help paying bills on time? | ADHD Information

The automatic thing really works.

Also what works if money isn't a problem is to pay them immediately when you receive them, just write out the check put it in the envelope and stamp it and mail it. It works in our household for those that we don't have set up automatic.

 

 

 I guess that is why I handle the checkbook.  Although sometimes we are late paying but that is due to not enough money.  My husband does impulse spend at times and we will argue over what he feels we absulutly need when we can live without and I say no.  I then tell him to find a rich wife.  We are going on ten years so I am not worried, besides who else would call from work to wake him up and take care of his needs.

Yes, we have tried having our bills automatically drafted from our accounts before, but it did not work very well for us.  You see, the bills sometimes all came out at the same time...

say for instance, we got a paycheck on friday, and on that same day 2 drafts would fall on our account, and then we would not have any money left for groceries....some of those drafts were very early and could have waited another week or so before being paid, and then the NEXT check would come through, and we would have no drafts and lots of money left, that we really could have used to make a payment on something that could have waited, and then had money left for groceries last week instead of paying that bill all early...

does this make sense? well, it doesn't to me. Me and my husband have a horrible time trying balance everything out....we get confused...we really would like to have a real outside person to help.  But I don't know who to ask...

OH, and slug bug, we are also about to file bankruptcy.

my husband and I are destroying ourselves financially.  Who could we turn to for help?

sonya_h38469.6849189815

The Autopay feature is indispensible!  My pay is automatically deposited, and I have all my bills set up to be paid automatically, except for 2 that don't have that option.  Even with only 2 to remember I am often late on those. 

Sonya - I know what you mean !!!  My husband and I often have the same problem. I have ADD, he does not, or hasn't been dx yet, but does have some major ADD tendancies....anyway, he always gets the bills, says, so and so is due on the 12th or whatever, I say, OK.........he lays it in a pile and it gets shuffled around from pile to pile until it is lost and forgotten about.....this happens a LOT....not every bill, but I would say half. Of course they always send another one  saying you have to pay or your wahatever will be disconnected, so he takes that one and makes out a check and drops it off on the way home from work, or whatever, or sticks it in my purse and says pay this TODAY.........OK well I get to work,find the bill that I need to pay, remember that I forgot the checkbook....Have to call and pay by debit card or online, get to the website to pay online, forgot my login and password and have to re-register...etc,,etc.......pain in the ass........

I know most banks have a bill pay feature on their websites, and most places will automatically do a bank draft every month from your account. They will send you an email saying how much the bill is and when it will be taken out........would that work for you ??  If having the money is no problem, then it might be the answer. Our problem is not having the money a lot of the time. We have each filed Bankruptcy.............I would not suggest it unless you have no other choice.....We did not have any choice........My husband's ex ran up a bunch of credit cards that he didn't know about...( They were seperated but not divorced yet, and he DID get out of paying one of them 'cause of this) )..........UGGGGHHHH.........I will NEVER have a credit card again, even if I could...........I just can't handle it....Anyway..........filing bankruptcy is not the end of the world, but we lost our house, it was OK , because that's what was eating up our money anyway. My husband and his ex just kept on refinancing over and over, and then thet took out a second mortgage on it, this just snowballed, and they ended up oweing 0,000 on a ,000 house!!!!!!!!!!  We said take it, you can have the house.........his parents (thank God) bought us a house (we are paying the mortgage) but they put the money down on it...........or we would have been up S*** creek...........all of these places want every one to refi. and get a home equity loan ........"Yeah, we'll give you 100% of the value of your home!".........and they are secretly hoping that you will not be able to pay it......yes. yes. default on your loan...........we need another house so we can sell it and take your property AND your money..............so many people get suckered into this cycle..............anyway.......maybe the bank drafts will help....

Good Luck to You !!!! Kimberly 

My bank does the bill paying thing. It's great! I have a list of payees, and if I forgot one, I can see it plain as day.

Just throwing out an idea here, for folks like me and my husband...we both have ad/dh...sometimes (who am i kidding? ALL THE TIME!)we have horrible times managing to get the bills paid...

