Here is something fun to do. Grab a calculator and type in this number- 57718. What do you get? Bills. Just what you need right? More bills.
No we are not talking about the Buffalo Bills here. We are talking about those bills you pay off every month. That amount of money owed for goods supplied or services rendered, set out in a printed or written statement of charges. You are paying them off every month right? Yeah, sure.
My Grand Pappy did not have a credit card until the very golden years of his life. Every month when the bills came in he would figure out what he owed and head down to the bank where he withdrew what he needed to pay his bills in full. He would then travel to each of the places needed to be paid; gas company, electric, water, phone and whoever else he owed money to and paid his bills in full. Each and every month.
You would think finding an accurate number for the average bills and debt for the general American public would be easy but it is not. Very often the information gathered is based on balances, which is different than debt. Not to mention people skew statistics all the time. Regardless, according to Experian Intelliview tool the average credit card balance per consumer was recently reported at $3,779 while Nerd Wallet says the average US household credit card debt total stands at $15,191. Americans, and probably the rest of the World from the news I read, have a lot of bills. In 2012, the average American has $117,951 in debt while about 25 percent of American’s have practically no savings at all. This is grim. (Again, it is hard to say if these numbers are accurate. If the average American has $117,951 in debt does that include mortgage? My friend just bought a house for $300,000 but 4 people live there so that would be an average of $75,000 even though only one person is responsible for and pays that mortgage. See?)
Regardless of the accuracy of the amount of each person’s bills, the reality is most of us have them. Hopefully, and if you have played your cards right, you are debt free (whatever that means) and at the end of the month you can pay off your bills in full and have a bunch or money left over with no one to owe any to. I was there once in my life, not counting the time when I was growing up. No student loans, or credit card debt or mortgage and a chunk of change in the bank. Like Grand Pappy all my bills got paid when they came due. Life was a little easier that way without having to worry about bills.
This time last year I had a doctor bill I could not afford to pay in full. They were nice enough to extend me credit and yesterday I finally made my last payment to them. Boy did that make me smile!
Do you pay your bills or file your taxes online? Why or why not? Click here to leave a comment and share your opinion and experience. Would love to hear from you.
My mother is like your grandfather was; pays all her bills in person with cash every month. Well, except her credit card, which she uses only to buy gas so she can build up points to use for other stuff later on; savvy woman that Mom is. 🙂
As for me, I have 2 credit cards that I’m working on, one for business and one I used often when things slowed down for a while. I pay more than what’s needed each month and I hope one of them is totally paid off in 6 months. The other one… well, I could pay it off but I’m thinking it’s smarter to have some cash on hand for other bills because, as an independent consultant, sometimes it takes a bit before I get my next contract.
Mitch Mitchell recently posted…15 Lessons From 1,500 Blog Posts
For sure having cash on hand, or as I like to call it, ‘ready cash’ is always a good thing…especially as a consultant.
Troy recently posted…Freeze tiramisu? I guess…
Hi Troy. Paying bills sure makes me smile, as well. I don’t think my parents had a credit card until I was grown and gone, but if they did, it was paid off every months. They paid off their house in 15 years, which gave them extra money each month. I remember my mom dancing around the living room.
Thanks for this information – it’s sorely needed in today’s world.
All the best,
Leslie
Leslie Denning recently posted…If You Want to Be a Great Writer, Write Great Sentences
To be sure paying bills, and especially paying off bills completely, like I did my hospital bill, is super awesome. That must have felt amazing to your folks to pay of their mortgage after 15 years. Now folks have 40 year mortgages on homes. Yikes!
Troy recently posted…Basics to Build a Pond in Your Yard or Home
It is super weird when you hear about how they used to do it back in the day. We really have it so much easier these days, yet so many people fall under do to credit card debt and other means similar to it!
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I remember how just a few years ago I would have to sit down with all the bills and right checks and put stamps on envelopes. Now I do it all electronically. But since I only have one credit card and one bill it is not too hard.
Debt free is the new black. 🙂
Troy recently posted…Breasts are my kryptonite
Having bills is like being tight down by freedom. freedom is still the best.. thanks for your information, its very encouraging…
Being debt free is one of the best feelings ever.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments.
Troy S. recently posted…Interesting stuff people buy on Amazon part 5
Technology has made our lives easier than it ever was. Thanks for sharing such an informative and amazing post. 🙂
Apu Mridha recently posted…Real Estate Negotiating
Technology has indeed made things easier…in most ways at least.
I just paid some bills online and about to file my taxes electronically. Good stuff.
Thanks for your return visit and comment.
Troy S. recently posted…Breasts are my kryptonite
Long ago, in a success book that I read, and I’ve read hundreds, I remember one saying;
“Pay your credit card montlhly bill as soon as it comes in. Don’t wait the 25 days. This clears your mind of any debt that month to pay.”
Of course, all books say, ‘pay off your entire credit card debt each month to avoid interest.’ But we all know about emergencies and how that debt can be so high to not be able to pay the entire credit card off.
However, when that happens, I always pay a little more than the minimum and I pay the day the credit card comes in on my computor, so that it’s off my mind and I feel the next real deadline for the next month payment is 55 days away. That mental edge helped me many times in the past.
That is very good advise Paul. Thank you for sharing.
I know the credit cards probably do not like you for that but who cares really? 🙂
Troy S. recently posted…Baking Powder vs Baking Soda
well this is good paying bills on 960. but well be careful its money talk.
Great advice guys thanks for sharing!
Glad you liked it. Please share with your friends and family. That would be awesome.
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Thanks for sharing information about Paying off bills is easy I like this post very much. Post is so unique and informative please keep share with us information like this.
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For more cash at your hand, You have to consider couples of thing such using electricity on heating water and Washing machine. we have to be more careful on using them.
Nice one. t’s simple, yet effective. Thank you for this wonderful advice.