From June on, the choice will be a) carry a passport or b) don't go. The smart ones (this describes you, right?) will brave the bureaucracy and get their passports right away before the system gets jammed with applicants. The first quarter of every year is always the smoothest time to get or renew a passport with a minimum of grief, with the average application taking only a couple of weeks. Don't wait longer than March, though, because by the spring, the paperwork logjam is sure to be extreme considering the twin demands of summer travel prep and the frenzied run-up to comply with the long-delayed rule.

Why the requirement? Lots of people think that the government just wants to make it easier to spy on our movements. I don't know if I agree with that (or if I did, should I say so in print?), but there is no doubt that security is driving the mandate. There are currently some 7,000 types of birth certificates in circulation right now, so presenting one of them, plus a passport, currently clearly presents some validation issues for border agents.

As a student I have a fair amount of clutter in my life. Certain problem sets can leave me with pages and pages of scrap work that I tend to let sit around for a while. Sometimes papers won't leave my desk for a solid two weeks, other times the wind blows them off while I'm working on them. Once the pile gets large enough I have to spend time cleaning it all up and sorting it all out. In any case, I understand the need for, if not the implementation of, organization.

I recently found out about a new product called NEAT Receipts. It's a software-hardware combo for your computer. The item comes with a scanner for your financial documents and software that will interpret them. It works with receipts, business cards, expense reports and more. Then this info can be exported to programs like Excel and Quicken. I was initial skeptical of the product because the website included the words "As Seen on 'The View" but it received a 7.9 out of 10 on CNET so I'm willing to bet it's a decent product. Besides there is a promotion based off of the products TV appearance. Enter 'NEATVIEW' as a coupon code at check out and get $20 off. NEAT Receipts was previously only available for PCs but now Mac users can get in on the organization too.

Brendan Cleary is a student at Wesleyan University. No it's not that all girls school.

After having recently seen the fallout from dealings bonded only by a handshake, you may feel the need to get documentation the next time you or your small business enters an agreement. A few years ago you would have made your way to a pricey lawyer to ask them to draw up an agreement for you. Thanks to the wonders of the Internet and user generated content you can now find loads of legal documents online which will not only save you money but prevent frustration in the event your next deal goes sour.

A new service called Docstoc provides loads of legal documents which are useful for a plethora of situations all for free! The service includes user prepared wills, NDA agreements, real estate paperwork, lease/rental agreements and many others. Docstoc also provides excel documents which provide a great starting point for tracking your small business or hobby expenditures. If you can't find the document you are looking for, there is also a request feature letting you harness the Internet hive mind to meet your needs. The layout and design is really flashy and lets you preview all of the documents before signing up or downloading.

As with anything you find online you should use your best judgment to find a document which meets all of your needs. If you aren't an expert, you may be best served by finding the document at Docstoc, customizing it for your situation and then having a lawyer give it a once over. This could provide savings over what you would have originally paid if Dewey Cheatem & Howe prepared the whole agreement for you.

Via My Two Dollars