Paying Bills on Time

Paying bills on time is very important. Paying bills late can affect your credit and can also accrue late fees. This is a guide about paying bills on time.

Solutions: Paying Bills on Time

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Keeping Track of Bill Due Dates

Prepare any bills/correspondences ahead of time that will have to be mailed in the future. Do not stamp any of the envelopes. Instead, write in small letters the date that the letters have to be mailed in the area where the stamp is placed. When the day comes for the letter to be mailed; place the stamp over the written date and it's ready to mail out.

Instead of writing checks or preparing other mailings a few times a week/month, do it all at one sitting and date the envelope when it has to be mailed. Keep all the envelopes together in order they are to be mailed. This works great for birthday cards or other greeting cards.

By mkymlp from NE PA, USA

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Paying Your Bills On Time

There are two different methods I use because I pay some bills with a check and others using my credit card. If paying with a check, when the bill comes in the mail, immediately upon opening it I write a check and get the envelope ready. On the inside of the envelope flap, I write the date it is to be mailed (allowing about 3-4 days mailing time) and put the stamp on the envelope. I place this envelope a plastic mail holder that has 31 different slots; one day for each day of the month (example: #25 for the 25th of the month).

When that day arrives, I know to mail that envelope, so seal it and mail it. I don't mail until then because I don't want the funds drawn out of my account until necessary, allowing me to draw interest on that money, not the company collecting my check.

If it is a credit card I am paying the bill with, I simply put that bill in the slot on the day I am to call and pay that bill. When the call is completed, I make a note on the bill of the day it was paid, the amount, and confirmation number along with the persons name that took payment. I then file the paperwork knowing it has been paid and it's out of my way! Works for me!

Source: Learned from lady I used to work for.

By kk22kk22 from Ft. Collins, CO

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Pay Bills Online Immediately

When I get the mail each day, I immediately sort it and discard what I can. I do not hold bills to be paid later. I immediately "pay" them using the internet. I go to the website of the company and choose the option to pay my bill. Then, I change the date from the current day's date to the one I want the money to come from my checking account. This is almost always the due date!

This method reduces paper clutter, postponement, late charges, etc. I am a Senior citizen and have used many different methods, but to date this is the best one yet! I am able to shred the bill and not have it laying around the house.

By Carol from Wyoming, PA

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Organizing Bill Paying

Set up five file folders labeled Week One, Week Two, and so forth. As you open your mail each day file the bills into the week of the month it is due. Choose one day a week to pay your bills. Monday works best if you mail your payment, if paying online it doesn't matter which day you choose.

Take the folder for the next weeks bills and everything is ready to go. I place the completed weeks empty folder in the back so the next weeks bill folder is in the front. It just takes a few minutes to file it all away and there is no scrambling to figure out what needs to be paid.

To take it one step further, put the folders in a small file box. The Week 1-5 folders are in front and each bill has its own folder for paid receipts in the back. Everything is in one place and you never have to search to see if you paid a bill. It's all right there. You can also have a file for your stamps.

By Gramama from ID

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Paying Bills On Time

Tips and ideas to help you pay your bills on time.

Write The Date and Time Due on the Envelope

When I receive bills or any correspondence that has to be mailed at a certain time, I save time and aggravation by writing the date due to be mailed where the stamp goes. Only takes a second to let me know it is time to mail something.

By Linda

Online Bill Paying

Use an online bill paying service. As soon as your bill comes in the mail, schedule the payment. If it is a recurring bill, many services will let you schedule it to be paid automatically each month so that you don't have to enter it each time.

By QueenBeeCrafts

Paying Bills Right Away

I pay each bill the day after it comes in the mail. Then there's no forgetting a bill payment.

By rabbithorns

Credit Counseling

We really got into hot water by not paying our bills on time. We were close to losing our house. We went to a certified nonprofit credit counselor and we are doing much better. We have been with them for a year. They charge a fee for their service, but we save that much money in interest fees. They negotiated lower interest rates with some of our creditors. We will be out of debt in less than two years.

I mention this only because some of the people who visit this site are coming because they are in the same situation.

