Organize to avoid being late
Late fees on bills get me really upset. So after paying too many of them, I decided to implement this system: When I receive a bill in the mail, I open it right away and put the date I should mail it on the back of the envelope, on the front where the stamp goes, and also on the lower left corner. Then, it goes in a file folder organized by dates. It makes it pretty hard to screw up. Sometimes I miss a couple of days before looking in the folder, but with a week's mail time I don't usually get late fees anymore.
--Christina

Change your due dates to avoid being late
Avoid late fees by changing your bill due date. All you have to do is ask. Is the 8th better than the 1st to allow for snail mail? Is the 25th better because you always get paid on the 15th? Whatever date works for your payday and budgeting schedule, most companies are happy to make the adjustment.
--Cheryl

Financial Mentor
Just want to say that I am in debt over my ears and got in this mess by bad choices and lack of knowledge. My advice would be that before making any major purchases, e.g., car and home; get yourself a financial mentor. I believe I would have not been dealing with these messes if I had known this.
--Diane

4 steps to manage debt
(1) Open your credit card bills the day you get them. Look over the statement (make sure you learn how to read them and really understand them) to ensure that your last payment was received and that there aren't any charges you didn't personally make. You also want to make sure your interest rates are what you think they are. If you see anything unusual or incorrect, call the Customer Service number right away. TIP WITHIN A TIP: Many credit card Customer Service Reps must have been found under rocks because they can be very dense. If a Rep can't easily understand or handle your question or dispute, ask to talk to the Supervisor; (2) Write the due date and the amount you are going to pay on the outside of the envelope. Place the envelope with your other bills in chronological order; (3) Pay your credit cards online. I've been doing that for many years and have never had a problem, whereas I've had many problems with the US mail making me late by losing my payment. You can actually pay your card payment right away online or schedule it electronically to be withdrawn from your checking account the day it's due, and; (4) Always print out the web page that says your payment has been submitted, with the transaction confirmation number. If you ever get in a dispute with the bank that you paid on time, you've got their confirmation number that you did.
--Dennis

Auto pay to avoid being late
Have your credit card minimum payments drafted automatically by the bank. This prevents any late payment penalties, improves your credit score, and saves you a stamp and check. Your credit score impacts the interest rate you pay on homes, cars, insurance and even your employment. Of course, if possible, you should pay additional money against your balance, but the purpose of this tip is to protect your credit.
--Tyra

Pay bill when you get it
Pay your credit card payments the day after the statement prints. This lowers your average daily balance which saves you money in interest fees. Also, several of the credit card companies have changed to having the due date and statement dates several days apart. By paying right away, you won't be fooled into a late payment either.
--Beth

Advanced Technique Make Money
Here’s an advanced technique I developed after digging out from under a pile of credit card debt. As I paid off one card after another, the card companies became more and more generous with low rate offers on old accounts as well as new ones. When one company offered me 0% for a year, I said “Why not?” I borrowed $10,000 (deposited to my checking account) and bought a one-year certificate-of-deposit paying 5%. It’s important to check the transfer fee--often 3 or 4% but usually limited to a maximum of $75 to $90. If the transfer fee has no maximum, the scheme doesn’t work. With regular minimum payments of $200 a month, by the end of the 0% year, I only owed $7600 plus the transfer fee, and I cashed out the CD for $10,500. Of course, most of the effect comes from forced saving of the monthly payments, but it is nice to have the banks pay me interest rather than the other way around! I use on-line banking so was able to pre-schedule the payments each month a few days before the due date guaranteeing I wouldn’t have any late payments, which would ruin the deal.
--John

Attach Debit Card
Sometimes it's smart to have a debit card, attached to your checking account, instead of a credit card. You can't spend if you don't have it! You don't have to have a good credit rating for it, and if you use credit instead of debit, you won't be charged for the transaction.
--Marilyn

Keep Your Rates Low
Personally, as someone who's been deeply in debt, and I've surfed money all over the place to 0% cards, there's really no better way than to pay your debt off. Why do people think that they somehow save money by keeping high-rate debt? If life hits hard, and we get deeper and deeper into debt at high rates, we will never pay it off. Your greatest wealth-building tool is your income, and if it's tied up in paying off debt, you can't use it to your best advantage.
--John

Groceries

ID Theft

Bad smells protect you
A great way to avoid any possible type of identity theft is to mix your shred with anything stinky--such as used cat litter, diaper pail or compost. Any thief who has a sense of smell will not bother to sift through this stinky shred to get your information. It will be too much trouble for them, and they'll look for a less "offensive" target.
--Jay

Investment

Savings