Don't get Fooled on Your Next Bill

Whether it is April Fool’s Day or not, no one like to get fooled when they open their monthly bills. Nothing can ruin my day more than when I open up a statement to find hidden fees, extra charges or that the interest rate on my credit card has gone up.

Here are a few things you can do to keep your monthly bills right on track:

• Read Your Mail – It is very important that you read all correspondence from your credit card companies, utility company, phone provider, Internet service provider, etc. I normally ignore that mail because I think they are trying to up sell me on services. Not so when I missed my electric company’s note that my contract had expired and they were changing me to a new plan that had a higher rate. That cost me a pretty penny until I changed plans. So very important to read your mail.


• Make a Call – Don’t be afraid to call your credit card company or service provider and talk to them about your higher interest rate or that extra service charge you see has popped up on your bill. My credit card company upped my interest rate one day and I simply called, explained I had been a loyal client for a few years and if they could lower it back to what it was. We reached a middle ground and they met me half way.


• Don’t be Late – This is so important I can’t stress it enough. Never pay your bills late! Doing so can get all kinds of late fees added to your account. Credit cards sometimes have clauses that if you’re late then they can raise your interest rate. So do what you can to pay early: mail it early, pay online or even in person.


• Keep Track of Automatic Debits – If you have something automatically charging to a credit card, then keep all those in mind. I had forgotten that I had my gym membership directly charged to my VISA. Well I closed that VISA card out and that caused my gym membership payment to not go through. Next thing I know I got a late balance on my gym and late fees. Also make sure that your card is not getting close to the limit and the automatic payments might push you over. You don’t want to get slapped with an over the limit fee. Been there, done that and OMG the money it cost me was insane.