Or maybe I just need a system fullstop. Apparently what I do have at the moment isn't working for me :( I just received a disconnection notice in the mail from the electricity company :( And it would seem that we are now on a shorter payment cycle until we pay a certain amount in a row, because we've apparently had three late notices in a row! The good news (for me) is that the account is not in my name LOL
It's not like we can't pay our bills. I just completely forget about them, and then bam... a late notice arrives and I remember, and I pay it. I never used to be like this. In fact, this is DH's game. He doesn't like paying bills... so he doesn't pay them. Which is why I manage all the finances around here. I've always payed things on time. But these days bills come in, I note them in my head, put them on the desk and then they disappear into the abyss. Until a late notice arrives. I even bought myself an organiser system where you can put the bills into a folder and stick them in the week that they are due. But this requires me to actually do that - stick them in the folder and put them in the week they are due, followed up by actually checking the folder each day/week/whenever. That's the part I seem to be having an issue with.
So anyway, we have electricity until the next billing cycle comes around, at least LOL But does anyone have a tried and tested system that works and they want to share? I know part of my problem is being pro-active, which I seem to not be. I'll work on that one. Might start with cleaning up this desk.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
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8 comments:
I average out my bill (electricity) and then direct debit that amount each FN. That way when the bill comes I have nothing or minimal to pay. I do this with Electric, phone, rates, water. Internet and austar are taken straight from my account.
Not sure if that helps.
I have a calendar on my computer desktop and when we get bills, or make appointments, I put them in there and because I use the computer a lot I see the calendar a lot LOL.
Stuff shows up on the calendar as a symbol, and there is a little box where stuff coming up in the week ahead is 'highlighted'. I think you can set alarms to remind you too.
Here's a link cos I don't think my explanation was all that good LOL.
Rainlender
I had the same thing happen just over a year ago. I called the elctricity provider and worked out my estimated use for a year (based on the previous 3 years usage). Divided the estimated cost by 26, rounded that up to the next 10, l pay that amount each fortnight by Bpay. Bpay so if l have another big bill, l can decrease or cancel the payment.
End of the year l was $50 in credit.
Now l get discounts for makig regular payment, paying on time etc.
hth
I'm the utlimate procrastinator, if your looking for help try the Flylady I can't remember whether she has a bill system but it seems like a good idea for household organisation, the key is small bits of cleaning and doing it daily it seems ..I need to start it again but I've in denial right now...
I am the middle of a hurricane so I think to follow my own advice ..lol..
when i get a bill, I put it in for it's due date in my Outlook calendar with a reminder set for a few days in advance, it mostly works except when I forget to put it in in the first place!
thanks for the suggestions everyone :) I might try the outlook calender thing. Don't know why I don't use it now.... I used to be an outlook calender junkie when I had a paid job LOL but then I was an organised and deadline-meeting person back then too. I forget I have it sometimes. If that doesn't work I'll go with the regular payments thing!
I put them into my BPay queue on Internet banking as soon as they arrive and then it doesn't matter if the paper gets lost.
Good luck with getting organised.
I have a diary that I carry every where with me and on pay day I sit at the computer and Bpay bills that need paying.
Cleaning wise - the aussie version of flylady http://www.domesticguru.com/this-week/ is my life saver.
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