No matter where you decide to live, one thing is certain: you’ll be paying bills —lots of bills. Big bills and little bills. Bills, bills, bills! The mailboxes may look different, but what’s inside is the same everywhere. If you’re lucky, there will be some fun mail—a letter or card from a friend far away. But if you’re like most Americans, you’ll be opening . . . bills!
It’s great to move to a beautiful new place, but everything has a cost. In English we have a saying: “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” You’ll need to pay for gas, electricity, water, telephone, Internet connection, and cable or satellite television service. It seems the list of bills goes on and on.
Most companies send a bill every month. It’s important to pay on time—late payments can affect your credit rating. Most places encourage you to pay bills online. That means less paper (and less mail). And although a landlord is responsible for repairs in an apartment, as a proud new homeowner, you’ll have the fun of paying those expenses for your new house.
Don’t forget the dreaded Murphy’s Law! Sometimes it just seems that everything is on a timer to break at the same time. One poor homeowner moved in one year, and the next year the washer, dryer, stove, and dishwasher didn’t work. That’s Murphy’s Law! (Some days we’re just happy to get junk mail.)
LIA: Anything interesting in the mail?
ALAN: Just the usual: junk mail and bills, bills, bills!
LIA: Uh-oh.
ALAN: What’s up?
LIA: The credit card bill was due yesterday . . . and I didn’t pay it.
ALAN: Don’t worry about it. You still have a grace period before you get slapped with a late fee.
LIA: I guess so. But I may need to buy a car next year. I want to make sure my credit rating is good.
ALAN: You shouldn’t have a problem if you pay it right away. Ha ha—I didn’t think you’d need a timer to remind yourself about bills!
| Tip 5 |
When people move into a new home, they often have a housewarming party. Friends will bring a gift for the house as a way to wish the new homeowner good luck. |
| Tip 6 |
You can remove your name from junk mail lists by sending a letter to the Direct Marketing Association. Don’t fill out contest entry forms at the mall. Often these are just tricks to get new addresses! |
Fun Fact!
Okay, we admit it. There are no fun facts about bills!
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bill: a statement of how much money you owe
credit rating (also called a credit score): an evaluation of how good your credit is, based on your payments
dreaded: worrisome, not wanted
due: expected (and sometimes required)
grace period: a time period after the due date when you can pay a bill without a penalty
junk mail: advertising and papers that you haven’t requested
late fee: money the company charges if you don’t pay on time
Murphy’s Law: a famous saying: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”
on time: when it’s due; not late
slapped with: charged for
timer: a small device that buzzes after a set time has gone by.
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