| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| lilpunkin |
Posted - May 10 2007 : 9:25:26 PM
My question is not who brings home the bacon. But it really is, if you are the one who pays the bills in the home, how do you plan and organize your stuff?
in our house, I am the one who takes care of the financials, always have and probably always will. I dont mind doing it, and feel satisfaction in it knowing I am getting it done and getting it done on time. I am very organized about it, but sometimes I find myself constantly going through all of my bills and when they are due in my mind. I keep a list on my computer to check bills off as they are paid for that month.
But I guess my question is, how do you do it? I am looking for that perfect system, you know, a checklist form with the list of bills, when due, how much is due and when paid. To better keep track and off my mind. I have looked at several forms in my programs and online but havent found exactly what I am looking for. Most of the forms are budgets, what I am looking for is a monthly bill checklist. I firgure if there is anyone out there that woudl know it would be my farmgirl friends!
Life isn't measured by how many breaths you take, but by how many moments take your breath away. |
| 21 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| lilpunkin |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 10:02:56 AM
Its funny hearing how other husbands dont pay the bills. i tried to let my husband pay the bills. But I had to keep on top of him about due dates as well. So I said, if I have to think abut it anyway, I might as well do it. We have now been married 12 years and i am thinking I might give him another try. I dont know though!
Life isn't measured by how many breaths you take, but by how many moments take your breath away. |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 08:31:25 AM
I am the one who pays the bills, and manages the checking and savings account; investments and healthcare come out of my paycheck pre-taxed by our firm. When we were first married, I tried to split the responsibilities between us, but he didn't really get "due dates" and really didn't seem to care, so now I happily do it.
I used to do a great deal of online bill payment, but I have to admit, I like receiving a tangible bill, because "email" statements are too easily forgotten for me, and I don't have a running list of passwords and id's to keep track of when I want to pay something. Also, at times, I've attempted to log on and pay a bill and the system was down, or there was maintenance, and with my pen and check, I don't have to worry about that.
I'm also pretty simple about the way I track things...when I get my bills, I go right to the calendar on the utility closet door put the down the due date . I pass by there at least 30 times a day, so I can't miss it! Most of my bills can be paid on the premises, and that way I get a receipt in hand, and noone can argue with me about a "postmark" date. The only one I pay online is our mortgage because it was taking forever for them to get payments from their "lockbox" and it took so long for my checks to clear--that's frustrating when you're trying to balance a checking account, and I do ours daily.
We don't really have excessive bills, so for me, the simpler the better.
"In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." Margaret Atwood
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| Jana |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 08:15:23 AM
Lizabeth,
Its truly ok to get rid of statements or receipts UNLESS you have used them for any kind of a tax deduction, then you must keep them for 7 years (personal) or 10 years (business). The only reason I might keep my utility bills would be if I were planning to sell the house, but even that info you can get from your utility company. You don't need to keep duplicate information!
At the end of the year, all of the stuff in the binder gets taken out and I put all the stuff that will go to the accountant in a folder and the rest gets put in an expandable file pocket and put in a file drawer. When taxes are done, all the copies of tax returns, etc, go in the same file pocket and the file pocket is labeled with the year. Now, the binder is ready for the new year!
Jana |
| Lizabeth |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 07:15:07 AM
Jana, I love the idea of your binder! Is it truly okay to not keep bill statements on file? My husband has statements going back 7-10 years for some accounts and I would so like to have back the space and cabinet they are taking up.
http://www.handcraftsbyheather.com |
| Lizabeth |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 07:11:30 AM
Don't be embarassed! that is a wonderful gift he gives you. remember that there are areas where you help him immensely. that is what team work is about--helping each other in the areas where the other isn't as strong :)
http://www.handcraftsbyheather.com |
| mima |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 07:04:44 AM
Okay, I am embarrased to say- my hubby! I'm so math challenged he takes care of all our finances. He knows where every penney goes. He has one of those programs on the computer- I think its called Quicken. If he dies before I do, I'm in big trouble!!!LOL! |
| GaiasRose |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 07:02:49 AM
Rob is busy busy and forgetful like none other, so I do it. I let him know what has comein and how muchit was and he takes a peek at it (particularly the energy bill...he likes to see the chart giving reference to months past usage up to 16 months prior) and then he hands me the check book and I pay away. There are two bills that I pay online but the rest are mail in.
Money tends to not be an issue for us because to us its just money.It doesn't define our relationship like it can for a lot of people and it doesnt make us sweat because we know we will always have our home (paid for) and we will always have what we need based on hard work and smarts. We both rather detest money and rely as much as we can on our own efforts as far as farming and gardening and working towards getting off the grid (the plan is well on its way.) we also rely on trade and barter. We live in a small town that is becoming rather progressive (can you believe trade and barter is a progressive notion around here!?) and there are a few things that we get by with trading na dbartering for!
We dont spend money on large purchases without the other one knowing or really even present for that matter adn day to day stuff doesnt really matter to us...just so long as hundreds arent spent wihtout a pretty darn good reason.
