How to Organize Your Bills

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Open and file your bills right away.

   Put all your bills in the same place once you receive and open them.
   
   For mailed bills, this could be a desk or mail center in your home.
   
   For electronic bills, this could be a special folder in your email inbox.
   
   Try opening a bill you get by mail quickly when you receive it, then writing the due date on the outside of the envelope before you put it back inside, so you can quickly see it later.If you get a bill by email, open it and then flag it, move it to a folder for bills, or designate it in another way that will get your attention later.
2. 2

   Step 2: Use folders or trays.

   Get several folders or a system of trays or pockets to keep on a desk, on the wall, or in a filing cabinet.
   
   Designate files and trays by bill type and paid/unpaid.
   
   Try creating a folder for each bill category, such as home, utilities, credit cards, auto, insurance, health, etc.
   
   Then place one copy of those folders into a larger hanging folder or tray labeled “Unpaid” and one copy in another labeled “Paid.” You can also try a binder to keep bills, calendars, checks, envelopes, and stamps all in the same place and save on filing space.At the end of each year, go through your files and throw away or shred bills (if they contain sensitive information) that are from the year previous, i.e. a year or two old.
   
   This can help you reduce clutter and filing space while still holding onto recent bills you may need to refer back to., Convert any paper bills to electronic bills if you can; just give the company a call to inquire about how to make the switch, or visit their website.
   
   You can also scan in mailed bills to reduce the paper you have to file.
   
   Choose to scan in your paper bills right away when you receive them, or after they are paid.
   
   Either way, make sure you designate a folder on your computer for bills, then make folders within it for each type of bill.
   
   You can also set up auto-pay services within the companies you pay bills to.
   
   This allows them to withdraw funds from your bank account automatically, eliminating the need to remember to pay them.
3. 3

   Step 3: Consider going paperless.

Detailed Guide

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