Tips to help you get your bills under control

Our guide has tips and support that may help you. We’ll cover:

  • how to manage your bills
  • support with food and energy bills
  • managing bills online.

 

How to manage your bills

List your outgoing payments

Make a list of all your bills and payments, how much they are and when they are due. Make sure you include your mortgage or rent payments, mobile phone costs and utility bills. Use an average cost of your last three bills, if your bills differ each month.

Also check to see if you have any subscriptions or membership payments. You can view, block or cancel subscriptions, in the mobile banking app.

If you bank online, spending insights can help you. It gives a breakdown of where your money goes and will tell you the categories of spend. This helps you spot spending patterns and where you might be able to make some savings.

Select your payment date

Some companies will let you select the date your payment is due. Phone whoever you're paying and check if you can change your payment date. There may be a date that suits you better.

It may be helpful to have your bills come out on the day you get paid. If you get paid weekly, try spreading out payments over the month.

You can keep track of what payments you have due by checking your upcoming payments within the app.

Depending on the type of bill, sometimes you can make a one-off payment each year. For example, you could pay your car insurance or road tax yearly, which could result in you paying less overall.

We've got more budgeting advice to help you manage your money.

Choose your payment method

A direct debit tells your bank or building society that a business or service can collect monthly or one-off payments from your account on a set date. The company will let you know the amount you need to pay.

standing order is a way to make regular payments from your account. You can use this to pay a person, a company or to move money between your own Bank of Scotland accounts. You can set up a standing order through online banking or the mobile banking app.

You can make one-off payments over the phone or online if you prefer. If you need to make a payment by a set date, make a note of the due date or set a reminder.

Support with food costs and energy bills

Your energy supply

Citizens Advice has lots of support to help you with your energy bills. If you’re looking to get a better energy deal or struggling to pay your energy bills, there’s help and guidance for you.

Citizens Advice

Tips for the supermarket shop

There’s lots of tools to help you save on your supermarket shop in this MoneySavingExpert guide on their website.

MoneySavingExpert

Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go is an app that helps towards stopping surplus food from going to waste. You can reserve food bags at a discounted rate at your favourite shops and restaurants.

Too Good To Go

Food banks

Trussell Trust support a nationwide network of food banks. Find out how to get help from your local food bank. You can also speak to a trained adviser on the phone for personalised support.

Trussell Trust

Managing your bills online

Online payments

You can view and manage your bills and payments online. Learn more about how to send and receive money in the mobile banking app or online banking.

How to pay bills online

Keeping you safe online

From shopping to banking online, we have advice and guidance to tell you how to keep yourself safe from fraud.

How we protect you

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Money worries

With the rising cost of living, it's natural to worry about your money. We’re here to help.
 

Help with your finances

Check your spending habits

See where you might be able to save money with spending insights in the app.

Spending Insights

Subscription payments

Manage details of regular payments and see when future payments are due with manage subscriptions in the app.

Manage subscription payments

Help me manage my money

With the rising cost of living, our tools and support can help you stay on top of your spending.

Help me manage my money

Help me manage my money

With the rising cost of living, our tools and support can help you stay on top of your spending.

Help me manage my money