Saving on Bills So That You Can Pay The Bills Here are some bill budgeting tips: The key is to plan ahead 1. add up all of the bills that you have for the entire month, and divide the amount evenly by the amount of pay periods in the month. Then each pay period set that amount aside. 2. Be sure to pay yourself each month by contributing to a savings. This is done best by setting up an automatic deduction from you checking to a hard to reach savings account. It quickly becomes a bill, and is out of sight out of mind until truly needed. If you feel discouraged because you can only afford a couple of dollars, then save it anyways because it will begin to add up. It also establishing a habit of saving, which is key. Treat it like a bill that needs to be paid. 3. Set your utility accounts up on an equal payment system if they provide the service. This averages out your usage over the last 12 months, and then you only need to pay the average figure each month. It also takes the guessing out of the monthly payment. 4. Set up your house for the hot water program through your utility company, if it provides it. This is a program for your hot water heater in which you usually pay a a couple of dollars each month with your utility bill, and then if your hot water heater breaks they will either replace it or fix it for no extra cost. 5. You can save a lot of money by bundling your phone, cable and internet bill into one packaged deal. Many companies are continually offering specials, so if you are not in one it might be a good idea to call and see what they are offering. 6. If you have cell phones make sure that they are one a family cell plan so that you can receive free or discounted minutes between family members. 7. Call your cell phone company, and see if there are any unused extras that you might be paying for that you can do without. It may only save you a couple bucks a month, but they can add up and make a difference. 8. Call your insurance providers at least once a year to see if you are receiving the best rates. Sometimes all it takes is a little reminder or prodding, and your agent for car, health, life or home insurance can find you better rates based on updated circumstances. 9. If you recently dropped your commuting down then tell your car insurance agent. You usually receiving a discount on your plan if you used to commute so many miles to work, but recently cut it down. 10. Signing up for an online movie subscription can save you lots of movies and provide good entertainment. These are the ones where you pay a monthly fee for a set amount of movies at a time or a month, and then after you choose them online they mail them to you and take care of the postage back. The costs of renting movies can add up as well as the late fees and the cost of gas to drive to the video store and back.