Skip to content
Bill Organizer

Checklist

List of Monthly Bills: The Complete Checklist

Every common bill in one checklist, grouped the way a budget is. Tick the ones you pay so nothing is left out, add amounts, then print the list or send it to the free bill tracker.

Free · no sign-up · runs in your browser ·

Monthly bills checklist

Tick every bill you pay. Add an amount to any of them and send them to your free bill tracker.

0 of 36 ticked

Housing

Usually the biggest bill and the one to pay first.

Utilities

Amounts change with the season, so budget a typical month.

Insurance

Easy to forget when paid yearly; set a reminder before renewal.

Debt payments

Minimums first; extra goes to the debt you're paying off.

Subscriptions & memberships

Small each, big together. Audit them twice a year.

Getting around

Fuel and transit are regular even when they aren't bills.

Family, household & savings

Pay yourself too: savings is a bill you owe your future.

Fixed bills, variable bills and yearly bills

It helps to sort bills into three kinds, because each needs different handling. Fixed bills are the same every month: rent, a car payment, most insurance. They're good candidates for autopay from an account that always has enough in it. Variable bills change: electricity and gas with the weather, a credit card with your spending. Budget a typical month, and use reminders rather than autopay so you see the amount first. The utility bill estimator and average utility bills by state help set a realistic number.

Yearly and twice-yearly bills are the ones that cause trouble: car registration, property tax, an annual subscription, a six-month insurance premium. They're easy to forget because they don't show up every month. Divide each by 12 and move that amount into savings monthly, a method called a sinking fund; the sinking fund calculator works out the monthly amount.

How to use this list to build a budget

  1. Tick every bill you pay, then look through two or three months of statements for anything the list missed.
  2. Write the amount and due date next to each. For variable bills, use an average of the last few months.
  3. Add them up and compare with your monthly take-home pay. The monthly budget calculator does this.
  4. Put the due dates on a bill calendar next to your paydays, and spread them out with the due date planner if one paycheck carries too much.
  5. Track them: the online bill tracker or the phone app reminds you before each one is due.

Bills people most often forget

  • Subscriptions billed through the App Store or Google Play, which appear on statements under Apple or Google, not the service's name.
  • Annual renewals: domain names, software, memberships, warranties.
  • Water and sewer bills that arrive every two or three months instead of monthly.
  • Promotional prices that end, such as internet or phone deals that rise after 12 months.
  • Medical payment plans and buy-now-pay-later installments.

The subscription tracker is a quick way to find and total the subscriptions, and the printable bill tracker gives you a sheet to tick off each month.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common monthly bills?

Rent or mortgage, electricity, gas, water, internet, phone, car payment and car insurance, health insurance, credit card and loan payments, and subscriptions such as streaming and cloud storage. Groceries, fuel and childcare aren't bills in the strict sense but are regular costs to plan for each month.

What bills should I pay first?

Housing, utilities, food, transportation to work and insurance come first, because falling behind on them has the most serious consequences. Then minimum payments on debts, then everything else.

What bills are paid once a year?

Common ones are property tax (if not in escrow), car registration, some car and home insurance policies, annual subscriptions and memberships, and professional or license fees. Divide each by 12 and set that aside monthly.

How do I make a list of my monthly bills?

Go through the checklist above and tick everything you pay, then check two or three months of bank and card statements for anything missing. Write down each bill's amount, due date and how often it repeats, or send them to the free bill tracker on this site.

Is groceries a monthly bill?

Not a bill with a due date, but a regular cost you should budget for. Many people add it to their tracker as a weekly amount so the monthly total reflects what they really spend.