If you go to a credit counselor, make sure they are certified and non-profit. Also make sure that they are not trying to get you to sign another loan on your house. Some outfits are simply mortgage companies. The people we work with (GreenPath) are certified, nonprofit and they are also certified HUD counselors. All of this makes it easier to deal with the creditors. The phone calls have stopped. We shop at Aldi's for food and we shop at Thrift stores for over half of our clothing (I rarely find clothes for my tall son at thrift shops, the best I can do is clearance at landsend.com and oldnavy.com. I can never find his size at brick and mortar stores.)

By odeal59

My Three Rules

Rule #1:

Keep all your bills in one place. Take them there straight from the mailbox to avoid misplacing one.

Rule #2:

Select one day of the week (or every other week) for paying bills. Sometimes time gets away from me and I realize I haven't paid bills in a while and there is something due tomorrow. If I pay bills every Thursday, I am unlikely to miss it. Then on that day I pay everything that is due within the next 10 days so I don't have to worry about them again until the next week. That gives enough time for them to get through the mail. This goes for online bill pay services as well because sometimes it takes up to 5 days for them to process it and mail it to the company being paid.

Rule #3:

Keep a list of the bills that don't have a reminder coming every month, like rent or bills with a payment book. Better yet, keep a list of all bills you have due every month with the approximate date of the month they are due. Example:

1st of month House payment
10th of the month insurance payment

This really helps keep track of auto debits because it is easy to screw up your balance if you forget that an auto debit posted. Also, when you pay regularly and get into a rhythm like this it becomes easier to know how much money you are going to need later in the month so you know when to quit spending.

By TabbyCat

Pocket Calendar

Purchase cheap yearly pocket calendar or better yet, get one from a vendor with advertising on it for free. Each month has a margin, write mortgage or rent, car payment, water, phone, electric, standard monthly bills. As soon as bill comes in, record the amount. When paid, check it off list. List credit cards and balances, add insurance payments to list on months due. I keep one in my desk at work.

By Sandy

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Paying Your Bills on Time and Saving on Postage

I have been paying many of my bills over the phone with my debit card. It is a win-win situation. Not only do I save writing a check and saving a stamp (which is now 39 cents - ouch!) but my payment gets credited much faster. Just check your creditors to see if they offer this option.
My utilities and insurance companies for the most part all do.

If they don't, they may take automatic payments out of your account each month which would be another option. Still another is to make your payments online.

By Diane from Paradise, PA

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Place Bills Right On Your Calendar

This is my tip for paying bills on time. As soon as I receive a bill in the mail, or an email saying my bill is due soon, I write the due date and the amount on the calendar. Then every week when I write out my weekly spending plan and pay bills, I know when it needs paid and for how much. I'm never late making a payment.

By wendiesioux from Indiana

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Fold Bills When Paid

I sometimes open my mail and leave it in my car. The way I know that I haven't paid it yet is because it isn't folded in half. I can then go to my bill pay and take care of it immediately. Folding my bills in half gives me the security I need to know that that bill has been paid.

By Louella from Billings, MT

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Keeping Track of Bill Due Dates

I am looking for suggestions on paying bills and budgeting. Does anyone have any ideas on how to remember when bills are due and keep track of them?

Keeping Track of Bill Due Dates

To help me pay my bills on time, I put them in a drawer that I open often. I write the date due on the envelope, and stack them with the earliest date on top. This helps me pay on time.

By tuppermern from Pittsburgh, PA

RE: Keeping Track of Bill Due Dates

What I do is: I have a paper folded and tucked in my check book so the top shows over the ledger and I write like:

Electric 6/18 7/18
Rent 6/18 7/18
Cable 6/18 7/18
Credit Card 6/18 7/18
etc

I don't put the amount because I can look back in the ledger to see it. The size of the paper is sufficient to last the whole year and I write small so it's easy to read. It's easy and I can tell at a glance if and when I paid bills. (06/18/2009)

