Rates adjustment
Jul. 20th, 2011 10:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
laura_seabrookMy quarterly rates bill came in the other day. So far I've set up regular fortnightly payments for power, water, and phone bills, but the land rates is the last to be done. These come to about $196 a quarter, but the bill isn't due until the 31st of August. Rather than pay in a lump sum, I've set up a new set of fortnightly payments for this, at about $32 a fortnight. Yearly it's about $30.70 a fortnight but I'm better off being slightly in the black rather than the red, and I can always make adjustments later. For the next three pays I'll also pay an additional $32 manually to make up the difference. That way the next bill should be right on target, and the cost won't be such a lump out of my fortnightly pay!
And I know this way works. I tested incremental payments on the rates for the last bill, but in much larger lumps. At the moment for the power, water and phone bills I'm about a whole bill period in advance for all of them. This means I can cut back a bit and actually save money. For the moment that money's going on my 1/2 of a new fence (with next door's paying the other half) but if I can save $100 a month I'll be doing OK.
All that means I'll have less "disposable income" per pay period, but much less surprises when it comes to scambling for bills.
Finances is a tricky business!
And I know this way works. I tested incremental payments on the rates for the last bill, but in much larger lumps. At the moment for the power, water and phone bills I'm about a whole bill period in advance for all of them. This means I can cut back a bit and actually save money. For the moment that money's going on my 1/2 of a new fence (with next door's paying the other half) but if I can save $100 a month I'll be doing OK.
All that means I'll have less "disposable income" per pay period, but much less surprises when it comes to scambling for bills.
Finances is a tricky business!
