Need a simple system to organize your monthly bills? Today I’m sharing how we use a simple calendar to track our bills each month. This simple system will help you feel more organized with your monthly bills.
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Paying the bills. It’s not something I find enjoyable and our current bookkeeping system has not been working for us. A friend introduced me to a simple system for organizing unpaid bills and tracking payments for monthly bills. I thought the system was so simple and efficient that I wanted to share it with you.
The key to this system is to find a calendar that works for you. You can purchase a calendar or print my free monthly calendar printables. This calendar
, in particular, has a pocket where you can store your bills.
You could even take some of the ideas here and create a similar system in Google Calendar, but I think the beauty of this system is that it is simple and on paper. It’s a system that you can simply grab when you need it. Low tech can sometimes be more efficient!
How To Create A Simple Bill Organization System:
1. Put it in the Calendar
When you receive a bill in the mail immediately put it in your calendar. Write the bill and amount due in BLACK ink. You want to be sure to write the bill on the date that you need to make the payment, not necessarily the due date. Counting back 6-10 days is usually enough time to write the check and pop it in the mail or make the payment online.
If you purchased the special calendar (see it here) you can then store the bill right inside the calendar pocket that corresponds with the due date to keep things simple.
If you use my printable calendars you can store your bills in a special folder or envelope.
Some tips:
Add regular monthly Bills: Go ahead and put in all of your regular monthly bills like rent, if they are regularly the same amount and due on the same day every month.
Add the miscellaneous: You can write in birthdays, holidays, and other unexpected expenses on the calendar as well. That way you are prepared each month.
2. Cross it off
When you make a payment you will then cross out the bill. I find it helpful to cross off the bill with a red or colored pen so it is easy to see. This makes it really easy to just look over the calendar and see what has been paid.
3. Note any important details
Write the amount paid (if necessary) the date that you made the payment, and the check number in RED pen. (Using a red pen makes it easy to quickly look at your calendar and see what’s been paid.) You can also write in any other notes that might be important. If the payment is late, or overdue, or if there is a credit on the account.
4. File It
Once the bill is paid you can file it. If you ever need to know if a bill was paid or what check was used you can simply grab your calendar to see the details.
Why I love tracking bills on a calendar:
1. Visual
I love that when I glance at the calendar I know what needs to be done. It is easy to see what bills have been paid and what bills are unpaid. I’m a visual learner so seeing the red ink and crossed-out bill I’m more likely to remember that the bill is all set.
3. Simple
This method is an excellent and simple way to keep track of your monthly bills. There are many excellent computer-based or cloud-based systems. It’s refreshing to find a paper-based system that is truly simple. An added benefit is that it’s easy to look back after a year and get a snapshot of how you spent your money so you can budget accordingly. This may not be a high-tech solution for organizing your bills but it’s simple and always right there!
4. Organized
Having all of this information in one place helps to keep your bookkeeping organized. If I ever need to know what check was used to pay a bill or on what day I mailed out a check I can just grab the calendar and all of that information is at my fingertips! If you share your finances both spouses can easily open up the calendar and see what’s been paid and what bills are outstanding.
If you’re looking for a simple solution to organize your bills this might be your solution. It’s easy to get set up and get started; give it a try.
Add in my Printable Bill Payment Log
You might like using a chart to track bill payments and due dates. My Monthly Bill Payment Tracker gives an overall look at your year and keeps track of your monthly payments. You can get your free bill payment log here.
Resources:
- See a variety of pocket calendars HERE
- Free Monthly Calendar Download
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