There is a way to keep your money longer by using credit cards and autopay. I have been using this strategy successfully for several years. It has evened out my cash flow and put money and rewards in my pocket. This strategy is only effective if you pay your credit card statement balance in full every month. Here how it works.
​DATES are important. You need credit cards with different closing dates throughout the month. Credit card transactions are billed at set times called billing cycles. The last day of the billing cycle is the account statement closing date. The due date is the date by which you must pay your credit card statement balance. There is a grace period between the statement closing date and the payment due date. By law, the credit card company is required to offer a grace period of at least 21 days. This is the period of time from when you get your statement to make a payment before interest is charged on new purchases. That is 21 more days to keep your money.
The credit cards I use:

1. Discover closing date 26th due date 21st of the following month
2. MasterCard  closing date17th due date 14th of the following month
3. Visa 6th due date 3rd of the following month
4. I also use my wife’s cards if the closing date is more advantageous.
5. Closing dates can vary by a few days based on the credit card billing cycles. For example, the 23-day billing cycle may have different closing dates after February, July, August for example. So don’t cut this too close. The credit card due date will always be the same.

You can often change your current due date if contact your credit card issuer. Most will let you switch your due date. So if you already have multiple cards you can spread the due dates and get started. Changing your due date will change your closing date by a corresponding number of days also.
All transactions since the last closing date will be included in your credit card statement. Credit card transactions are billed at set times called billing cycles. The last day of the billing cycle is the account statement closing date. You have a grace period between the statement closing date and the payment due date that’s roughly between 21 and 25 days, depending on the card you have. If your card has a grace period, the credit card company is legally required to offer a grace period of at least 21 days from when you get your statement for you to make a payment before interest is charged on new purchases.

• DTE autopay on the 27th of the month. Statement closing date the 17th of the next month. The credit card due date is 14th of the next month. 
• Autopay DTE March 27. I get a credit card statement on the 17th of April. Pay credit card in full on May 14. That is 47 days, I get to earn interest on my utility payment.

Resist temptation. You can’t spend the money on anything else. You must pay the credit card bill when its due.
I use this strategy with reward credit cards for cashback or travel rewards to help maximize the benefits. I love accumulating miles or cash from paying for utilities. I use the same strategy for cell phones, cable/internet, streaming subscriptions, and natural gas.
If you actually deposit the deferred payments into an interest-bearing account you may even see a modest gain over a year.
Other considerations You must monitor your credit card statements closely. Auto-pay amounts can change. I do not auto-pay my credit cards. This forces me to interact with the website to pay the bill. Therefore I get to monitor my statement before I make my payments.
Using this strategy will allow you to pay your bills on time and keep your money longer while doing it. 
 

One of the four financial health influencers is the volatility of income and expenses. Households impacted by such volatility find it difficult to achieve financial well-being. Increased expenses or reduced income often dictate tough lifestyle choices and increase stress levels beyond chronic. When there is increased income or reduced expenses, there is a less problematic increase in household discretionary funds and the fun that goes with it. Seasonal workers, those on fixed incomes, or subject to inconsistent hourly work schedules are especially vulnerable to this type of volatility. These financial shocks can have a devastating effect. 
Income and expense volatility does not have to impede your pursuit of 6 Financially Healthy Behaviors. Volatility can be mitigated by preparing for it.  John F. Kennedy once said, “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” Don’t wait for it to rain before you prepare. 
One cause of volatility is “stuff happens.” Happens to everybody. No one is immune. To achieve financial well-being you need to possess the “capacity to absorb financial shocks.” Financial shocks often self-inflicted can come from external sources too. Geopolitical, weather or cyberattack events can disrupt the economy and your household. It is important to be able to manage and recover from the inevitable financial shocks. 
Every household should have a disaster recovery plan. The foundation of a financial recovery plan is the Emergency Fund, the "liquidity buffer" between you and ruin. Building an emergency fund is your #1 priority no matter your age. You should well establish an emergency fund before you divert resources to a debt reduction strategy.
Emergency funds are highly individualized. Sufficiency depends on a variety of factors including your health, your age, your temperament, dependents, housing situation, the stability of your job, your risk tolerance, and more. Just be mindful of the truism, "It’s better to have money and not need it; than to need it and not have it." Your emergency fund can’t be too big. Its size may determine how it is stored but not its existence.
4 Ways to Jumpstart an Emergency Fund

1. Tax refund Don’t spend it. Save it.
2. Gifts Ask for money instead of things. Return or sell things for the money.
3. Increase savings through increased income from overtime, side hustles, etc.
4. Simulate the emergency now. What does austerity look like? Are you willing to make and cope with tough decisions? Decisions like those that would be forced on you by a true emergency. This is best done in bursts. For most households, it is easier to implement austerity for 2 months 3 times in a year than to do it once for 6 months.

• Cut back hard on your lifestyle.
• Fund only NEEDS not WANTS.
• Exercise EXTREME frugality.

"Savings" ain't savings until you deposit the money. How often have you said, “I saved money” because you paid $40 for a $100 pair of shoes at 60% off? What happened to the $60? If you don’t deposit the $60 into a savings instrument, then you haven’t saved anything. What you did was “cost avoidance” and not savings. All savings from canceled subscription services and other austerity mandated changes must be deposited to be real. 
Being able to deal with income and expense volatility successfully requires preparation. The base of that preparation is an emergency fund. Start or grow yours now.

