Bills and household finances are a part of adult life. They
are something that almost every adult in the United States and other countries
must deal with. While bills are a necessity in living, the hassle of paying
bills and keeping track of bills does not have to be.
You, and everyone else
can benefit greatly from creating an organized system that includes a budget,
incoming resources and outgoing expenses.
As someone who does home office organizing for a living, there are a few steps that should be
taken to plan out all of your budgets and finances that are very important, but
do not be intimidated because while they are important they are very simple.
Plan Ahead
Plan Ahead
Most things in life, no matter what, go a lot smoother and easier when they are planned ahead. Deciding what is in your budget is one of the largest parts to planning your household finances. Take time to figure out a total of how much money you have coming in and how much money you have going out with bills, food and other necessities. Figuring out your budget is one of the biggest things you can do to make bills and finances better organized.
Have a System
There are many different options for organizing your actual bills. Some people prefer the original method of keeping a ledger that contains detailed information of all of their expenses and resources from month to month. This can also be modernized by using an already made spreadsheet template or making one to suit all of your needs. There are also other methods that people prefer to use. Most office supply stores sell bill organizer folders that allow you to put all of your bills in one place and keep detailed information on them. No matter what you choose to organize your bills, make sure you have a uniform system.
Keep Up With the System
The biggest mistake that people with good intentions make is not keeping up with their original plans. It may seem like a burden at the time to put a bill into a folder or put information into a ledger, but it will be much easier to handle your bills at the end of the month or the end of the year. Making sure you keep up with the system that you have chosen is as important as the original organization of the incoming resources and outgoing expenses.
Organize Accordingly
It is not uncommon to have a new bill or expense every couple of months. Many families have added hospital bills or an unexpected new car purchase that causes them to have a new car payment bill. When you are faced with another bill, be sure to add it to your bill organization system in a way that makes sense and will allow the bill to be paid on time every time. If you need to eliminate other expenses, such as dinner out a few nights a week, to be able to pay the bill then do it. Paying bills and budgeting for necessities is more important than things that you want and luxuries.
Update Frequently
Things get messy as time goes on, it is a fact of life. Your bills and bill organization system are not immune to becoming disorganized just from everyday or every week use. Make sure that you are able to take time every week or every month to put all of your bills where they belong and update any ledger information. Doing this on a regular basis will help you to stay organized and will keep you from missing a bill payment or having an overdrawn bank account issue. Updating your finance organization system is a very small and simple step that will help you to remain organized.
Whether you are looking for a new way to be able to handle bills and budgets or you are just starting out on your own, you will surely be able to benefit from organizing your bills and household finances. From planning to updating and everything in between, having a successful organization system of your household finances will allow you to pay your bills on time and keep detailed financial records.
Robert Mizrahi, CEO
Chaos Commandos
