Oh, Happy November… another month, another month of paying bills. All those years we CANNOT wait to grow up and have all the things but gaaawd, do we need all the crap that comes with it?!
I swear I no sooner get done paying one month’s bills & the next month’s are rolling in. Keeping track of it all makes you want to stab your eyes out?! However, it doesn’t need to be that way. There are ways to make this whole bill paying system much less of a hassle just by following these {8} simple steps:
1. Have a designated area where you pay your bills {your home office, the kitchen counter… pick a place & keep it consistent}.
2. Keep all the bills together in one place. {I have a “Bills to Pay” folder that I slip all of our incoming bills into as the mail arrives. This corrals them all in one place so I'm not searching around later or misplacing them.}
3. Choose a few designated days each month to pay bills. {It’s important to know the due dates of bills so that you aren’t paying things late & incurring late fees. A simple bill tracker is great for keeping track of when bills need to be paid and can allow you to choose bill paying days accordingly.}
4. Collect all your bill paying supplies & keep them in/near your designated bill paying area. {i.e. stamps, calculator, pen/pencil, highlighter, stapler, paperclips, address labels, etc.}
5. Record paid bills immediately after paying in your check register or money management software {i.e. Quicken/Quickbooks, etc.}
6. File your paid bills immediately after paying {Choose a system that works best for you. We have opted for a monthly filing system vs. a filing system per creditor/vendor. It has reduced the amount of time/effort that goes into filing each month while still allowing for quick retrieval if necessary.}
7. Organize your bank statements each month & balance your check book to ensure that it balances. {It’s also a great way to verify whether unauthorized charges have been made against your bank account!! If you’re not paying attention, you’ll never know.}
8. Looking to make bill paying easier? Opt in for automatic bill pay; consolidating credit cards {the less you have, the less time it takes to pay!}; pay bills online {When paying bills online you no longer need to take the time to write out checks, address envelopes, pay for postage, etc. A total time saver. Be sure to keep a log of your usernames/passwords in a safe/secure place.}
Did you know that you can also “shop around” when it comes to some of your bills… and don’t be afraid to do it! {I have called DirecTv countless times to have our bill adjusted. There are ALWAYS offers/discounts they are willing to give you to keep you as a customer, it’s our job to ask!!}
Ready to get started & looking for a simple bill paying tracker - {here are a couple that I have used that only require Microsoft Excel software} - Simple Version and Detailed Version
Still needing help setting up a Bill Paying System {or wanting to automate your bills but struggling to get it all set up}, Orderly by Danica can help in a one-on-one session or via virtual sessions. Call 585.749.3493 for more details or email at orderlybydanica@gmail.com