Comments on: Money Mistake #4 – Not having a schedule for bills http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/ Christian Personal Finance - Financial help, debt help and other financial resources Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:30:02 -0600 hourly 1 By: Matthew S @ LifeOfAnInvestor.com http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/comment-page-1/#comment-12381 Matthew S @ LifeOfAnInvestor.com Tue, 12 May 2009 16:17:27 +0000 http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/#comment-12381 I still pay my bills a day at a time as they come in. I do use online bill pay, so I schedule them to be paid on the due date or before. Although this is less efficient, I have a personal need to mark things off my to-do-list (OCD?). I would not be able to stand to have a stack of bills sitting on my desk for a week while they waited for bill-paying day. I still pay my bills a day at a time as they come in. I do use online bill pay, so I schedule them to be paid on the due date or before. Although this is less efficient, I have a personal need to mark things off my to-do-list (OCD?). I would not be able to stand to have a stack of bills sitting on my desk for a week while they waited for bill-paying day.

]]> By: Pepperguy http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/comment-page-1/#comment-12299 Pepperguy Thu, 07 May 2009 15:06:33 +0000 http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/#comment-12299 Google Calendar is a great tool for bill scheduling and reminders. I have one calendar set up with all my recurring bills in it. You set it up once, and it can remind you in a number of different ways. You can just open the calendar and take a look, it can send you an email at an interval you set prior to the due date, and/or you can have it do the same thing with a TXT message. My bill "appointments" contain the links of online bill-pay links if applicable, so that when the reminder comes to my inbox, I just click on the link within and it takes me right to the correct place to pay the bill right then and there. Any non-recurring bill can easily be added to the calendar as well. It's completely changed how I pay my bills! http://calendar.google.com Google Calendar is a great tool for bill scheduling and reminders. I have one calendar set up with all my recurring bills in it. You set it up once, and it can remind you in a number of different ways. You can just open the calendar and take a look, it can send you an email at an interval you set prior to the due date, and/or you can have it do the same thing with a TXT message.

My bill “appointments” contain the links of online bill-pay links if applicable, so that when the reminder comes to my inbox, I just click on the link within and it takes me right to the correct place to pay the bill right then and there. Any non-recurring bill can easily be added to the calendar as well.

It’s completely changed how I pay my bills! http://calendar.google.com

]]> By: bob http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/comment-page-1/#comment-12262 bob Wed, 06 May 2009 13:17:41 +0000 http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/#comment-12262 Carolyn, that is great to hear that it has been helpful to you - thanks for sharing!! Carolyn, that is great to hear that it has been helpful to you – thanks for sharing!!

]]> By: Carolyn http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/comment-page-1/#comment-12247 Carolyn Wed, 06 May 2009 01:50:08 +0000 http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/#comment-12247 I've been using this spreadsheet for about six months now myself and shared it with a co-worker who was paying alot of late and overdraft fees. I also helped him set up most of his bills on automatic payments. He currently doesn't have any overdraft fees or late fees. He said this is the first time he has ever had a schedule like this to see when all of his bills are due. Thanks for sharing this tool. I’ve been using this spreadsheet for about six months now myself and shared it with a co-worker who was paying alot of late and overdraft fees. I also helped him set up most of his bills on automatic payments. He currently doesn’t have any overdraft fees or late fees. He said this is the first time he has ever had a schedule like this to see when all of his bills are due. Thanks for sharing this tool.

]]> By: GHolmes http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/comment-page-1/#comment-12241 GHolmes Tue, 05 May 2009 21:31:31 +0000 http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/#comment-12241 For me, on line banking and automating as much as possible keeps fees away. For the bills that do come in I enter them into bill pay feature. While I am in the system I look to see what activity has been hitting my account. Just a quick santity check at the debits and credits. For me, on line banking and automating as much as possible keeps fees away. For the bills that do come in I enter them into bill pay feature. While I am in the system I look to see what activity has been hitting my account. Just a quick santity check at the debits and credits.

