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One of the toughest parts of growing up and living independently is paying your bills. It can be a daunting thought but it does not need to prevent you from working towards the kind of life you want.
Once you understand how to budget, it is relatively simple to pay your bills.
Remember: Even if you live alone, you are not alone! Your friends, family and professionals who support you have almost all gone through the same experiences of growing up and moving out. If you are unsure about anything or feel worried about any decisions you are making, talk to someone you trust. Never be afraid to ask for help.
What bills do I need to pay?
If you live in rented accommodation, rent is one of the most important bills to pay.
Make sure you know how much your rent is and when it is due.
Everyone needs to pay for water and it is often the bill people forget about.
Council Tax is a sum of money paid to Wiltshire Council to provide services like your rubbish collection and to maintain the streets in the town you live in. This tax is connected to houses, and usually the people living in the house are responsible for paying it, unless they qualify for an .
How much you need to pay depends on your council tax band. If you rent a property, your landlord or estate agent can tell you what band you are in.
Wherever you live you will need to pay for electricity to run lights and charge your electronic items. Depending on the house you live in, your heating and cooking might be gas or electric. This means you need to pay your utility company. You can switch to a different provider at any time if you are not happy with the cost or service you receive.
You will almost certainly have a landline, especially if you have internet.
You might also have a mobile phone and pay monthly, or top up as you go. This counts as a bill too.
Everyone who has a TV needs a TV licence. To have the internet, you need to pay for line rental, which your telephone provider can tell you about.
You might choose to have an extra TV package, like SKY or Virgin TV, so it is important to remember this is an extra cost to consider.
How do I pay my bills?
To stay on top of your bills you need to know:
Who you need to pay
When you need to pay / how often
How you pay
Who you pay depends on your provider. For each of the bills above, write down the name and contact information of the company.
Most bills will be due monthly and you can usually negotiate the dates you pay. For some bills, like water, you might pay every 6 months.
Next to the name of your providers, write down the date of the month, or frequency your bills are paid and how you pay.
Part of growing up means making choices about your money. This includes how you pay your bills. There is no right or wrong way to pay bills, as long as you are comfortable and understand your rights and responsibilities.
Some bills can be paid in person, in a post office or newsagents. This is most common with phone top ups but depending on where you live, you might be able to pay utility bills or water rates too.
Lots of companies, including Wiltshire Council, have automated or call centre phone lines to help you pay bills. Check your paper or email bill for information on these services.
