Start here · Sheet
This month’s bills
Who should skip this. Bills are current and you only need a buffer. If a court paper, lockout, or shutoff date is already on the table, call 211 or legal aid the same day — do not start with this grid.
Today’s date · Cash + money that will actually arrive before the next due date: $
Any letter that names eviction, foreclosure, shutoff, repossession, garnishment, or a court date:
| Bill | Due | Protects housing / power / food / medicine / work? | This month I will |
|---|---|---|---|
This month I will: pay in full / pay $____ and call / skip and call. A notice with a deadline jumps the list.
Words you can read on the phone
The month is short. I can send $ on . Do you have a hardship, an extension, or a payment arrangement? Please tell me the date, the amount, and whether this keeps the account current.
Write the person’s name, the date, and what they said. Do not promise an amount that would bounce rent or another required payment.
First protect-first payment I can still send today:
First call I will make today:
211 or utility hardship number: 211 · LIHEAP referral 866-674-6327 · other
Starting order, then change it if a notice, a state rule, or a court order says otherwise: housing; essential utilities; food and required medicine; transport and insurance required for work or required care; court-ordered support and tax debts already in enforcement; then open-account minimums. This sheet does not tell you which bill to skip.
Method: I may not make this month’s bills. 211.org. fourhundredx.com
FourHundred is an education tool. It is not personalized financial, tax, or legal advice.