Its just money afterall and money and things do not make a home and give you love.
~*~Brightest Blessings~*~
Tasha-Rose
Blogs: http://gaiarose.wordpress.com
http://tasharose365.wordpress.com/
Homepage:
http://gaiasrose.etsy.com
http://ForestFaeries.etsy.com
Birth is safe, interference is risky; TRUST BIRTH |
| Libbie |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 06:50:05 AM
Emily - that is such a generous offer - and I believe you when you say that you've seen spending envelopes save marriages -- I've heard that most conflicts in relationships come from money, and I think that's really true!
XOXO, Libbie
In honor of Mother's Day, "If it's not one thing, it's your mother... |
| elah |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 05:22:31 AM
Way to go Kelly! It sounds like you and your partner are doing awesome. Isn't it liberating to see the light at the end of the tunnel? The spending envelopes are great and I've seen them literally save marriages in our classes.
lilpunkin, Would you like me to email you the budgeting forms that we use and give to the people who go through our classes? It's more then just the budget itself. It's in exel document with 4+ sheets with different things from a savings account breakdown, monthly budget form, debt snowball payoff sheet, etc. If anyone else would like it also just let me know. |
| Libbie |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 12:03:54 AM
You all have such good ideas - and I definitely am going to have to look into Dave Ramsey - it sounds like so many of you recommend him. After reading these posts, I am certainly going to have to take a look at how I pay bills and manage accounts. Right now, I do it by hand - writing checks and all - and the online "stuff" seems so convenient. I really like the "spending envelopes" idea, too. So many good ones!!! Keep em' coming!
XOXO, Libbie
In honor of Mother's Day, "If it's not one thing, it's your mother... |
| Beecharmer |
Posted - May 13 2007 : 11:16:31 PM
My partner pays all of the bills using a clever combination of Microsoft Money and an online billpayer. Microsoft money handles all of our accounts, gives alerts for what is due, allows for commnents on what was bought or what category money was spent in, makes tax time easier, and helps track our expenditures for budgeting purposes. Online billpayer is very conveinant.You can set bills to be paid on a certain date.
Our biggest help in bill paying is Dave Ramsey's radio program and books. We are 3 months from debt free except the house, and less than 10 years from completely debt free. We budget for everything at the beginning of each month and seperate cash into spending envelopes with category written on outside. We have saved an emergancy fund, paid off 2 credit cards and my car within the past 9 months and we are always a month ahead on bills. Everyone should listen to Dave Ramsey, he is very inspirational.
GrayHawk Farm
Prosser, WA |
| lilpunkin |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 8:14:10 PM
Some good ideas girls. i am like you Lizabeth, i think about them too much. so I am hoping I can use some of these ideas to get them off of my mind. thanks for all the ideas. its nice to see how other people are doing things too. we all learn from each other.
Life isn't measured by how many breaths you take, but by how many moments take your breath away. |
| Jana |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 5:28:22 PM
I have a system I sort of gleened from a magazine article years ago. I keep a paper system all in a 1.5 inch wide 3 ring binder. The front inside pocket of the binder holds bills in the order in which they are to be payed, also misc. items like pin numbers, stamps, etc. In the binder itself I have 3 double pocket plastic folders, which gives me 6 separate areas in which to keep important papers for the year. You may need more if you have a lot of stuff going on. I simply lable each pocket with a marker...mine are Bank Accounts, Mortgage, Bank Loan, Medical, Insurance and Save for Taxes (This would be anything you may need to prepare your taxes like contribution receipts, or property tax receipts).
As I pay my bills, I shred them except for medical and any loans. I have my check carbons to refer to, and even those get shredded once the check clears the bank. After that my bank sends a photocopy of my checks to me with my monthly statement (which goes in that first folder after I balance my account!) I daiy check my account online to see which checks have cleared. I honestly don't even used the back pocket of the 3 ring binder, its empty!
As for keeping track of when to pay bills, that's where my budget comes in to play. I do, and always have, kept a general budget. I do NOT keep track of where every penny goes! Some 3 ring paper will work in that same binder, or, as I use, a simple legal pad. Each page is a month and I write it on the top of the page. Each paycheck date is then entered in a place on the page. I know what bills come due when, so I know which weeks we are going to pay what. I simply record the amount of the paycheck (you can estimate if yours varies) and then make a list of the bills and their amounts that I will pay that week. Finally I subtract that from the paycheck amount. I budget an amount for groceries and gas, write that down and subtract that. Then I decide, (and I do this a couple months in advance) what any extra money will be spent on or if it will be saved. This way I always have a little leeway for emergencies. I hope this makes some sense! It works for me!
Jana |
| Lizabeth |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 09:05:06 AM
For me the hardest thing is to "forget" the bill once I've paid it. I tend to stew over our finances, and that isn't healthy. I found that filing the statements makes all the difference. Like Emily said, once a bill arrives I enter it into our on-line bill pay, write the confirmation number on the statement and then put it into a "to file" folder on our desk top (or the floor if I'm using the desk for a project ;) ) Once a week or at least every two weeks I file everything and that helps me to not only literally put it away, but to put it away mentally.
