An unorganized bill system can bring havoc to your finances. You
have to create a system and keep it in place so that it works for
you. Somebody else's system will never work for you. But you may be
able to take some ideas from others in order to create your own.
If you are anything like me, your system has to be simple. A system
that is too complicated gets put off. Then the domino effect takes
place. The more you put it off, the more there will be to do in the
long run. Personally, the method I use has worked for me for several
years. I have kept it simple and easy to use so that in case anybody
needs to, they can jump right in and take over where I left off.
Hopefully you can benefit from my methods as well.
I have a one inch binder that is the center of my bill system. Do no
use a binder that is any thicker. The thicker the binder, the more
clutter it can hold. Your binder needs to have three prongs to hold
paper and dividers. It needs to have pockets on the front cover and
back cover. The beginning of school is a great time to buy binders.
I recently found them for $.50 each. Don't spend a lot of money
creating your binder.
Now let's organize your binder and rid your life of bill clutter.
Open your organizer. The pocket on the front cover should be used
for future purchases only. Place catalogs here. But be careful not
to overload the pocket with junk. No more than three items in this
pocket at a time.
The first organization tool you should have in your binder is a
divider with a pocket. This pocket is where you first park your
incoming papers. I'll tell you more about this later.
Next you should have a bill schedule form for each bill you have.
Even if you do all your bills on the computer, this piece of paper is
the most important tool you may have. In the event of an crisis, all
your payee information will be in one central location. Your bill
schedule form should have four lines at the top. On these four lines
put the payees name, address, phone number and your account number.
The remainder of your page should contain a simple spreadsheet. The
spreadsheet should contain a place for the balance, date due, amount
due and date paid/amount paid. More on how to use this later. I
know this sounds like a lot of work, but stick with me. You only
have to print these pages once a year. Make a blank form, print
plenty and fill out the needed information at the beginning of the
year. Use the extra forms throughout the year as you need them.
The last item in your organizer is another pocket divider. This
divider is the last place you park your bills until they are filed in
their final destination.
You are now ready to use your organizer. Your bills come in. Take
each bill and log them onto their individual bill schedule form.
Proceed with your usual bill paying system. Place the paper bill
into the last pocket divider. When you pay your bills, pull this
paper bill, log the payment onto the bill schedule form and file.
You should never have more than one bill for each payee in the
divider at a time. This helps cut down on clutter also.
This is the basis system that I have in place. Occasionally I change
a little detail here and there. Overall it works for my family.
Create a simple system for you and don't be afraid to change alter it
as needed to make it work for you.
About the Author:
Roxanna Ward, Community leader and staff writer for
BabyUniversity, lives in Georgia with her husband and
her three children. As a published freelance writer the focus of her
writing is concentrated on sharing household tips, her experience
with her frugal lifestyle as well as the phenomenal process of
breastfeeding, child rearing related issues and romantic
relationships. She is also currently the Editor of three newsletters:
What's New at BabyU?, Intimate Encounters and At Home with Baby
University. Sign up for those Here Roxanna can be contacted at Roxanna30135@aol.com.
