Keep a petty cash fund. If children need money for school lunches or transportation, calculate the total amount you need each week. When you do your banking, get enough dollar bills or small change to cover everyone's needs. This saves frantic last-minute searches in wallets and pockets as the school bus approaches. Use automatic bill-payment plans.
Most banks allow customers to authorise direct withdrawal from a checking account.
You select the date for withdrawal. Bill-paying can be time consuming. There's no way to do it fast and accurately. Each automatic payment means one less check to write, one less stamp to lick, and one less deadline to remember. Ration television time.