Credit cards! I don’t know what you think but, to me, they’re an touchy subject. On one hand you get access to fast, easy cash. On the other you need to pay back those loans at what are eye watering rates of interest. Some of the worst offenders are store cards with interest rates of up to 34% APR. As with any kind of loan, easy credit comes with a risk. Are you on top of it or do you leave your repayments to the very last minute (possibly risking a late payment penalty)? Reboot your finances for 2012 and never miss a payment again.

Calendars

To some, this one might seem a little old fashioned but how many of you have calendars? How many of you use them just to show you when the Bank Holidays fall or to keep a track of birthdays? If you’re looking at it on a regular basis why not add payments dates here?

Mobile Phone Reminders

How many of you own a mobile phone? Looking through the sea of hands that just went up a better question would be, ‘How many of you don’t own a mobile?’. From cheap Android phones through to Apple’s iPhone; just about every handset ever built comes with some kind of calendar or reminder functionality. Simply add a reminder into your phone to pay your bill 3 – 4 days before it’s due.

Office Applications

email software is everywhere. Regardless of the operating system you run (Apple, Microsoft Windows, Linux, etc) they all come with an email client. If you’re using your email tool on a daily basis add your payment dates in on the calendar feature.

Text Alerts

Believe it or not, your credit company doesn’t want you miss your payment dates. Yes, they might get to bank an extra penalty fee but chasing debtors through the courts costs them time and money. That’s why most, if not all, credit card companies provide their customers with email and text alerts. Use them. They’re free and will save you some financial pain.

Money Management Websites

Have you heard of Mint? If not, there’s some information about them on this. Basically, they provide a free service that allows you to import your banking data. Tracking your incoming and outgoing is made simple and the software also allows you to create alerts for just about anything (including due dates for payments).

Write It Down

Like owning a calendar, this option might seem a little dated but it works. Put it on a post-it, write the date down in a notepad or a to do sheet (that you look at every day). Personally, I find that writing something down makes the information stick in my head better than typing it into a text-based computer document. Likewise, a regularly used diary is another great place to put your reminders (surrounded by a big red circle and starred!)

Whatever Method You Use….

…make sure you pay your debt! I have a preference for hand written notes/memos/reminders. You might prefer one of the other approaches. Combine them; have a diary entry and an email alert. It really doesn’t matter how you get those notifications as long as you pay your credit card bill.

Do you want more advice on how to save money? My name is James and I run Money Saving Zone so if you feel like joining me for more tips and advice on a more frugal lifestyle come on over and say hi.