]]> By: Mary Joseph http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/comment-page-1/#comment-12223 Mary Joseph Tue, 05 May 2009 13:37:53 +0000 http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/#comment-12223 Hey! I agree that paying your bills on time does give you a sense of control. I pay my bills online, that's the system I have in place. I use Billeo. It is a lot of help and free too! Hey! I agree that paying your bills on time does give you a sense of control. I pay my bills online, that’s the system I have in place. I use Billeo. It is a lot of help and free too!

]]> By: Monroe on a Budget » Christian PF’s bill paying schedule http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/comment-page-1/#comment-12222 Monroe on a Budget » Christian PF’s bill paying schedule Tue, 05 May 2009 12:52:38 +0000 http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/#comment-12222 [...] Bob at Christian PF has this post: Money Mistake #4 - Not having a schedule for bills. [...] [...] Bob at Christian PF has this post: Money Mistake #4 – Not having a schedule for bills. [...]

]]> By: Angie http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/comment-page-1/#comment-12221 Angie Tue, 05 May 2009 12:42:13 +0000 http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/#comment-12221 this is an excellent idea. i began doing this some time ago, but not my due date. i get paid twice a month and my rent (now my mortgage) is due on the first. All utilities, etc come from my first paycheck of the month; regardless of due date and my mortage comes from the last paycheck. i have not had a late bill or a late fee in over 5 years! it makes me feel good to be responsible and it does take a lot of the pressure and time from paying bills. oh and my creditors (including utility companies) appreciate the early payments too. i've actually got some deposits waived on utilities when i purchased my home because of my great payment history. this is an excellent idea. i began doing this some time ago, but not my due date. i get paid twice a month and my rent (now my mortgage) is due on the first. All utilities, etc come from my first paycheck of the month; regardless of due date and my mortage comes from the last paycheck. i have not had a late bill or a late fee in over 5 years! it makes me feel good to be responsible and it does take a lot of the pressure and time from paying bills. oh and my creditors (including utility companies) appreciate the early payments too. i’ve actually got some deposits waived on utilities when i purchased my home because of my great payment history.

]]> By: Do You Dave Ramsey? http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/comment-page-1/#comment-12219 Do You Dave Ramsey? Tue, 05 May 2009 12:14:22 +0000 http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/#comment-12219 This is almost exactly what I did to first exert some control over my income... simply list my bills and group them by due date and by which pay period would be responsible for them. Almost instantly I felt greater control and never had another late payment of NSF. I've since automated many of my recurring bills (NOT CREDIT CARDS) along the same pay period patterm and this part of my budget management is a snap. Since I'm no longer spending effort or discpline in these areas of my budget, I've been able to 'invest' that energy to debt reduction and wealth building ideas and various tracking techniques. Great info and truely the first step to taking control. Thanks! Dave This is almost exactly what I did to first exert some control over my income… simply list my bills and group them by due date and by which pay period would be responsible for them.

Almost instantly I felt greater control and never had another late payment of NSF.

I’ve since automated many of my recurring bills (NOT CREDIT CARDS) along the same pay period patterm and this part of my budget management is a snap.

Since I’m no longer spending effort or discpline in these areas of my budget, I’ve been able to ‘invest’ that energy to debt reduction and wealth building ideas and various tracking techniques.

Great info and truely the first step to taking control.

Thanks!
Dave

]]> By: FrugalMe http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/comment-page-1/#comment-12205 FrugalMe Mon, 04 May 2009 21:22:42 +0000 http://www.christianpf.com/how-to-pay-bills/#comment-12205 Too often people take their finances for granted and do not consider a plan for bill payment. They plan for other things such as going to the restaurant with friends, the cinema, going to work at a particular time, etc. However when it comes to their financial life in most cases there is no plan - for savings, spending or emergency. What then happens is that chaos reigns and they find themselves in a position where they should not be. Too often people take their finances for granted and do not consider a plan for bill payment. They plan for other things such as going to the restaurant with friends, the cinema, going to work at a particular time, etc. However when it comes to their financial life in most cases there is no plan – for savings, spending or emergency. What then happens is that chaos reigns and they find themselves in a position where they should not be.

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