Organize Challenge Week #7 – Bill Paying

Hey, all my lovely Organize Now! Folks, I’m going to hound you on Twitter if I do hear anything from you soon! Seriously, even if I don’t hear from you, I hope you’re making progress toward your organizational goals. It’s slow going around here, but I do get something accomplished each week. And I think most importantly, it keeps some of these issues in the front of my mind.

Homework from Week #6

Homework: Make a list of three improvements you’d like to make in your financial organization practices.

Did you make your list?

Mine includes:

• Regularly scanning financial papers and only keeping paper copies as needed
• Keeping track of which monthly bills I’ve paid
• Updating business account no less than once a month

Week #7 – Organizing Your Bill Paying System

Bills…I got terribly spoiled while living overseas. Yes, it’s true, someone else paid the majority of our bills. Sure, we still had a few back here in the States, but those were all paid online. I rarely wrote a check because everything in Qatar was paid in cash (it wasn’t unusual for me to walk around with the equivalent of $500 US in my purse!).

Then, in California, all our utilities were included in our monthly rent (an obscene amount).

Now, we’re back to paying multiple bills a month.

Here are a few suggestions for making bill paying simpler and less painful (I can’t do anything about the money sitch, however.):

• Have one gathering spot for your paper bills (see my multi-tabbed folder – LOVE it!) and one for your online bills. Sign up for reminder emails.
• Know when each is normally due and keep
• that list with your paper bills. Check off each bill as you pay it for the month.
• Consider automating payments through your bank so you never miss a bill payment again. I do this with fixed bills, but I prefer to see the variable ones before I pay them.
• On page 52 of Organize Now! Berry has a nice summary of the papers you should keep and the time length. Be sure to check that out.
• If you use stamps, order them online a couple times a year. The USPS charges $1.00 to send them to you, but I’ll take that over standing in line at the post office any day!
• Keep a drawer or bin dedicated to mailing supplies—envelopes, labels, stamps, postage scale, etc. That way, it’s all in one place when you need it.

Today’s Question: Do you still pay any bills the old fashioned way via snail mail? I found out one of our utility companies charges $3-5 to pay online. Seriously, in this day and age? I was stunned. Needless to say, that bill gets a good ole $0.46 stamp (yes, postage has increased again).

Homework: Make that list of your bills and their approximate due dates.

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Today is Ferris Wheel Day. I’ve found folks either love or hate ferris wheels. I’m not a huge fan, but did enjoy riding the one at the Santa Monica Pier. The view of LA and the Pacific Ocean are worth it! What’s your take on the ferris wheel?

Share with your friends!

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