There are times that it’s easy to let something financial slip through the cracks. Nowhere is this more apparent than when you are trying to pay your bills on time. I know that, in the past, I’ve occasionally missed a bill payment — and I’ve frantically tried to correct the problem and beg customer service representatives to waive the resulting fees.
If you are having a hard time paying your bills on time, here are 3 strategies you can try to solve the problem:
1. Automate Your Finances
One of the easiest ways to make sure you bills are paid on time is to automate your finances. When you have your bills scheduled to come out automatically, it takes some of the pressure off of you. I have many of my bills set on automatic. My cable and Internet bills are on automatic. I also have many of my credit cards set to automatically pay the minimum each month. While I try to pay off my credit cards each month, the reality is that sometimes you are slow. I avoid late fees by having the minimum paid automatically. I can go in and make the bigger payment later.
Look for ways to automate your bills, and all you have to do is check in periodically to make sure that everything is functioning as it should.
2. Set Reminders
In some cases, you can’t automate your finances, or you might be reluctant to. When this is the issue, it makes sense to set reminders for yourself. You don’t need anything fancy for a reminder. You can use the calendar app on your smartphone, or even use an online calendar app. Set your reminder for at least seven days before your bill is due, and then pay it and send it out as soon as you get the reminder. You can also use this to remind you to schedule electronic payments if that’s the route you go. If you don’t have the bill taken care of automatically, at least set a reminder so you don’t forget.
3. Schedule a Regular Money Day
You can also schedule a regular money day. This is a good idea anyway, even if you have your finances automated or use reminders. I like to take care of money things one day each week. I save my receipts and enter them into my personal finance software. I also check in quickly on my bank account to make sure that direct deposits and automatic debits are happening as they should — and in the proper amounts.
A regular money day can help you connect with your money, and keep everything in order. It’s also a good time to look at your bills and see what’s due in the next 10 days. Then you can schedule payments or write checks, as appropriate.
It’s important that you stay on top of all of your money issues, not just your bills. By taking the time to evaluate your finances regularly (even if it’s just a quick look at where you stand), you can get in the habit of paying your obligations on time, and seeing what needs fixing before it becomes a disaster.
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