Tips for keeping your bills in order will come in handy when you are ready to sit down and take care of what most of us think of as a mundane chore. Bill paying can be tedious, and it’s not “fun” by any stretch of the imagination, but with these handy tips at your disposal, bill paying can, at the very least, be done quickly, efficiently, and smoothly. Keep on reading for my top tips for keeping your bills in order!
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1. Have a Designated Spot
One of my best tips for keeping your bills in order is to make sure you keep them all together. If you don’t have one spot where you can keep track of everything, your chances of being late for a payment are much greater. When you receive your mail, put all your bills in one place, separate from the rest of the mail. This helps de-clutter, and ensures that you can keep track of all your important bills for quick and easy record keeping!
2. Keep Supplies Nearby
When you finally sit down and start to do the dreaded task of bill pay, it really helps speed up the process if you have all necessary supplies on hand. I like to keep a desk drawer stocked with envelopes, pens, stamps, my checkbook, staples, tape, paperclips, and a few other things I might need. You’ll find the process goes much smoother when you don’t have to stop and hunt for something every few minutes!
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3. Check and Double Check
Here’s a very handy tip for keeping your bills in order AND doing your wallet a favor! Always, ALWAYS double check the figures on each bill you owe. If you notice a charge that seems out of place, or your bill is higher than usual, figure out why. You may need to call the bill company for clear answers. I was once charged triple by accident for my cable bill! Be careful to make sure you aren’t overcharged.
4. Make a Working System
I’m a very organized person, so I love to have a working system for organizing and keeping my bills in order. What currently works for me is a three-ring binder and regular page protectors. I use dividers to section off each month, which is clearly marked on the tab. I have one page protector where I slide biweekly bills, one where I slide monthly bills, and a couple for keeping receipts for expenses that month. The very first page protector is where I keep the bills I haven’t paid yet, then as I pay them, they go to their designated pockets. It’s handy to keep a few pages of regular paper in each section too for keeping track of notes. One binder typically lasts a year, so this system is a good way to keep things on target.
5. Keep Track of Due Dates
If you like to have reminders for due dates, you can set up your phone to give you alerts. Some people like to make a note in their daily planners. I keep up with due dates by taking care of bills on each payday. Different things work for different people, so find what works for you and stick with it.
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6. Always Balance the Checkbook
I once forgot to write down a check in my checkbook. I can’t tell you how that one check ended up throwing off my entire account balance and really messing some things up for me! Let me just remind you of how important it is to keep track of each expense, small or great, and balance your checkbook out!
7. Save Receipts and Statements
One way to help you keep track of expenses and bills is to save your receipts and bill stubs. Just because you have paid a bill for one month doesn’t mean it’s ok to throw out the stub or receipt! In fact, you should hang on to it for confirmation, proof, or just in case the payment doesn’t go through the first time. To stay organized, come up with a system for keeping track, like the one I mentioned above.
8. Set up Online Bill Pay/Reminders
One of the things that have really helped in keeping my bills in order has been online bill pay! Having access to your bank accounts and bills at the click of a button really simplifies things. You can set up for automatic withdrawal each month, and you can set up email or text notifications to remind you when bills are due or when they have been successfully withdrawn.
This is a fail proof system that has worked for me every since I started having my own bills, at the age of 18. I don’t “enjoy” paying bills or budgeting, but by following a consistent schedule and being careful to keep track of figures, I’ve been able to be successful. What are your tips for keeping your bills in order? Everyone has their own way of doing things, so please comment below if you have any bomb tips to share!
