Organizing your Finances

Written by Corrie Petersen

Finances are a piece of cake for some while others struggle forever with them. There are so many different ways you can organize your finances. Some may work for you while others don’t. Once you find a way that works, you should stick to it because you don’t want problems if you switch and it doesn’t work.

You should write down your bills on a sheet of paper and mark which pay check will cover which bills. We all know how to pay our bills each month. Some pay with cash, some use checks, while others pay online either at each account or they use their bank. The problem comes with organizing them so you know when to pay and what is due. Here are some different options you can choose from.

1. Basket

Use a basket that sits on your desk that you put all your current bills in. Put them in order by the check that will pay them. You will want to set a day each week or when you get paid to sit down and pay your bills. Then go through and pay the ones that need to come out of that check. Once the bill has been paid you will need to file it or throw it away.

2. File folder

If you have a file cabinet that you use for your bills, you might want to use a file folder for your current bills. Put them in order based on the pay date so you won’t have to search when you have the time to sit down and pay them. Once the bill has been paid it can be moved to another folder or you can throw it away.

3. Envelope

You can place all of your bills in an envelope that sites on the counter, table, or paper clipped to the calendar. Make sure you only put bills in this envelope and throw away all other pieces of junk mail so they don’t overload your envelope.

4. Drawer

You can place all your bills in a drawer in the kitchen or in the desk. Make sure you don’t forget to pay them since they will be out of site. You can store your bills and the list of your bills all in one place.

5. Computer

If you are going to use the computer to pay all of your bills using a software program such as QuickBooks or the program through your bank, you will need to enter your bills into that program and then they can be filed or thrown away.

Organizing your bills to meet your needs will work well for you. With some of these tips may take a while to set up while others may be really quick. Getting used to your new plan may take time. You should set reminders in your calendar or on your phone that will help you to remember when you need to pay your bills and how you will work it. Once you do this process a few times, you will get the hang of it and it will come natural to you.

Tags: bills, finances, financial organization, organize your finances