The Symptoms of an Unhealthy Budget

Part Three: What do I do with this mountain of bills?

If you’ve followed along with me since Part One: The Symptoms of an Unhealthy Budget, you know that you’re taking positive steps toward dealing with your scary financial situation. It might be painful, but you are moving in the right direction.

You’re now faced with organized piles of bills, and coming to terms with your actual money situation. The bills you should pay each and every month, your rent or mortgage, and utilities, have the most impact on your life if you don’t pay them on time. Just how behind are you on these bills? Are you at risk of losing your home or car?

Maybe you’ve been able to pay housing and car expenses on time, but your credit cards are far behind. I’m sure you’re receiving calls day and night from collectors. I know the phone calls are not pleasant. The people employed by companies to collect balances are not paid to be nice. They are paid to collect money. I know, because I used to work for a major automobile company and had to work in the collections department before I could be promoted to the job I really wanted. I’ve been on the other side of those telephone calls, and it isn’t pleasant there either. There is pressure to maintain very high collection rates in order to keep your job. Very often the people calling to collect past-due payments are also paying their own bills late. Is that news to you?

It is Saturday, and I know that you just want to kick back and relax a bit today. Until my next post, scour all of the possible hiding places where mail from bill collectors could be stashed. Sit down and open each of the bills you took the time to sort out. I’m sure there is some mail you never had the strength to open. It is now time to face reality. Begin to put these bills in order by date, each pile representing the bills from a particular company. We’ll work together on the next step after you’ve had a chance to catch your breath.

Until then, focus on the future and remember that you’re working toward a better one.

All my best!

Betty Anne

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