如何 管好你的账单 每个月

Bills are a fact of life, but they don't have to be a hassle or an anxiety each month. Following our six tips will help you pay your bills on time, which 建立你的信用 and helps protect your financial wellness.

1. 考虑 自动支付

• 自动支付 can be very convenient – especially for bills that are the same amount each month. 查看我们的指南 自动账单支付, which covers everything you want to consider before setting up 自动支付 – plus how to use Patelco’s 账单支付 service. There can be some downsides to 自动支付, so be sure to consider those, too.

2. 改变你的 到期日期

• Many service providers – like insurance companies and utility companies – will allow you to change your due date. If you find there's a bill that comes every month when you have less cash, consider moving the due date closer to payday. Or if you find that you often forget about a bill that comes towards the end of the month, ask to get your statement or due date change to the beginning of the month.
• What if your provider can't or won’t change the due date? 设定你自己的截止日期. 例如, if your car insurance is due on the 20th of each month, get in the habit of paying it on the 5th of the month instead. (This won't work for all bills – especially those whose amount changes each month, or those providers who won't accept payment until they send you the amount due.

3. 设置提醒 and make sure bills are 按时付款

• Many providers who send electronic bills will also send reminders, either automatically or after you sign up for them. You can also easily create your own reminders with your smartphone calendar. Knowing what bills are coming up can help you better budget as you spend money each month.
• These reminders can help you avoid late fees – which will make it harder for you to stay on top of your bills next month. Get in the habit of paying your bills on time, which will make it easier for you to keep on top of them over time.

4. 手机支付 快到期了

• If you're getting down to the wire with a due date, don't mail in a payment. Using 账单支付 when a bill is due the same day or next day can also be risky, 所以使用速溶食品, pay-by-phone option if it's available. This will help you prevent a late fee.
• Even if the pay-by-phone option comes with a fee, it will probably be less than the late fee – and an on-time payment will prevent negative information being entered on your credit report.

5. 看看你的 历史账单金额

• To help you budget enough money to cover your bills each month, keep a record of your 历史账单金额. Many bills that vary in amount will have some seasonal or monthly consistency. 例如, this September's 电费 is likely to be similar to last September's 电费, or at least to other bills from last fall.

6. 开设帐户 只是为了账单

• If you find yourself struggling to pay for important bills each month – like your car insurance, 电费, and phone bill – consider setting up a checking or savings account 只是为了账单. At the beginning of each month, 或者当你得到报酬的时候, transfer the total amount you'll need for bills into this special account (see #5 above, which explains how to estimate the amount you'll need for bills). Then pay your bills from this account as they come due. If you really want to stay on top of your bills, consider depositing a little bit more than you expect to need each month – this extra amount will help cover any bills whose amounts spike unexpectedly.