How to Make a 31-day Bill Organizer

Sometimes the hardest part of paying your bills on time is remembering when they're due. That, and keeping them organized in one place so they're easy to find when you need them. That's why making and using a bill organizer can be so helpful. An organizer isn't costly or hard to make, either.

Things You'll Need

• Flip-up wall calendar
• Folder with 3 pockets inside
• Permanent marker
• Black ink pen
• Red ink pen

Instructions

Setting Up Your Organizer

1. Open the folder. Mark the left inside pocket "Unpaid Bills." Mark the right inside pocket "Paid Bills." Mark the middle pocket "Calendar."

2. Gather all your unpaid bills for the month. Arrange them according to the date, from the earliest to the latest. Open the calendar to the next month.

3. Pick up the first bill and locate the due date. Find that date on the calendar and use the black ink pen to mark the description of the bill and the amount. For example, on the the 13th, you might write, "Electric bill, $58.32." Repeat this process with every bill you have for the month.

4. Look at the calendar again, starting on the first day. Find the payments that are due. For example, you might have written "Mortgage payment, $684.34" on the 1st. If the payment is automatically deducted from your bank account, move on to the next bill. If you send the payment, count backwards 5 days from the due date. For this example, the date will be the 26th or 27th.

5. Use the red ink pen and mark "Pay Mortgage" on the 26th or 27th of the current month. Move on to the next bill due date and repeat the process. When you're done, you'll have the bill descriptions, the amounts and the dates you need to send checks to pay them (if applicable).

6. Slide your unpaid bills into the inside front pocket. Place the calendar in the middle pocket and close and store your 31-day bill organizer in a drawer.

Using Your Organizer

1. Find the bills that need to be paid. Open your organizer and look for today's date on the calendar. If there's a red entry, you'll need to pay that bill. If there's nothing marked on today's date, continue to check the next date that has an entry made in red ink. These are your "Send Payment Dates."

2. Make the payment, then make a check mark on the red entry, as well as the actual due date. Also, mark the bill as being paid. Then, place the bill in the right inside pocket.

3. Remove all your paid bills from your organizer at the end of the month and file them away. Then, set up your organizer for the next month.

Tips & Warnings

• You can purchase a folder with pockets at most retail stores in the stationery department. When determining what date you should send a payment, don't forget to add another day if a holiday falls within the 5 days. Keep using your 31-day bill organizer, and soon you'll develop a habit of checking the due dates of your bills.

• If the creditor doesn't receive your payment by the due date, you'll need to send it 6 days or more in advance. If you pay your bills once a week, you'll need to check your 31-day bill organizer 7 days in advance. If you pay your bills 2 weeks at a time, you'll need to look 14 days in advance, and so on.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish