WARNING - paying bills can be addictive!

**frugalwarrior2** · 02-15-2011, 11:46 PM

Yes,yes and yes. All loans and CC paid off now for 6 months. The e-fund is at FULL. Put the 401K up to 6%. Am paying double on the 2nd mortgage and shall be out by 29 more months. So I paid 6 months ahead on the garbage collection instead of 3 months. Woohoo! getting crazy now and loving it!!

**erinalexmom** · 02-16-2011, 08:16 AM

Thats awsome! Now, I have a dumb question...how do you pay ahead on things like electric bills when they vary from month to month. Plus its not like they have a "pay off" Do you just send in what extra you can? I think its a good idea. I just wasnt sure how to go about it?

**Lady_V** · 02-16-2011, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by erinalexmom

how do you pay ahead on things like electric bills when they vary from month to month. Plus its not like they have a "pay off" Do you just send in what extra you can? I think its a good idea. I just wasnt sure how to go about it?

Not a dumb question at all!

I am enrolled in balanced billing

When you enroll in Budget Plan, you can take the the "peaks and valleys" out of your energy bills, making household budgeting simpler and more accurate.

Basically, they take the average of my yearly bill and divide it. At the end of the year, if I went over, I pay the extra. I have never had to do that, I am usually given a credit.

**erinalexmom** · 02-16-2011, 09:16 AM

We have discussed doing the budget billing before we just werent sure if we should or not. My dh and I need to revisit this topic

**Lady_V** · 02-16-2011, 09:30 AM

It's something to think about. We've been in it for a few years now, after the summer our bill was over $180 because the a/c was on all the time.

It is usually a bit higher the first year but you get the credit rolled in to the next year (or refund if you move, etc)

Ours went from no balanced budget to $80/month (first year, with BIG credit) to $60/mo (second year) to the $45/mo we have now.

**Jamauk** · 02-16-2011, 12:18 PM

We were just talking about doing the Even Billing thing with our electricity. We have NO gas in the house. Everything is electric, including the heat. In the winter our bills can get up to over $200/month

(even with most of our heat coming from the wood stove) but in the summer they are about $50. I think it's something we should definitely look into.

And congrats Lady V on your new addiction!

**Sassyclass** · 02-16-2011, 01:15 PM

Congrats, you crazy lady. I had the same feeling when I paid my surgeon Monday. As soon as those Dr. bills are over with we are concentrating on those evil cc's. I can't wait to get them paid off. Thanks for the inspiration.

Cat