I use a terribly simple layout for my financial organizing pages. It is simply a page with several lines going across divided into 1 larger and 13 smaller columns going down the page. (One for the subject, 12 for each month, and one for totals.) The page is turned sideways so the 8.5" side is across the top.
Your Bills
The first thing you need to do is gather every bill you pay throughout the year. Some, like utilities, loans, and such, you will pay every month, but others like insurance, taxes, and licenses will come up every 6 months or yearly.
Put Them In Order
Look on your receipts for the due date for each bill. Put them in order according to the one that is due earliest in the month to the one due last.
Schedule Paydays
We all get paid at different frequencies. I pay bills on a weekly basis, but some only get paid 2 times a month or monthly. Weekly payers like me will divide their bills into 4 groups - those paid the first week, then the second, third and fourth. Every-other-week payers will divide their bills into 2 groups. You monthly payers have it easy - just make one stack.
Each stack will have to contain only the dollar amount that you can pay each period. For instance, if you have $250.00 to pay bills with each week, then each stack can contain only $250.00 worth of bills. You may have to juggle the bills in the stacks to reach this total, but always keep the due dates close to one another.
Enter Them On Your List
Now you will take your sheet of paper and enter all the bills in order of when you will pay them each month. The far left column contains the name of the bill or company and the approximate or fixed amount of the bill. The next 12 columns are for entering in the exact amount paid each month when the bill is actually paid.
Paying The Bills
Each time your bill paying day comes around all you need to do is open your planner to your financial page and take a look at which bills are due to be paid that period. Pay those bills, then jot down the amount in your column under the month it was paid. File the receipt in your file cabinet and you are finished. You have an exact record of what you paid and when at a glance. (NOTE: Every bill on your list should have a corresponding file in your file cabinet. More on this in the paperwork section.)
The following page deals with using a Tickler File in conjunction with your day planner. These two go hand-in-glove perfectly.
I have been so fortunate to find such a great group of graphics. Thank you, Amreta, for the use of this adorable set. Please visit her well-done website for some beautiful artwork. Just click on the graphic link below.
Finances Section
