Why is paying my bills on time important?
The short answer is that in addition to meeting life’s basic contractual obligations, a foundation is established that is both practical and spiritual.
How do I pay my bills on time?
The short answer is steady earning and GOD aka, Good Orderly Direction.
This is a story about how I learned to pay my bills on time and strengthened my spiritual practice as a result.
20 years ago I arrived in DA with $11,000 worth of debt and no job. On my desk was a stack of unpaid bills, the sight of which filled me with anxiety and shame. Never mind my debt, how would I ever pay my basic bills? I wanted to burn them.
One step at a time. I needed to start earning. Thanks to DA support, I landed a “B” job and started to whittle away my debt. Paying bills on time proved more elusive. The anxiety and shame, although lessened, was still present. I didn’t have a clear idea of what bills to pay first and when.
A spending plan
With the help of DA fellows, I developed a spending plan, an overall road map of my monthly nut. Although some expenses fluctuate on a monthly basis, my utility and rent expenses are a constant. These amounts offered a guide as to what I needed to earn in order to stay solvent. Nonetheless, I still had trouble paying my bills on time.
A schedule = Good Orderly Direction: GOD
“I pay my bills on time on the 15th of every month.” I’d heard a fellow say during a DA meeting. “This is how I stay connected to GOD. For me, GOD means Good Orderly Direction.” This hit home with me. By not paying my bills on time, I was cutting myself off from Good Orderly Direction and staying mired in a bad habit. Trapped in a shame spiral I felt disconnected from my deeper self. I could no longer afford this feeling.
The spiritual rewards of facing reality
Since hearing those words I was inspired to pay my bills on time. On the 15th of each month I sit down at my computer, log into my checking account which links to my monthly utilities: Spectrum, Verizon, and Con Ed. I click on each one, type in the amount I owe and hit the send button. After taking the monthly action of paying my bills on time, I feel:
- Estimable
- Calm
- Whole
- Strong
- Grown up
- Confident
- Self-loving
- Self-caring
- Self-accepting
Next Level: Auto Pay
Personally, I enjoy that act of hitting the send button as part of my bill paying process. However, auto pay is another option, and some say, a stronger commitment to paying bills on time. “Auto pay doesn’t fail” a fellow recently shared with me. She often travels and is sometimes removed from the regular flow of her personal admin obligations. To maintain her solvency during these times, she set up autopay for all of her monthly bills. “It also makes me responsible to keep enough money in my operating account,” she added.
Paying bills on time is a respectful way to move through the world and leads to feeling respectable and being respected, a spiritual gift.
It’s often said that recovery is an inside job, but let’s not forget the practical rewards that come from the outside:
- Your credit score improves.
- A history of paying bills on time is essential when applying for a loan or seeking to purchase or rent a home.
- You’re a solid citizen.
Paying bills on time is a win/win formula for a strong recovery and Good Orderly Direction towards a bigger, more fulfilling life.
If you are searching for ways to manage money and debt, DA is the place for you. There are many excellent tools for a thriving DA recovery. Paying bills on time is at the top of my list.