Accelerating Bill Payments

If you are paying off bills but it seems to be taking you longer than you'd like, could you be unconsciously sabotaging yourself? If you're trying to figure out how to pay bills more quickly, STOP ADDING TO THEM. If you are trying to pay off high interest bills such as credit cards but you continue to use them, you will never get ahead of the curve. Start paying cash for purchases, and, if you don't have the cash, don't buy it. You can use either the "smallest first" payment method or the push payment method to pay your bills off. The "smallest first" payment costs more in the long run but gives you a more immediate sense of gratification by clearing small bills quickly. It may be better for those who might be discouraged from sticking with a debt pay down plan by the seemingly endless wait to finally pay off a bill. The push payment method delays that gratification a little longer, but it ultimately pays off all the debt more quickly and saves thousands of dollars in interest by paying off the highest rate debt first. The finance section of FamilyResource.com's site has some good articles on the pros and cons of each of these methods.