How to Avoid Bill Collectors

Part of growing up and becoming an adult includes taking on the responsibility of working and paying day-to-day living expenses, better known as bills. Through organization and commitment, you can avoid bill collectors calling your house at all hours of the day and night. Read on to learn how to avoid bill collectors.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Know your income resources. If you're a salaried employee, keeping track of your income can be easy, but if your pay varies, average your income over the previous six months.
2. Organize your household expenses and make a budget. Over the course of two to three months, make lists of each bill that comes due, and then average the payments of those expenses into a written budget, making a note of the day of the month each payment comes due.
3. Use the written budget, you have created in Step 2, to pay your bills on time. Set aside a couple days a month to sit down, with no distractions, to review your bills and make payments.
4. Keep track of your payments. It's good to maintain accurate records and receipts of all payments made toward your bills in case of discrepancies in your creditor's billing statements.

Tips & Warnings

• Write on a calendar when your bills are due, and cross off the bills once payment has been made.
• If you are having a hard time paying all your bills for a given time period, contact each creditor to arrange a payment plan and then prioritize your bills according to the response of the creditors.
• If you have reached the point where bill collectors are contacting you, keep track of each contact and know your rights--bill collectors cannot contact you at your place of employment, during unreasonable hours at home, and cannot harass you or use abusive language.