There's nothing more frustrating than not being able to find your financial information when you need it. And it's not only frustrating -- it could cost you money. Whether you need to dispute a credit card charge, balance your checkbook, or answer questions regarding your finances, staying organized means you'll always have the information you need right at your fingertips.

Today, we'll be looking at ways to organize your financial records, and how to read and spot errors on credit card and checking account statements. Then we'll walk you through balancing your checkbook, and go through some easy steps you can take to improve your organization.

The key to organizing your records is finding a system that works and is comfortable for you. Getting organized really isn't that difficult.

First, you'll need someplace to store your financial records. There's no one right way to organize your records. Your system might include file folders and a cabinet, a carton, box, or expanding file. If you're overwhelmed with a stack of old papers, then start your system from today going forward. Just make sure you stay current from now on.

Next, set aside time at least every week or two for filing records. You've got to prevent your "file pile" from becoming a mountain. If you can keep your pile manageable you are much more likely to stay current.

Finally, commit to staying organized. Remind yourself that organization saves time and makes record keeping easier.

Label a file folder for each category that you have receipts or records for. In the slide above we've labeled Checkbook, Important Documents, Tax Records, and Bills. You might have more or different file folder categories. The important thing is to organize the records so you know where to find them when you need them, like when you have a question about a charge on your credit card statement. When you're organized, you always know right where to find what you need.

Your credit card statement is a monthly record of your account. It not only tells you how much you owe, but also what your credit limit is and how charges and fees are calculated. The slide above lists the information you can find on your credit card statement.

When your statement arrives, make sure all the charges listed on it are yours, or authorized by you. Also, make sure any payments you made were credited to your account. And finally, contact your credit card issuer immediately if you have any questions about charges or payments.

If you notice an incorrect charge on your statement, having the receipt will make it easy to get the mistake fixed. And as long as you keep your records organized, you'll know right where that receipt is when you need it.

A well-organized checkbook allows you to pay for goods and services without carrying large amounts of cash or relying on credit, as long as you have enough money in your account. The slide above lists some basic tips for keeping your checkbook organized.

Your checking account statement is a monthly record of account transactions. The statement shows all withdrawals, deposits, fees and balances.

Credits increase the balance you have available in your account. Credits include paycheck deposits, dividends, interest, tax refunds, and other cash you deposit in your account. The total deposits are shown on your statement.

Debits reduce the balance in your account. Debits include service charges, checks, ATM or debit card transactions, automatic deductions, and fees. The checking account statement and the information about your deposits and debits will help you organize your finances and balance your checkbook.

One thing you won't see on your checking account statement is the outstanding items. These are transactions you made AFTER the date your bank issues your monthly statement.

An outstanding check is one that you wrote, but that wasn't cashed in time to appear on your monthly statement. For example, if your statement is dated the 27th, then a check you wrote on the 26th probably won't show up on that statement, since it hasn't had time to clear. But you still have to account for that check as a debit when it comes time to balance your checkbook.

You should balance your checkbook every month. It's really not hard to do, especially now that you're organized.

There are three basic steps to balancing your checkbook: gathering your monthly transaction records, comparing your register to your checking account statement, and reconciling your checking account statement.

First, gather up your transaction records for the month. These include cancelled checks, bank deposit slips, ATM receipts, and your check register. When you have your financial information organized, this step is a breeze.

Next, compare your check register with your bank statement. Chances are they won't match exactly. Why? Because of bank debits and credits, and those outstanding items we mentioned -- checks you've written, but that haven't cleared as of the date of your last statement. So how do we get our register to match our statement?

First, record in your register all the debits and credits that are on your statement but not in your register, like monthly fees and interest income. Then place a mark next to every transaction that is in your check register and on your statement. This will help you find the outstanding transactions in your register -- the ones that aren't on your statement yet.

The items in your register without marks next to them are your outstanding items. Add up the total dollar amount of outstanding items in your check register. You will need this total to reconcile your checkbook.

In reconciling your checkbook, you want to make sure that the total available funds in your check register matches the total available amount in your statement. In other words, if you subtract the total amount of your outstanding items from your statement, does the balance match what you have recorded in your register? Most bank statements have a form on the reverse side to help you do your reconciliation. You can also click on the link below to download a sample reconciliation worksheet.

If the worksheet balance equals the balance in your check register, your work is done and your checkbook is balanced. If the balances are different, you have more work to do.

To recap, organizing your important financial information can save you time and money. On checking account statements, debits are subtracted from your balance; credits are added to your balance. Outstanding checks are those that are not listed on your statement, but need to be included when you reconcile your checkbook so that you know how much money you really have. And finally, balancing your checkbook requires gathering your transaction records, comparing them with your account statement, and reconciling the difference between the bank's total and your check register total.