bills

This is a small finish.  Every year I set up a set of cards that summarize the bills I need to pay each month.  Most of the monthly bills are done online but I like to have a prompt when they need to be paid (and not have them all on automatic, which would make me nervous).  I write the amount and when I set it up to be paid and the confirmation number.  I put the odd bills (property taxes, auto insurance, etc.) on the bottom of each card.  Each year has a different color.  I am using 4x6 cards I bought from the college bookstore for student teaching-- in 1979.  That might be frugal or it might be hoarding.  Through the years, especially with the advent of online bill paying, I've tried to streamline the process of paperwork.  I still have some bills sent to me but others are just online.  I try to keep a hard copy of all the passwords and urls and somewhat regularly tell Nate where they are and why he needs to know.  I am using an online checkbook register now instead of my old Quicken.  I can and do access it as needed from any computer, at least when I remember the password/login info.  Besides church and the Amish store I almost never use checks, which is too bad since I bought 4 boxes just before I quit writing most checks.  A life time supply I suppose?
Anyway, doing figures has always been pleasant to me.  I "get" numbers in a way that I don't always "get" other challenges :)

Timely action

  "All things are difficult before they are easy." *

Today I got online and cancelled my free Amazon Prime trial membership. It took less than a minute. It is done being free on the 18th and thereafter it was set up to charge my credit card $79 or something like that. Too much! I got it to get my son's computer items sent rapidly to me before he was deployed and had a few more items sent to me on the 2 day plan (free) and I watched one TV series free. A good deal, but sometimes I have cost myself by not cancelling a trial service (or sending a rebate) in time.
Causing myself mental and financial stress when a less than a minute action solves the issue. Priceless.

*Thomas Fuller--English Clergyman from 1600's