By George, I think I got it!

**lammiepie** · 08-31-2005, 02:34 PM

For some reason I had lost the knack for keeping my bills straight. I kept looking for a system that would work, but no matter what, bills got lost, went unpaid, forgotten, and usually paid late with extra fees. I used to be able to keep track of all my bills on a handy-dandy pocket calendar, but now the calendars were even getting misplaced. Also, before I just had my bills for the family, but now we have 2 rental properties, which also means more bills to keep straight.

In my quest for a better way to keep all bills in order, the first thing I did was to purchase a small wicker dresser to place by the front door, to put mail into immediatly. Paid stubs go in the second drawer down, and the bottom drawer is an excellent place to keep the often lost phone books, fast food menus, etc. Hey! I'ts working! Now I can find the bills, but......was still not getting all of them paid timely.

So, enter a notebook with pockets. With a little patience and a straitedge, I improvised my very own spreadsheet, designed just for me, then went through ALL of my bills, even the ones that only need paid every 3 months, and even the really small ones that I would usually just forget to pay, until I was threatened with collections or shut offs, and wrote them down, along with which day they are due, and the amount.

Guess what?! Its working! I feel so organized! Things are still behind, but I figure it will take awhile to get everything back on track. Guess what else?! Seems that the bills that we have aren't as bad as I thought they were, and now that I am putting more thought into paying them, they are actually getting paid.

I had lost track of how much I was spending, nickles and dimes at a time, you know a trip to Goodwill, one to a thrift shop, throw in the craft store or fabric shop here and there and of course lets just get Burger King for lunch, its so much easier than cooking. I kept saying that we just didn't have the money to pay all the bills, but I have proven myself wrong.

I have a plan to have all the bills paid on time within the next few weeks, and after that I will start working on getting a 2 week jump on them. We are living a little tighter than normal, as I am playing catch-up, but thats OK. I had forgotten that you must honor ALL the debts the same (even the $300 to the hospital, after the insurance paid their portion). I am hoping that this system will keep working. I am pretty sure it will, and it has the added extra effect of relieving much stress, as the credit card is no longer paid 1 or 2 days late, with late fees added!

I used to be able to keep up, and would never have allowed this situation to have happened, but like everything, that which you don't focus on goes astray. Hopefully this system will keep me focused.

**dndylfe** · 08-31-2005, 03:08 PM

Yeah for you!!! Here's another hint that might help you mail them on time...

I always write out the check, put the whole shebang in the envelope, and then in the corner where the stamp goes write the date that the bill needs to be mailed by in order to be paid on time. Has really helped me with different paydays versus different bills. Keep up your good work!

**jlxian** · 08-31-2005, 05:22 PM

I use a similar system --- I use a ledger book with one page for every one of my recurring bills (mortgage, electricity, phone, etc) and I enter the date paid, amount, and balance due in the case of loans and (blush blush) credit cards. Every bill goes into the front of the book when it arrives and once or twice a month I sit down to the agony of paying everything.

Like you I've had late bills and then late fees --- and I'm still working on that. I hate when a bill is due the 28th of the month --- why can't they make it the 2nd? I like the idea of writing out the check the minute the bill comes in and putting it in the envelope with the due date in the corner --- that could help me avoid this very problem.

**lammiepie** · 08-31-2005, 06:53 PM

I know myself pretty well, and if I were to write the check and put it in the envelope right away, I would invarably lose the envelope or think it had been mailed when it hadn't.

What does work for me is paying as many of my payments on line as I possibly can. I am the most upset with missing a due date by one or two days, as that is how the cc companies get you for fees and higher interest. I have been able to keep the one card at a 7.9% rate, but if it gets paid late more than twice, that rate goes up.

Mostly I was behind on utilities payments. The phone, Comcast, gas and electric. Credit cards, mortgages and loans usually got paid on time. But, little things usually just got pushed aside, as I was sure there wasn't enough to cover them. After scrutinizing the cash flow and the bills, I realized that there is more than enough coming in to pay all, but I must have a strict budget too. That's another principle that I had forgotten about. So far, I have paid 2 small bills for advertising my apartments for rent completely. That will free up some cash next month, which is good. Eventually I will start paying all my debts using the snowball principle. I know it works, as I did it once before. ( A long time ago.)

**Michele Annette** · 09-06-2005, 01:48 PM

Glad you found a system that works for you!

**lammiepie** · 09-06-2005, 08:57 PM

I started the spreadsheet system about a month ago and just today I was able to catch up on one more bill.!

Problem is, one of my renters is now 5 days late on his rent, and another only paid a partial payment. The late renter is my DS! I know he's good for it, and I knew he would probably be late due to the holiday and that he had been out of town until Saturday. But, this makes my house payment late. Also, (I am such a lienient landlord) I was actually rather shocked that I got any rent yet from the other renter, as he is usually a week late . Other than that he's a great tenant, so we just turn our backs and let him be late, (no fees unless he REALLY abuses it). Anyways, hopefully, will be able to pay the house payment tomorrow, still within the grace, and no added fees involved.

This is why I need to get about a 2 week buffer on my bills. Sometimes I can't count on my renters being timely.

Oh well, as Dori said in the movie Nemo: Just keep swimmin'....

**Hollyhandi** · 09-12-2005, 05:42 PM

Congradulations on finding a way to keep stuff straight.
I need to find someway and get a month ahead on all the bills.
I guess I 'd better get to work on this myself....
Your idea minght work for me also...

**AmyBoz** · 09-12-2005, 05:47 PM

Congrats! There's nothing like feeling on top of your finances!

**PrairieRose** · 09-12-2005, 06:15 PM

I find it's much easier to stay focused when I have a system b/c then I don't dread it all so much. Good going on the system....sounds like you're on the right track.

**lammiepie** · 09-12-2005, 10:18 PM

Funny thing about it, too, is that everytime I write another bill and check it off, well it just feels soooooo good! Its nice to see all the little columns filling up with the dates that everything was paid. I feel like I have power over my bills again. Also, nothing can go astray, which used to happen all the time, as now there is a written, physical reminder, so even if the bill "disappears" between the time it comes into the house and the time it comes due, I still know when to pay it. Usually the information needed is only a phone call or a mouse click away. No more excuses! And it is still working!

**Emerald_Mommy** · 09-13-2005, 10:54 AM

I'm glad you found something that works for you. I wish my dh would. He's "in charge" of our bill paying and he just stacks everything on top of one of our dressers and then forgets to mail them on time. An overdue bill majorly stresses me out, especially since we have the money to pay them. Why can't he send them on time or relinquish the job to me???

Maybe someday...