If your finding yourself a little short on cash this month, the bad news is the bills won't go away but the good news is some bills can slide for a short time.
So which bills are the most important and who should you pay first?
If the bills are mounting and the panic is swelling, here's what the experts want you to pay first.
Mary Beth Franklin of Kiplinger's Personal Finance says, "You are legally required to pay all your bills but there is a hierarchy. Think of your family's safety, in terms of health insurance. Roof over their head, your mortgage or rent, food, utilities. Those are top priorities. If you need a car for work , pay that lease bill or the car loan or what ever. But after that start looking carefully."
Pay your taxes and student loans. Then tackle credit card debt. That means stop using your credit cards. Pay down the card with the highest interest rate first and pay at least the minimum balance on all other cards.
Stretch your food dollars further by going back to the basics. Scan grocery circulars, clip coupons and shop with, and stick to, a grocery list. Skip pre-packaged convenience items and consider brown-bagging at work
So to get your financial life back on track the experts say comb through your budget and cut out the waste.
"Most of us live life of convenience and we think conveniences like cell phone and cable service and netflix and what ever else are the necessities of life but guess what, they are really not and maybe it's a great time to re-access your habits."
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Cut your entertainment expenses with this novel idea, by pass the bookstore and hit the library for free books and movies. Check your telecommunications bills line-by-line. Call each provider and try negotiating a better, cheaper deal.
"Really evaluate how you are spending your mone and when you start plugging the leaks in your budget you can actually end up with a boat load of cash."
