I stated that all of the expenses we will pay for during our lifetime will fall into one of only 6 categories, or types, and that each type has different characteristics. Knowing those characteristics makes it so much easier to deal with these expenses.

In this episode of Money Hints and Tips we’ll look at the second type of expense, regular recurring expenses that fall within a yearly cycle that we all call Bills.

We all love bills ... Not!! But we know there are some that we just have to accept. Like electricity, house payments or rent, house insurance, telephone, internet, council rates if you’re a homeowner, car registration, insurance… and so on!

These expenses are predictable and repetitive! You know HOW OFTEN they occur, you have a fair idea of how much they usually cost (give or take a bit), and you should know WHEN they are due next. If you don’t know, you can work it out by looking up your bank records to see when you paid the last one.

Now, because these expenses are predictable you should never have a problem meeting them. Fellas: How many years in a row can you say to your wife, “Oh no, it’s our anniversary again - that took me by surprise!” “I’m a bit skint at the moment honey, how about we celebrate by getting Take-Away?” 

You know this year that next year you will have another anniversary so you should never have a problem making sure you have some money available to celebrate properly. The same is true for all of those expenses I mentioned earlier. You know they are going to happen and you know when, so you should never have a problem being ready for them!

Now you might be thinking, ‘Yeah right, that sounds way too logical and simple. My life is complicated, and stuff happens! My income is all over the place, it’s just way too hard!’

Well, I can tell you that I had those exact same thoughts and emotions myself back in the early 1990’s, but I discovered how to take control using a Spending Plan, and I never looked back! Money stress disappeared because from that time on my Spending Plan organised our money so it arrived at the same time the bills arrived. It uses the predictability of the expenses to bring the money into place when it’s needed!

Yes, bills are annoying, but we all have them, and by using their characteristics and predictability, you can totally take control of them, which is much better than them controlling you!

If you speak with a Spending Planner you will find out more about how a Spending Plan can change everything for the better, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. You can keep those! So that is good news!