UNITED STATES—We don’t want to do it, but as adults, we have to: I’m referring to paying bills. When you become an adult, you learn really early that bills are now part of your life and they will be for decades to come. Why am I bringing this conversation to the forefront. I know too many young adults, ones that I wouldn’t even call young adults anymore who don’t understand that you have to pay bills to have certain things and you have to pay bills to survive.
You don’t just get to blow your paycheck on weed, alcohol, fast-food and designer clothing, while others pay the household bills that you so dismissively don’t consider. Sorry, I’m directly referencing some family members I know who need to grow up. You can say it as much as you want, but some people don’t learn the rules of being an adult until its way too late. I started paying bills in my teens, and I am so grateful for that. Why?
It taught me responsibility and I learned the importance of the discipline that comes with respecting money and using it to your advantage and not allowing it to have power against you. Having to pay for one’s college tuition teaches you how to restrain yourself from spending money you ultimately don’t have. In addition, I learned the importance about budgets and how to stretch your money to accomplish all the things you need to get done. You might have to go a week without having a certain thing or two because other things are more important.
A latte or electricity? Housing or expensive car? I can keep giving out examples, but you see the point. With paying bills, you discover the importance of NEEDS vs. WANTS. There are some bills that are NEEDS that can be removed. Cable is NOT a necessity, neither is streaming. Now if you utilize Cable to a degree for work, whatever you may do, you can cut costs by eliminating streaming services that you are not actively using at all times.
Once you start to get your gears in order, putting things into a rainy-day fund to have your bills covered for a month, two, three, or 6 months is a great thing. Why? You have a cushion just in case something unexpected unfolds that you didn’t expect to transpire. Can you teach discipline when it comes to money? I used to think no, but I’ve come to the theory you actually can. Teach people to respect money and the moment that transpires they understand that “Aha” moment: you have to break up the money that you have made.
The fun thing about taking care of all your bills, you soon discover what you have left over can be used on you. I’m a firm believe that if you take care of your bills first, you can then have fun later. If you have fun first and then pay bills later, it becomes a major stressor and mess that doesn’t have to be created.
My parents taught me at an early age that I would be paying bills till the day I die. It horrified me at a young age, but I’ve come to embrace it. It’s not the end of the world to pay bills, but if you plan ahead, the stress of bills doesn’t control your life, you flip it around to manage it.
Written By Zoe Mitchell
