of the product! I believe the only exclusions are certain electronics like televisions and cameras.
I keep most of my receipts in one of those plastic expandable folders. I bought one that’s receipt size and has twelve pockets. I use one pocket for each month and keep them for a year. (When February 2011 rolls around, I’ll toss the receipts for February 2010.)
If I buy something high dollar and/or electronic, I staple the receipt to the instruction manual and file that in a filing cabinet.
Like Brandy, I’ve found that saving the receipt is very helpful with resale or for getting a company to replace a product that was out of warranty.
Receipts that are tax deductible items go into a different folder so that I don’t have to sort through a pile of receipts when I’m doing my taxes.
I save all “big” purchase receipts. We are military and when items are damaged from PCS moves, having the receipt makes life much easier filing a damage/missing report. I keep a file box and label each large envelope with Electronics, Outside, Kids Stuff, Tools/Hardware, Kitchen, Furniture. When the item is sold, donated, or is thrown out, then I throw out receipt and owners manuals. Carrie, I had same problem with CFL bulbs I purchased at Sam’s Club and saved the receipt & box but the warranty stated to send the blown out bulb with a copy of the receipt back to the manufacture which would have cost me more than replacing the bulb.
Just FYI on Costco receipts, if you happen to lose or misplace one all you have to do is take your card to member services and they not only can look up and reprint your receipt for you but if the product is broken etc. you just take it in (yes even if parts are missing) and they give you a full refund! No time limit. When they first opened here in the springs we bought an item from them and around Christmas time it had broken and I needed it repaired, couldn’t find the receipt from almost 3 years ago and they said just bring the item it and they gave me all my money back from a purchase that long ago instead of going through the hassle of getting it fixed. AMAZING policy, we love Costco.
I keep my receipts filed in my finance bin under each month just in case. As for the light bulbs name brand or off brand it all depends on your electrical system. We live in an older house built in the 70′s so they burn out quickly because of surges. The ones in the bathroom seem to last the longest. They don’t do well in rooms that are used a lot. I talked at length about this to a guy at Home Depot. The light bulbs are all made the same just different names on the labels with some slight differences in some brands but any house built before 98 he said they are not as useful as they say. But always keep your receipt and pkg because they bet like most people they toss it and then you are stuck.
Hello everyone,
I always keep them all. I try to charge everything on my credit card. It just helps with budgeting. It also helps to know where to look if there is a problem down the road. We all know that for the most part, quality isn’t what it use to be. So if I have the receipt stapled to the credit card statement, it’s easy to find if there is a problem with a product or I want that receipt for a rebate. We’ve even had problems with unauthorized tips being put on our card. So I find it’s necessary to check my receipts to my card statement each month. On a side note, if you are going to leave cash as a tip, always fill in the tip line with zero and write in the total. I’ve found that our Cabela’s credit card company had always been on our side. So that’s comforting. Have a great weekend!
I posted this on FB, but here’s what I do: I save all *service* receipts for at least a year. I save all receipts where I *donated* something (like to our food pantry – I just write “food pantry” on the top and file it under “current tax info”). I also staple receipts of *breakable* or *large* items to its warranty and/or user manual (baby equipment, appliances, etc). I keep all warranties and user manuals in a plastic bin marked “warranties”. I shred the rest; that is, when I get around to shredding – once every few months. LOL!
We just converted our household to an all-cash system, so we keep ALL receipts in the appropriate envelope for the purchase. Once the month is over, anything that needs to be saved for warranty, resale, or exchanges (unworn clothing or unopened diapers/trainers).
Prior to February, we kept all our receipts to verify against any credit card statements. After we verified all purchases against our statements, we would only keep those for Medical/Dental, Home Improvement (large items or projects only), any appliances, and any item that came with a manufacturer warranty, or for which we purchased an extended warranty. The packaging for warranty items has the date written on it in permanent marker, and the receipts are all filed in our fire-safe box, along with the other important paperwork.
I’d love if you did a survey of CFL bulbs. I’ve purchased brand name and Walmart/Sam’s bulbs – and I find that they say they are supposed to last 7 yrs, but I’m doing good if they last 2-3 before burnout. Any input as I’m replacing CFLs with 60W? I’m a little disheartened with the CFL results?
I save all grocerie receipts in an envelope for the month. I have often looked through these to find like P&G receipts (or other) for rebate offers that I find out about on the way. I also need some of them for our flexible spending medical stuff at the end of the year. We save all electronic receipts permanately in our larger filing cabinet. These help when you donate to Good Will or somewhere, because you can use them to backup your donation form in case the IRS ever questions our valuation system etc.