Budget Tip 2

So this takes , of course, going back to Step 1 and listing all of your bills.
You need a chart. Some use a spreadsheet (wish I could remember how).... :)
it could be a calendar specifically for this.
Mine is a small poster board because it is noticeable; 1 and 1/4 inch wide columns x 1/2 inch rows. It has the months of the year across the top, one for each column. Along the left side going down it has my main consumer debt....credit cards, specialty like JCPenneys. A space or two in case more come up and then my mortgage and household utilities in the next several spaces going down the left side. (Remember it is all rows and columns.) I leave a couple spaces and then have my business bills in a row. I will try to draw this out one day soon.
So ...for example under January one spot down there is a space and to the left the first bill was Capital One....in this box it has balance owed to this account and maybe minimun payment.
Left upper corner is triangled off w/ a line - I write the payment I am paying. The right lower corner is an opposite triangle and I mark it off red to show payment paid for January when I pay it. Right in front of me I pick out the bill I want to go away quickly or that I know I can pay off easily soon. I put as much as I can spare into that payment!! When that bill is paid off in the next few months, I have x amount of money to add to the next bill I am targeting. Some bills of course are rotating monthly but I pay and mark them as soon as they come in or as soon as I sit down to pay several. I know what has been paid and is not by glancing at those red corners. I am prepared for what is still due. March is almost all marked although I have a couple that don't come due until the end of the month. Some April bills get paid in March so that looks good in front of you and just feels secure because you are facing what can be overwhelming. Carpe Diem!