Think back to when you were a kid.  Did you ever have your heart set on something ― perhaps a new toy, video game, or a bike? You may have saved up for it for months or years by babysitting, lawn mowing, or selling lemonade. Then the day finally arrived.  You walked into the store and proudly handed over wads of bills and a jar of coins, and the moment was amazing.  You used your hard-earned money to buy something you wanted. The feeling of pride and ownership is yours to keep and so is the “special something” you worked to own. 

Unfortunately, these days we’ve got everything turned around. You might go to the mall, see something you love at a good price, decide you have to have it, so you pull out the plastic and casually hand it over. You’ll figure out how you’re going to pay for it later. After all, there’s nothing wrong with a little credit when you have another paycheck coming in two weeks…right?

Wrong! What’s happening is that you have a false sense of ownership. You get the rush and privilege of having the item without the responsibility of actually owning it. And chances are, you’ll see more things that you “have to buy” or “can’t do without.”

A few weeks later, you get that not-so-friendly reminder of all of your shopping escapades… a mailbox full of bills. Finally, the reality sets in that you have obligations to meet, and your paycheck that’s coming is going, going, gone to pay for things you already have. And the cycle of buying things on expected income rather than earned income continues.

The easy part is finding things you like and buying them. The challenge is how responsibly you handle your obligations. However dreadful they may seem, bills are a fact of life, and avoiding your bills will not make them go away. Paying all of your bills regularly and promptly is the key to keeping your credit in check. The more disciplined you are about paying bills, the more relaxed and positive you will feel about your financial outlook.

Why it’s Important to Pay Bills