Why is it important to record all your bill payments as you make them? Because as nearly all people will discover sooner or later,bill payments can and will go astray. And unfortunately, because this is often used as an excuse by people who do not have the money to pay, if your payment really does go missing, you'll need the proof in hand that you really have paid.

Whether you use online banking, pay with a credit card over the phone, or mail a check, you should always keep track of the date you paid, the amount you paid, your payment method, and your confirmation number if any. This way, if your payment really does go missing, you can provide the payment information directly to the company so they can investigate it from their end. Online banking is not always foolproof, and with the confirmation number your bank and/or the company you pay the bill to can research it from their end and find out what happened to it and where it went.

However, if you do not have your confirmation number or the other details of the date, amount, and method of your payment, it can make the investigation much more difficult and it can use up valuable time - all while the company a show your payment as delinquent.

As you pay your bills, get into the habit of recording all the details right on the payment stub, and then filing it away. That way, in the unfortunate event that your payment really does go missing, you have all the information you need right at your fingertips to give the company.