Financial mistake: 'I left several bills unpaid for months and now I have to pay double the amount'
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Home » Money & Career » Financial Mistake: 'I Left Several Bills Unpaid for Months and Now I Have to Pay Double the Amount'
In our Financial Mistakes section, we address a reader's financial confession each week. From major financial missteps to the smallest financial blunders. This week: Lisa (27), who missed several accounts due to her personal problems. Tiffany Blom of Geldkwebbel shares her tips on this financial blunder.
Lisa (27): “It was a turbulent time in my life. There were so many things going on at the same time: problems at work, a relationship that was on the verge of collapse and at the same time I was in the middle of a move that I had absolutely no energy for. I couldn't focus on anything, let alone the paperwork.
And so the letters kept piling up. Bills, reminders, and blue envelopes. I placed them unopened in a pile on my desk. Each time, I thought, "Not now, I'll look at them tomorrow." But "tomorrow" turned into a week. And that week turned into a month. And that month turned into several months… I slowly lost control and didn't dare touch the chaos anymore.
Some of the bills weren't automatically debited from my account. I knew this, but amidst the chaos in my life, I forgot everything. These were municipal taxes, an outstanding health insurance premium, a phone bill, and multiple payment requests for an old loan. All amounts I could have paid, as long as I'd seen them in time.
When I finally decided to open that whole pile of mail one Sunday, I was terrified. Some of the letters were months old. There were reminders, and a few invoices had already been forwarded to debt collection agencies. The amounts had risen considerably. Where I initially had maybe €800 in outstanding fees, the total now stood at over €1,700. There were extra fees and fines on top of everything.
What affected me most was that I ended up having to pay some amounts almost three times. There was a €90 bill that, due to reminder fees and collection costs, ended up at €260. That hurts. Especially because I could have paid it, but I simply let it go. I was being punished for my own chaos.
I had to use my savings to pay off everything and was then short of cash for months. My vacation plans, for example, went straight down the drain. Every euro went to paying off bills I could easily have paid on time if I'd had my affairs in order. It was painful to realize that I had only myself to blame.
Tiffany Blom of Geldkwebbel is well-versed in financial matters and offers tips for these kinds of problems: "Oops, this is a classic example of 'you get what you pay for'. It's very sad, but as you yourself said: it's your own responsibility. Not unwillingness, but chaos. And luckily, you can do something about it."
Some people are naturally more chaotic than others, and that's perfectly fine, as long as you approach it systematically. My tip? Place three simple mailboxes somewhere you frequent. Name them:
- Yet to be opened
- Action needed
- Completed (e.g. paid)
Also, choose one fixed day each week to do your paperwork. For example, make Monday your Money Monday or Friday your Finance Friday . By making it a weekly habit, you prevent it from piling up and incurring expensive collection fees.
Having to cancel your vacation plans is painful, but these kinds of lessons often stick best. Hopefully, this is the last time you get such a hefty bill for procrastination. Good luck, Lisa!
Geldkwebbel.nl is an online platform about money, founded by Tiffany Blom, and she also shares many tips on Instagram . Her mission? To show everyone in the Netherlands that there are many ways to earn extra money (in a fun way).
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