Continuing Series on the 6 Financially Healthy Behaviors
Often when it comes to money some of our behavior can subconsciously be influenced by our money habitudes or by one or more of the four external financial health influencers. This can result in frustration and missing your money goals.
Money is like food in a lot of ways. It is something that we consume and is necessary to live. Just as improper behavior in relation to food leaves you in ill-health; an improper relationship with money can prevent financial well-being. Crash diets and get rich schemes may provide short-lived results but without a fundamental behavior change the results will not last.
Here are 6 financially healthy behaviors working-class households can use in the journey to financial well-being. These 6 financially healthy behaviors will increase your financial capabilities and lower your money stress.
In no particular order of importance, the first financially healthy behavior is “uses an effective range of financial tools.” 
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Since hominids roamed the Rift valley into the plains of Africa, effective use of tools gives a person the ability to alter an environment for their benefit. That is true for your money environment also. Each household operates within a larger economy. That larger economy creates an environment ranging from wholesome to toxic that generates irresistible forces that impact households. Altering that environment for your benefit through the effective use of some financial tools will help you succeed in your financial evolution.

Credit cards are a necessary part of life in 21st century America. They can be a bane or a blessing depending on ownership. By that I mean, “Do you own your credit cards or do your credit cards own you?” 
A well-managed credit card can provide increased monthly cash flow and lifestyle enhancements through rewards and other cardholder benefits. Cash advances can also be used as part of a last resort safety net or emergency fund. Credit cards should be proactively managed for rewards, utilization ratios, and annual limit increases.
Poorly managed credit cards lead to high-interest rate debt, stress, and a diminished lifestyle. This is like using a tool on yourself instead of on your circumstances. This is what happens to the undisciplined money managers and impulsive spenders. If this is your situation, there is hope. You don’t have to stay that way.

Everyone engages with the economy through Financial Services. These services and products are sold by a variety of entities. Accessing these services requires both prudence and due diligence. Buyer beware! There are many “trick and trap” instruments promoted to the ill-informed and desperate. Loans of all types can have such terms: Payday, Title, Student, Mortgage, Auto, etc. 
Strategically accessing capital when you need it is a good thing. Of course self-funding, though not always possible, would be the best course. There is nothing wrong with borrowing. But do so when it is the only option left. Borrowing should never be your first option. Do you really need to borrow? What are the terms? Can you maintain the payments even if your income is reduced?

Checking/Savings accounts are necessary to engage the economy. These deposit accounts give you access to cash and the ability to make payments. Your deposits are held securely until you access them through cash withdrawals, debit cards, wire transfers, or ATMs. Lack of access to these basic services has left many “unbanked” at the mercy of the unscrupulous and greedy. Those that do have access must be ever vigilant of fees and other balance reducing charges that are profit centers for some financial institutions.

Continuous financial education must be a value that you fully embrace. Thanks to Google, YouTube, MoneySmartLife.org, and a plethora of financial websites and books you can always be informed about your money. Being informed will help you make better decisions and plan for success. You don’t have to be an Accountant per se, but you should be fluent enough to discuss your situation with one.
Be aware when consuming financial information of its source and affiliations that may result in bias or steering. Look for objective sources of information like MoneySmartLife.org. This is not to say there isn’t great information on commercial sites. There most certainly is. Just be aware of whose paying the piper for the tune being played.

Investments are assets you have above your living expenses and emergency fund. They generally have a long term purpose or goal such as capital appreciation or income. Whether you engage a Financial Advisor or decide to go it alone, the basics must always be satisfied. Those are your time horizon, risk tolerance​, and the suitability of the investment. All three should be satisfied before you invest or engage an advisor.
The main thing investments should do is put you on the positive side of the interest equation. Which side of the interest equation is more characteristic of your money; paying it or receiving it?

Insurances are part of your risk management strategy and disaster recovery plan. Having appropriate coverages can help you offset a loss due to a covered event. Life, health, home, auto, business, renters insurance markets are highly competitive. This means you should regularly review your coverages and seek competitive quotes. Make sure whichever company you choose has a reputation for fairly paying claims.

Money paid in taxes doesn’t contribute to your wealth. Therefore utilizing available Tax Shelters lets you keep more of your money. Shelters don’t have to be elaborate but simply available such as charitable contributions, self-employment expenses, 401(k), HSA, or mortgage deduction. Paying taxes contributes to the quality of life. It is the irrefutable responsibility of every person to pay some taxes. But you should not pay more than you owe. As an American, my attitude toward all forms of taxation is the same. Tax evasion is a crime. Aggressive tax avoidance is our patriotic duty. Since tax law frequently changes this should be a part of your continuing education.

A Credit Score can be a tool. Maximize your credit score. Excellent credit (750++) will allow you to take advantage of sales incentives like sign and drive or 0% interest car loans. You will also get lower interest rates when you do borrow. Move your credit score up above 775 strategically and on purpose. 
Your ability to borrow should be viewed as part of your safety net. Your credit card cash advances and spending limits are criticalcomponents that can be managed to help mitigate some of the impacts of an emergency while buying you time. An excellent credit score can give you immediate access to additional money during an emergency. It is a MoneySmartLife strategy to responsibly and proactively expand your borrowing capacity annually. Just as your net worth expands annually so should your credit capacity.
These 8 money tools are available to most working-class people. Know how to use them capably. The cliche applies, "it is a poor worker who blames the tool." 
The World Bank defines “Financial capability as the internal capacity to act in one's best financial interest, given socioeconomic environmental conditions. It, therefore, encompasses the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors of consumers with regard to managing their resources and understanding, selecting, and making use of financial services that fit their needs.”

​Ultimately the responsibility of learning how to manage money rests with the individual. If you think somebody cares more about your money than you do; you have another think coming. Effectively using all available money tools is on you.