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I'm going to share something embarrassing about myself.

I'm really bad about checking the mail.

How bad, you wonder?

Once in my 20s, I received a notification from the U.S. Postal Service that they had to start sending my mail back because there was no more room for letters. My mailbox was literally a coffin where paper went to die. So... that bad.

Of course, this also meant that I was missing bills. Not because I didn't have the money! I just never checked my mail, so I wouldn't see them until I'd eventually go on a mail-opening binge and find a late notice or two.

Finally, I did the responsible thing. The only thing that made sense in this scenario.

Did you think I was going to say I started checking my mail? Ha! What an adult and rational thing to do. No, no. I decided to start automating all of my finances. That way, I could continue ignoring my mailbox without worrying that I was sinking my credit score.

Eventually, I married a wonderful man who promised to love and cherish me — and check our mail — as long as we both shall live.

But even though I'm no longer worried about missing bills, I still keep our finances on autopilot. That's because automating your finances saves time, reduces stress, and makes achieving your financial goals effortless.

And that's a huge weight off my shoulders. Between keeping up with work, home, dogs, twin two-year-old boys, and enjoying this amazing (and busy!) thing called life... it's a relief to know our finances are taken care of.

So, if you're sitting there, thinking about how to make your own financial management less of a headache, keep reading. I'll show you how automating your finances can save you time, money, and a whole lot of stress. Ready?

Why Automate Your Finances?

Here are just a few of the ways you'll benefit when you automate your finances…

1) Save time!Who enjoys spending their precious free time paying bills or transferring funds (or opening mail)? No one. Automating your finances means setting up systems that handle these routine tasks for you. Imagine freeing up hours each month to focus on things that truly matter. Stop spending Saturday morning paying bills and start spending it with the family. Or finally getting around to that hobby you've been putting off. Time saved is life gained.

2) Save money!Ever paid a late fee because you forgot to pay a bill? You're not alone. Automating payments ensures your bills are paid on time, every time. Think of all the money you could save just by avoiding those unnecessary charges. Those small fees add up! Plus, your credit score will thank you. Speaking of…

3) Protect your credit score! Consistent and timely bill payments are crucial for maintaining and improving your credit score. When you automate your bills, your credit card and loan payments are never late. A good credit score opens up opportunities for better interest rates and loan approvals. Who wouldn't want that?

4) Achieve goals!Whether you're building an emergency fund, saving for a vacation, or planning for a big purchase, automating contributions to your savings account ensures you're consistently making progress on your financial goals. (In fact, behavioral finance studies show that people are more likely to follow through on their goals when processes are automated.) Most of the time, you don't even miss the money once it's left your checking account. Set it, forget it, and watch your goals come to life.

5) Reduce stress! Imagine the peace of mind that comes with knowing your bills are paid, your savings are growing, and your debts are being tackled — all without you having to lift a finger. Automating your finances reduces the daily mental load associated with financial upkeep. Less stress, more zen. You deserve it.

In short, automating your finances isn't just about convenience. It's about creating a system that supports long-term financial stability and growth. It's about making sure you're consistently protecting and investing in your future, even when life gets busy. Because let's face it, life is always busy.

Effortless Finance: A Step-by-Step Guide to Automating Your Money

You can't simply snap your fingers and — poof! — your finances are automated. But it's almost that easy. Setting up a single automatic payment or transfer usually takes about two to three minutes.

Below you'll find a step-by-step guide showing how to automate your finances one area at a time. I recommend starting with one or two and seeing what kind of a difference they make in terms of time and stress. If you like the results, try adding a few more and go from there.

1) Automate Bill Pay to Put Your Bills on Autopilot

First up, let's take care of your bills. Set up autopay for recurring bills like utilities, rent or mortgage, and credit cards.

For the next month, every time you get a bill in the mail (or email), go to the website listed on the bill and sign up for their autopay plan. It's usually easy to find this option (companies want you to autopay, as well!), but you may need to look around under the "Account" or "Make a Payment" tabs. It should only take a minute or two to set it up, and you'll save hours every month going forward.

Over the course of the month, you should hit all or most of your recurring bills using this method. Any time you receive bills from new companies/providers, just go ahead and set up autopay from the start.

Some service providers even offer discounts for automatic payments. Plus, you'll protect your credit score by ensuring bills are paid on time. No more late fees. No more stress. Less mail!

2) Automate Savings and Pay Yourself First

"...and at the end of the month, I'll put whatever money I have left into my savings account."

Spoiler alert: That money never makes it to savings.

That's why financial experts always recommend "paying yourself first," aka, moving money into savings as soon as it hits your bank account. The best way to implement this tried-and-true method is to set up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account the day after your paycheck comes in. (I personally recommend keeping savings in a high-yield savings account so that the money is also accruing interest while it's sitting there.)

Whether it's building an emergency fund, saving for a dream vacation, or preparing for a big purchase, automated transfers make sure you're consistently putting money aside for your life goals. Set it. Forget it. Watch your savings grow.

3) Automate Extra Debt Payments to Pay It Off Faster

When you have a large amount of debt, each payment usually feels like a tiny drop in a huge bucket. Setting up an additional automatic payment in the middle of the month is a great way to turn on the hose.

When you automate an extra loan payment, you're committing to paying more than required each month. As an added bonus, those extra payments typically go directly toward your loan's principal, which means you're paying down your actual balance and not interest. This can actually lower the total amount you'll pay over the life of your loan and shorten the amount of time you're in debt. Just be sure to confirm your loan doesn't carry an early payoff penalty that can reduce the amount you're saving by paying off debt early.

4) Automate Retirement Contributions for a Worry-Free Future

Don't forget about your future. Whether it's a 401(k), IRA, or another retirement plan, automatic deductions from your paycheck ensure you're consistently investing in your future.

If you're funding your retirement through an employer plan like a 401(k), you can log in to your account and easily adjust your contribution amount for each paycheck. Your employer may even match a portion of it.

If you're using a self-directed retirement account like an IRA, you simply set up a recurring automatic monthly transfer from your checking account to your IRA.

5) Automate Budget Tracking to Stay on Top of Spending

Tracking your budget purchase by purchase is a chore, but it doesn't have to be. Once you've created a budget, you can automate expense tracking and categorizing with an app like Mint or YNAB (You Need A Budget). These apps (and dozens more) let you connect your bank accounts and credit cards to your budget so you can see real-time updates on how much you've spent in each category.

I'd also recommend looking for a budgeting app that gives you a complete overview of your finances, like Rocket Money, an app I personally use. It gives me an easy snapshot of how much is in our checking, savings, retirement, and investment accounts, as well as a rundown of what bills are about to be paid and what has already been paid. This lets me keep an eye on my automated systems to make sure everything is running smoothly. And it only takes about 10 seconds every day.

Staying on top of my budget has never been easier!

Automate Your Finances the Way You Want

One of the best things about choosing to automate your finances is that you can set it up to match your financial lifestyle.

On a different pay schedule than most people you know? You can pick payment/transfer days that align with your pay cycles and financial flow.

Does your income vary? You can set up automated transfers based on a percentage of your income rather than a fixed amount.

Something change in your finances? You can adjust your automated processes as your financial circumstances evolve to ensure they continue to meet your needs.

Maybe you're ready to automate every aspect of your finances. Maybe you want to start small with only one or two. It's all up to you. Experiment with the different ways you can automate your finances and how much peace of mind it brings you. It's about making your money work for you, without the stress, hassle, or worry.