It's not that we don't have enough money to pay the bills, it's just that we are SO DISORGANIZED that we forget to pay what when, and we forget what is paid and what has not been paid....we have tried to organize, and keep calendars and so forth, but it never lasts long...We cannot manage to be organized enough to keep our income straight....and we have issues with impulse spending, etc...

My husband and I have never had problems holding down jobs, it's just getting those bills paid on time that are killing us...

WHAT IF there was some type of program out there that helped adults like us (maybe for a small fee) by recieving our paychecks directly and just taking money out and made sure our all of our bills (rent, and utilities) were paid on time and then we just got a check for whatever was left over?

WHAT IF they were able to just automatically take it out of our paychecks or something?

Is there a service out there that maybe does this?

OR!, at LEAST some outside help that could help us come up with some type of system and help us keep it?

JUST SOME IDEAS THROWN OUT HERE FOR YOU PEOPLE..ANY THOUGHTS?

 

 

Sonya - I am very sorry to hear that. I wish I could help more. I understand what you are saying about the auto pay thing - I was always afraid of that situation myself, so I never used it. I do know that there are "credit counselors" out there. I don't know what they do or if they could even help , but maybe they could direct you to someone who could.

 Filing bankruptcy isn't the end of the world. It was a big relief for us. NO MORE STUPID BILLS !! I know we have to pay for things and I'm not saying that everyone's debts should be forgiven in every situation. I know we could have never cought up, and in return never had anything. Our credit was shot already, so one more "black mark" wasn't going to hurt..and in a few years we will be back on our feet...........believe it or not, I do know how you feel.......and you are better off doing it while you are younger if it's inevitable........and now -before the baby comes........I wish you the best - Kimberly

 Up until a few years ago, I was always late with my payments...or forgetting I needed to use money to pay for certain bills & spend it elsewhere.  My latest system works the best for me though, and I'm slowly fixing my credit score.

 Basically I look at when I get paid, which is currently 2x a month, and go from there.  I looked at all the due dates of my bills and made a list of which bills need to come out of each check.  I have a spreadsheet set up that lists all of that, due dates, amount due/paid, conformation numbers from paying, etc.  I pay all of my bills online via company websites...I don't trust some bills w/ auto-pay as I have had horrible experiences with it.  The only thing I mail is my mortgage, I refuse to pay (to pay online or deduct automatically). I also track when it clears (via online banking)...which w/ paying online is usually really quick. I hate writing checks, those still mess me up when I have to use them.

 So basically, I pay my bills the day after I get paid.  The spreadsheet also helps me track what I have and haven't paid as well. I probably spend 5 min's a month paying my bills, if that. 

 I always make sure that "bills" are paid, then everything else comes from what money is left over. 

 Most companies want their money, and they will work with you to get that done...changing due dates is an idea, too.  Or perhaps finding a financial advisor would be helpful for you guys.  Good luck with it!

chicx0r38469.7652199074

LOL - It is called an accountant :)

I so know what you mean!!!!  I thought I was just a lazy person who was so disorganized...well i am, but Ididn't realize it wasn't by choice.

I too have had to pay many lates, because of procrastination, and then just plain forgetting...then spending the money that was for the bills cause I thought I paid.

I made myself an excell spread sheet w/ all my bills listed, and i have 2 colums for each month.  I had to place my bills in order of pay dates, so I can manage my money better.  I am not so dilligent in filling out my work sheet, but I had to do this when I bought my home 2 years ago.  It helps me to see where most of the money is going to, and also to know what pay check a specific bill needs to come out of.

I don't know if we can attach files, but if so I can send you a spread sheet so you can see and maybe adapt for yourself....

 

I get paid the 1st of every month and I have my bank pay all my bills on
the 2nd of the month (the bill pay feature allows you to select this). THEN
I know that what the bank website says I have in my account is the REAL
amount and all my bills are sure to be paid!

Works most of the time....

Sometimes you can call your places where you pay bills and have them
change the "due date" on the payment so you will have all your bills come
near payday rather than at the end of the month when you've already
impulsively spent money--been there, done that!