Get Organized and Live Life On Purpose.
This month I’m sharing the best tips and strategies that have helped me to get organized and to stay that way. Many of you mentioned in your comments that paper clutter is a big problem for you, so today I’m sharing creative ways to handle bill paying.
If you saw my video here, then you know that I have a household organization notebook or “Brain in a Binder.”
One way I use the binder is to organize my bill paying. When I receive a bill in the mail, I immediately open it and write the due date on the bottom corner “Desk” section of my Weekly Planner. I then file the bill and mailing envelope in the plastic divider pocket in the financial section.
This way I know when the bill is due and I know where to find it.
Another great way to organize bill paying is to go paperless. You can sign up for email notifications with most companies and then schedule the payment on Google Calendar.
If you’re still a pen and paper kind of girl, here are some other ideas:
Amy from Not Just Teach…Do uses a photo box system.
Angie at Echoes of Laughter has a bill paying binder.
Rachael from Lovely Crafty Home uses a file system on her counter.
What do you use to organize your bill paying? Leave a comment. 🙂
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I found a little Home Finance Bill Organizer at Dollar General a few years ago I believe… it has a pocket for my bills each month and then a place to write in your due dates, expenses/bills, and amount. I also set up a lot of my bills on auto pay each month so I don’t forget.
I love the 2 accounts idea but we never know how much our pay check will be each time because it’s a you work/you get paid system. So if school’s closed, we get sick, or something like that then we don’t make any money.
Would love some other advice if anyone has any suggestions. Thanks!
Dave Ramsey’s method of dealing with irregular income is to make a prioritized list of items you need to pay (ex: 1. food; 2. power bill; 3. rent/mortgage; 4. gas for car; etc.). Then use the money to work your way down the list. When you make more money be sure to set it aside for those months when you don’t make very much. Hope that helps. 🙂
Hello, I found you site threw Pintrest, I’m in the process of getting alot of things organized. I guess for me my bill paying has always been organized. I have a sepret 3-ring binder for bills (finanical) I have dividers that are Jan- Dec and have two piece of paper for each month, (two Paychecks a month) I write out what is going out for that pay check and then pay my bills on line, I love this, I don’t have to use stamps! Now so don’t have to get my binder out everytime a bill come in I have a wooden box that the bills go in to, and then on pay day i pull them out and sort, I guess my bills haven’t changed much in several years so I know what needs payed on what check, no need to write it on a calander. most of my bills are payed before they are due, but I like that they all get payed on one day and don’t have to worry about spending money that was suppose to be for a bill. Also we just opened a second account for all our money for bills to go into, I haven’t fully started useing this getting use to a new system. Hope this helps :0)
I use a notebook and pocket calendar (bought at the Dollar Tree). I write when each bill is due on the calendar. The notebook is for writing out the budget for each payperiod. I can then refer to the paper to check off items as they clear and can maintain a running total of what’s left. I have used this system for years and find that it works for me. I pay almost everything on-line but I do it through the vendors website (not billpay through my credit union). We also take out cash to use for everything but bills. I keep track of the cash spent through saving receipts and putting it on an Excel spreadsheet.
99% of my bills are paid online through my bank’s bill-pay system. Several are even auto-deduction so I don’t even have to think about them.
That is a great plan Dineen. I just haven’t made the switch to paying bills on line yet.
that’s my #1 goal for 2012 – get the paper under control and keep it organized 🙂 your binder system looks great!
Thanks Stacy! The key for me is to process the paper quickly or I have piles too. 🙂
All my bills are set up automatically through my bank account. We have a separate account specifically for bills and nothing but bill $ goes in and out of it, makes it easier to budget cause that money is already set aside!
That is really smart! Thanks for the great idea. 🙂
I’d love to see how people organize their recipes. I have two binders full and a ton more but don’t know what to do with them all or how to decide what to keep, etc.
I use OneNote (a Microsoft program … Evernote is online and free). I set up a “Recipe” book with tabs for the different categories and I’m entering the ones I want to keep in this. I find appropriate pictures on line and that way my family can see what it looks like if they can’t remember.
Great idea Debi! Thanks!