Bill Payment Organizer

Keeping your bills organized will help you avoid late payments, bounced checks and lost bills. It will also help you during tax season by seeing if you can itemize your deductions and lower your tax bill!

What You Need:
3 ring binder
20 pocket folders
20 folder tabs
Notebook paper
Pens
Stamps
Checks
Envelopes

How to Set it Up:

Label your folder tabs the following:

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December
• Medical Expenses
• Insurance Expenses
• Child Care Expenses
• Tax Deductible Expenses
• Investment Receipts
• Stamps & Envelopes
• Check Registers
• Notes
• Articles

Then:

1. Place a folder behind each tab.
2. Place your notebook paper behind the Notes & Articles tab and your supply of stamps and envelopes in the appropriate folder.
3. As bills arrive in the mail each day open the envelope and throw out the junk mail they love to include in the bill, then place the bill and payment envelope in the folder of the current month.
4. Each weekend pay your bills that have come in, leaving the receipt in the folder with the check # and date you paid the bill written on the receipt.
5. Place any receipts for Medical, Child Care, Insurance, Investment, and Tax Deductible expenses in the appropriate folder. Keep a piece of notebook paper in each of these folders to keep a running tally of expenses for tax purposes.
6. As your check registers are filled, place them in the appropriate folder for quick reference later.
7. Keep any investing notes and interesting articles on how to manage your finances in the back of the notebook – education is the key!

   Part of the Womens-Finance Budget Challenge!