By Ariela

RE: Keeping Track of Bill Due Dates

I'm going to have to set up a reminder system too. I pay my bills online, so as soon as I get it in the mail, I can set up the payment with my bank account. But I can't trust the mail anymore to get the bills to me. Too many times I've been getting other people's mail, so am sure mine gets lost too. I do have two bills set up to be paid directly each month, but really don't want to do that to any other accounts. I guess I will try some sort of chart so if I see blank space, that will alert me that no payment was made. (06/18/2009)

By ginnee

RE: Keeping Track of Bill Due Dates

I'm visually impaired, so this is what works for me: As bills come in, I have hubby read the due dates to me. Then I can set reminders for myself using MS Outlook. For example, if I'm getting paid on the 16th and I know the mortgage is due that day, I'll set my reminder to say something like, "To do: pay mortgage." We have another couple of bills that fall due the last week of the month, so whatever payday falls latest in the month gets that reminder. Also, I earn more interest if I transfer most of my cash to savings until it's actually needed . Even though it's not a lot, it's found money, and every penny helps!

Like so many others, I'm cautious about paying bills automatically, since my paycheck can be very erratic. But this does work for me! (06/21/2009)

By JustPlainJo

RE: Keeping Track of Bill Due Dates

I do online banking and bill paying. When bills come in I open and place in front of PC in clear view and in day or so set them up in the bill paying section of online banking. You can either pay next day or set up to pay on future date. If you get online bills then when you check the amount and due date jot it down and immediately set it up to pay. The total set up for paying is then listed for you, you can subtract that and know what you still have to work with. It will show you what the amount and date of last payment also. Most online bill paying programs also let you set up reminders that works well and keeps you aware what is due. Just be aware that if they can't send payments electronically it will take days longer (up to 7 days on mine) to have them received by the sender.

I used to use a sheet a month in a steno book and check it off with info, but that was when I wrote manual checks and mailed them out. As the bills came in then I put them on top of the steno book as a signal bill needs to be paid so sit down and do it. If you write all checks manually you can do it early and the spot where the stamp goes you can write the date it needs to be sent out so you won't mail it out late, not the due date. Keeps stamps paper clipped to the book for fast mailing out. (06/23/2009)

By itsagift

RE: Keeping Track of Bill Due Dates

I just noticed you are from Pittsburgh, PA. I grew up in Creighton, PA. Do you know where that is? I now live in TX, but still get excited to see someone from near my old hometown.

I have another way to get bills on time. If you have a small file folder with pockets place the bills there when they come in or you get electronic billing (jotting down amount and due dates for them). The dividers are labeled 1 thru 4, 8 thru 14, etc with last one taking to 31st. Place the bills in the file according to the date they should be mailed out, not due date. Then force yourself to set aside few minutes each day to look at current week like when you are having morning coffee or something that is regular part of day. Pull out the ones that need to be going out next day and get them either ready then or to do later on, but important part is to do them that day you pull them out. I used to do that too until the steno book seemed easier for me. (06/23/2009)

By itsagift

RE: Keeping Track of Bill Due Dates

I have a large desk calendar on the wall near the computer and I write the due date on that date, I still seen to never pay them on time though! (06/23/2009)

By sickandsexy

RE: Keeping Track of Bill Due Dates

Automatic online bill pay works from me. My phone is the same month to month. Our electric company has a program where you pay the same every month. I have them scheduled to go out every month. I've never paid a late fee. I set it up through my bank's website. Most banks offer these kinds of online services these days. (07/02/2009)

By emilykate84

RE: Keeping Track of Bill Due Dates

I keep a financial notebook. I use a master list of payments due each month and check it off as I pay the bills online. My financial notebook is divided into these sections: Payment Plans, Cash Flow, Loan Amortization, and Expenditure/Repair log. Payment Plans is a sheet for each payday for the year showing payments due from that check. I do a cash flow plan about 3 months out showing all income, payments and projected balances. I periodically check my real balance against my projection and adjust it. I print out loan amortizations for all loans and track them with each payment. I verify balances with the creditor every year. Finally, I post repairs and major expenditures in a log for easy reference. I know this sounds complicated but it really isn't after the initial setup. It's so handy to have everything in one binder. (07/10/2009)

By Blondie50