Simple Pleasure Of The Day: Paid Bills

RECEIVING monthly bills is never fun. But somehow, settling them on time -- or just in the nick of time -- is enough to let you breath a huge sigh of relief, at least until the next set of bills arrive.

Here's a little secret: I don't budget. So how do I keep on top of my utility payments?

Simple: I spend as little as possible.That's it. 

I do keep a strict record of my daily and weekly expenses to determine my average rate of expenses, and to find out what items or services I spend most on. Then come next payday, I try to beat the previous two weeks' expenses by reducing luxury items that I used to buy and concentrating more on the basics. That way, I spend less. So whenever my bills arrive, I have more than enough left in the bank to pay them off, without having to set aside an amount of money (because frankly, I find budgeting restrictive). It also helps my savings grow.

It's a challenge. It's not easy. And it's not for everyone. But for me, it works.