For the once or twice a year payments (ie property taxes) I actually write on the main family calendar, a week before the payment is due "pay taxes" that way it is written down and I don't have to remember it. (and those are easy to fret over, since they don't send a reminder!)
I, too, use microsoft money, and highly recommend it. I love the reports you can print out (fully customizable by dates and categories) and my husband and I are going to start having a monthly "state of the family" meeting so we can plan the coming month's appointments and review our finances together.
Oh, the other good financial resource is Larry Burkett's materials, here is the amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-9017301-6510300?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=larry+burkett
Thanks for reading this long posting!
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| Horseyrider |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 06:34:47 AM
I know this sounds backwards, but I do mine by hand now. I used to do a lot of it with a spreadsheet, but it just wasn't handy, thoughtful, or tactile like I needed. I have a legal size notepad, and divide each month into the appropriate pay periods, write down projected income, what's expected to come out of it and what's left. When I sit down to pay bills I write an actual amount next to the projected amount. I keep them from year to year so I can anticipate expenses like insurance payments and taxes. It minimizes the number of surprises.
I know in this computer age it's old fashioned, but I really like it this way. I do use quite a few automatic deductions for utilities and such, and for savings, car payments, etc. Hubby handles the bulk of the investments, which are self sustaining. |
| lilpunkin |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 05:07:37 AM
Thank you Alyssa! I am going to look into microsoft money. I am just looking for that perfect form/checklist. I just didnt know if someone had one they already created or not.
I didnt mean for this to be like I didnt know what I was doing. I know how to make list and pay my bills. I was just looking to see if someone had an easier form or something. Im sorry you were missing that point Brenda. Thanks for the help girls.
Life isn't measured by how many breaths you take, but by how many moments take your breath away. |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - May 11 2007 : 6:54:44 PM
I must be missing something... If all you really want is a checklist, why not just create one in Microsoft word or another word processor? List all the bills you pay every month you could make a check box at the left, another box at the right for the amount. At the bottom put some blank lines for one-time special things like medical expenses. On the title put MONTH __________, YEAR _____. Then when one month is complete, just print a blank one off for the next month and keep it with your bill-paying supplies, stamps, checkbook, envelope, etc. As you pay them, mark them on the page. Then you don't have to sign on to the computer if you feel the need to check something.
But you say you have already created a list on your computer. So whatever it is that you feel you are lacking, why not just add it to the list?
I don't do all the bill-paying for the household, I pay my bills, and my husband pays his. But I take advantage of automatic bill paying whenever I can. As long as you have spyware software and appropriate firewalls on your computer and the bank or credit card company uses SSL (the URL starts with https: and the little lock on the bottom of the screen is closed) it is very safe and secure.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| Alee |
Posted - May 11 2007 : 10:01:17 AM
I use Microsoft Money to organize all our financial data and then I pay all our bills online. The only bill I hand deliver is our rent payment. It seems to work out well for us since I can call up graphs that show exactly where all our money is going and it even has a cash flow forecast.
Alee
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| lilpunkin |
Posted - May 11 2007 : 06:40:28 AM
I have seen all of Dave Ramsey's stuff, and I know his plan is good. My husband went to one of his seminars but it wasnt really anything that we needed. My issue isnt so much about debt and getting the bills paid. That is getting done. What I need is more like a spread sheet or a checklist kind of thing. I pay most of my bills online too. Where I live that is a blessing! My biggest thing is getting the bills off of my mind!
Life isn't measured by how many breaths you take, but by how many moments take your breath away. |
| willowtreecreek |
Posted - May 11 2007 : 06:18:49 AM
I handle all the paying out of money (bills, etc) and Richie handles all of the investing. He has some system of using CD's that he uses.
I had all my bills adjusted so they all come due about the same time and about 1 week after payday (I only get paid once a month). When payday comes I pay the bills. Also I use online paying for all but one company that doesn't offer it.
They did financial Peace University at our church a while back. Richie and I don't really have a lot of debt, no kids, no house payment or rent so we didn't do the program. I have heard it is REALLY good though.
Jewelry, art, baskets, etc.
www.willowartist.etsy.com
www.willowtreecreek.com |
| elah |
Posted - May 11 2007 : 05:24:59 AM
Well, personally I pay my bills online through the bank. That really helps me. When the bill comes in the mail I go to my banks website and enter the check amount and date to "mail" it. Then forget about it. It also helps me if I think that I forgot to pay one because I can look it up on the computer to see if it was sent or when it will be sent.
I don't know if you have ever heard of Dave Ramsey but if not you should check out his website to see if his radio show is broadcasted in your area. My husband and I love his Financial Peace University 13 week program. In fact we have taught personal finances for 2 1/2 years using his lesson plans. If you have any money questions feel free to ask on the forum or you can send me an email. |
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