Some of us swear up and down that automating our finances is asking for trouble.

For example, what if you set up automated bill payments, and there’s a billing error you don’t catch? You could find yourself short when the company withdraws its fees, which might mean overdraft fees if you only leave enough in your account to cover your expected payments!

It does happen, but only if you’re not careful.

Automatic payments can alleviate some of the stress surrounding making payments on time if appropriately executed. Still, it’s not a “set it and forget it” system: you must take steps to make it work.

Like most financial plans, it starts with your budget. Aim to have enough in your account to cover your expected expenses and some extra to cover anything that slips through the cracks.

Review your bills as they come in to make sure there are no surprises and will allow time for billing errors to get corrected before the money gets pulled out of your account. You don’t want to get caught off guard by rate increases or spikes in usage charges.

There are some upsides to automating bill payments. You’ll never have to worry that you’ve forgotten to pay the phone bill again, and that’s pretty cool in my book.

Another way you can use automation to help with your money is to use programs and apps that keep track of your spending and even automatically contribute to retirement or savings accounts!

Of course, I get that automation isn’t for everyone. It requires trust, and it’s not entirely hands-off. But, with the right mindset, it can be a way to reduce the mental load that can come with trying to juggle everything.

If you’re on the fence or want to learn more about how to make automation work for you, let’s have a quick consultation and talk about it. Call 330 836 7800 Ext. 1 or book an appointment on my calendar here.