Bill Paying - Tips for Getting Organized

Paying the monthly bills isn't something many people look forward to, but the task is made more difficult if you don't organize your bill-paying effort. Bills can get lost, current bills can get mixed up with older bills, and credit accounts can get behind if you're not organized.

Develop a System

When your bills come in the mail, the worst thing you can do is put them in mail piles all over the living room or the kitchen. Purchase two office baskets and designate one for bills that need to be paid in the current month and the other for bills that need to be paid next month and beyond. Put the current-month basket on top so it gets the most attention, and do not forget to put bills in the top basket when the months change.

Keep all your bill-paying materials with the bill baskets. Your checkbook, calculator and anything else associated with paying the bills should be in one area for easy access.

Establish a Schedule

Sit down with your bills and write down which bills are due on which day of the month, then develop a monthly budget and bill-payment schedule around those due dates. Designate one day each week to be bill-paying day, and sit down with your schedule and your bills to make sure the bills get paid on time. Create a checklist of the bills that need to be paid every month, and check them off as you pay them.

Refer to the list regularly to make sure all the bills are accounted for, and don't forget to put any one-time bills, such as florist bills or tax bills, on the list as well.

Pay Bills Online

Your computer can be a huge help in organizing your bills. In fact, you can probably pay most of your current bills online from your checking account, which saves money on stamps and saves time because your payment is posted almost immediately. Check with your bank to see if you can pay your bills online.

Software

Invest in money-management software and follow the program each month to make sure your bills are paid. There are also many inexpensive spreadsheet programs you can use to create your own monthly bill planner--you may find it easier to follow something you created than something made by another person.