One of the most important things about getting on top of your finances is to organize your bills.
If you're the type that often forgets to pay your bills on time, it may be because you're not organized. Whether you use a bill organizer or rely on your planner, there are ways to organize your bills.
Stop Using Electronic Statements
While electronic statements do save paper, it can be much harder to remember to pay bills when you don't get a bill in the mail each month.
Go into your accounts and turn electronic statement delivery off for each one. It may take a little while for you to start receiving paper statements again, but once you do, you'll have a better ability to stay organized.
Use a Bill Organizer
A bill organizer can be your best friend. Best of all, you can pick one up in the stationery section of your local Dollar Tree.
Each month has a pocket for you to place your bills. You then have columns for writing down the name of the bill, the amount due, when you paid the bill, and how much you sent. Once you start using this system, you'll never forget to pay a bill.
Organize By Due Date
If you're on a tight budget, you want to make sure you organize your bills by date. This ensures that you pay bills that are due first.
The last thing you want to do is pay a bill that isn't due for a couple weeks and then not have the money for a bill that is due now.
Mark Dates in Your Planner
Part of staying on track with your bills is to stay organized with due dates. Write down all due dates in your planner along with the dates that you'll be paid.
This makes it easier to see which bills should be paid with which check. Once the bill is paid, write paid next to it in your planner.
Mark Your Statements
Last, but not least, write on your statement the date you paid the bill and method used. For example, if you sent a check, write down the check number.
This leaves zero question about whether or not a bill was paid. You can also write down the amount paid if you're paying more than the amount due.
It may take time, but once you organize your bills, you'll find that staying on top of your finances is much easier.
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