Nothing but Bills!

Nothing but Bills!

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!