Every end month, all households must pay their monthly bills. For many, this is one of the favorite tasks, as you have to go through different documents and make the payments one-by-one. While it is not an interesting task, disorganization can make bills-payment stressful and chaotic as you may end up missing some of the required information. However, you can change your strategy and add some minor improvements to make the process smooth and easy for anyone. Let’s see some of the ways you can organize your utility bills for a less stressful process of paying your monthly bills.
Have a Checklist
Having a checklist for monthly bills payment and utility bill management can help you avoid issues like missed payments and late payments. You can put all your bills in a checklist at the beginning of each month and check off each bill once paid. Your checklist can have columns for bill name, its due date and the amount. You can also add the payment account numbers to avoid searching for information from different sources.
Use a Spreadsheet to Organise Your Bills
If you are tech-savvy, organizing your monthly bills in a spreadsheet is a better option. Your spreadsheet’s format can be similar to that of a printable checklist: with the name of the bill, its due date and the amount. The best thing about spreadsheets is that you can add as many features as you wish and make multiple corrections without ruining the document. You can also use automated calculations to make work easier. However, if you feel that you find it difficult to open the spreadsheets every time you need to pay your bills, then you should stick to a printable checklist that you can keep on your work desk.
Use a Bill Organisation Binder
For the bills that come in paper form, you need to organize them to avoid losing them. Too much paperwork on your desk is a form of clutter. You can use a bill organization binder to keep them in one position. Having all your bills organized in a binder also makes it easier to retrieve any data required.
Consider Using a Budgeting App
Budgeting apps come in handy when it comes to utility bill management, especially for people who don’t like paperwork. You can also use a budgeting app instead of using other paperless forms like spreadsheets.
You only need to enter your monthly bills in the app, and the app will organize the bills and remind you to pay the bills on the pre-set payment date. The best thing about these apps is that they are readily available in the market for free.
Try to Align the Bill Payment Due Dates
Instead of having multiple bill-paying dates, you can simplify your bill payment process by having a single day for paying all your bills. You only need to call the providers and ask them to change your monthly due date to the most suitable date for the task. You may be required to pay some of the prorated bills, but aligning your bill due dates will prove advantageous in the long run. Some of the benefits include improved organization and fewer forgotten bills.
