Paying your garbage collection bill can feel like a hassle but it’s a necessary expense. Most garbage companies give customers the option to pay either weekly or monthly. Which billing cycle you choose can significantly impact your budget and cash flow. This article explores the pros and cons of weekly vs. monthly garbage bill payment to help you decide what works best for your financial situation.
How Garbage Collection Rates Are Calculated
Before weighing weekly against monthly billing it helps to understand how your garbage bill is calculated. Garbage collection rates are typically based on
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Frequency of service – How often your trash is picked up, such as weekly, bi-weekly, etc.
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Number of bins – The size and quantity of trash and recycling bins. More or larger bins mean higher rates.
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Weight – Some companies, especially commercial haulers, charge per pound of garbage collected.
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Extra services – Fees for bulky item pickup, yard waste collection, and other special services.
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Fuel surcharges – Garbage trucks use fuel driving to collect trash. Some companies pass fuel cost increases to customers.
Your location also impacts rates. State and local taxes on waste collection account for 10-20% of the total bill in some areas.
Pros and Cons of Weekly Garbage Bill Pay
Paying weekly means you receive a bill after each garbage pickup. For example, if trash is collected every Tuesday, you’d get 52 bills per year.
Pros of Weekly Billing
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Smaller payments are less impactful to your monthly budget.
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Pay only for what you use – less trash in a week means lower charges.
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Easier to budget weekly rather than project costs monthly.
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Avoid getting a large monthly bill if you forget to pay.
Cons of Weekly Billing
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More time spent managing bills weekly.
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Possible convenience fees for weekly payments.
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Must diligently track due dates to prevent late fees.
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Requires very close financial tracking compared to monthly.
Overall, weekly billing gives you more control over and visibility into your garbage collection costs. It works well if your trash output fluctuates.
Pros and Cons of Monthly Garbage Bill Pay
With monthly billing, you get one bill per month covering about 4-5 weeks of service.
Pros of Monthly Billing
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More convenient to have just one bill per month.
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Allows easier autopay setup.
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Similar bill amount each month makes it easy to budget.
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Less time spent managing bills.
Cons of Monthly Billing
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Large impact on monthly budget getting one big bill.
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Paying for weeks you may not have generated much trash.
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Requires estimating costs to budget accurately.
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Must pay full amount at once or risk high late fees.
Monthly billing simplifies bill payment but provides less control over costs. It works better for predictable, steady trash volumes.
Key Factors in Choosing Weekly or Monthly
When deciding how to pay your garbage bill, consider these key factors:
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Cash flow – Weekly allows more control while monthly lets you plan costs.
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Bill management – Weekly takes diligence while monthly is simpler.
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Household size – Larger families favor weekly billing.
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Travel habits – Monthly works well for frequent travel.
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Budget strategy – Weekly aids short-term planning while monthly assists annual budgeting.
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Past due risk – Weekly reduces large lump sum payments if you miss the monthly bill.
Evaluate your unique financial circumstances to choose the best garbage bill payment cycle. You can often change your billing cycle if your initial option isn’t ideal.
Average Monthly Garbage Collection Costs
Knowing typical costs helps properly budget for your garbage bill. Here are average monthly bills nationally:
- National average: $55
- Lowest 10 states: $40 (WY, IA) to $49 (ID, NE)
- Highest 10 states: $73 (VT) to $93 (HI)
Bills range from $20-$40 for smaller households and $60-$100 for larger families. Apartments or condos are cheaper ($30-$60) since costs are split across units.
You can reduce your monthly bill by:
- Reducing household waste
- Recycling properly
- Checking for senior and low-income discounts
- Renegotiating lower rates in lower-use months
- Comparing all providers for the best pricing
Choose weekly billing if you:
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Have fluctuating weekly trash amounts
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Want close control over what you pay
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Can diligently track multiple due dates
Choose monthly billing if you:
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Produce steady trash volumes every month
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Prefer bill payment simplicity
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Want a single payment fitting your budget
Carefully evaluating your options allows you to maximize savings on your garbage bill. Compare all available billing cycles to make an informed decision on the right fit for your household.
Monthly billing allows customers to better manage their household budget and monitor their water usage.
Monthly billing helps customers establish a payment rhythm. Customers can estimate their monthly payment and build that amount into their budget versus having a larger expense come up a few times throughout the year. While a monthly bill of $50, a quarterly bill of $150, or a semiannual bill of $300 will all generate the same revenues for a utility, $50 is more affordable for a customer to pay at a given time. Many customers operate on a month-by-month basis when it comes to expenses, as most bills (think: cell phone, electricity, credit card, rent, etc.) come once a month, every month. As such, customers may not have the foresight to save a little each month for a larger quarterly or semiannual expense.
Monthly billing allows for increased communication between the utility and customer.
For most communities, the only communication between a utility and its customers comes in the form of the utility bill. As such, more frequent billing cycles allow for more regular communication and fewer surprises. This increased monitoring and reporting equips utilities and customers with the information to notice leaks sooner. Early leak detection benefits customers financially, so they are not paying for water they aren’t using and can more quickly discover leaks that could result in expensive damage to their home. Usage from these kinds of leaks can add up quickly and are a significant addition to a bill, especially if this accumulation occurs over several months.
From the utility perspective, there are also benefits to this increased communication. For example, if a utility is trying to conserve water or is concerned about supply and a customer has a leak, it is beneficial for the utility to help the customer recognize that issue earlier rather than later. The customer has a financial incentive to address the issue quickly, allowing the utility to quickly recapture the lost supply from the leak. Similarly, monthly billing allows utilities to recognize meter issues, such as broken or slow meters. This provides the utility the opportunity to address this lost revenue more quickly and regain the revenue stream.
VIDEO: Options for help with paying utility bills
FAQ
Should I pay bills weekly or monthly?
Is it better to pay bills monthly?
How often should you pay your bills?
How much does a monthly garbage bill cost?
According to Moving.com, the cost of a monthly garbage bill can range from $20 to $80, depending primarily on the location. Factors influencing the price include whether you live in a rural area, competition among service providers, local taxes, dumping charges, gas prices, and the size of your trash container.
Should you pay for weekly curbside garbage pickup?
Paying for weekly curbside garbage pickup can really add up. When you’re working hard to pay off debt, save for a big goal, or fix your financial situation, you need to question every expense. Even your trash service!
How much does waste management charge to pick up a garbage can?
Take Bill Goldman of Pittsford, who pays more per quarter for Waste Management to pick up his garbage can from his garage instead of at the curb each week. He pays around $125 per quarter for pickup, all fees included. “I’ve always questioned myself, but it’s worth it to me,” he said, who’s been with Waste Management for decades.
How can I save money on my garbage bill?
There are several ways to save money on your garbage bill. Start by taking the time to understand what options you have when it comes to pick-up frequency and container size. Then, familiarize yourself with the cost for special services, such as bulk pickup. Next, take stock of what you need.
Should a trash bill be a mandatory expense?
When you’re accustomed to paying a bill, like your trash bill, every month, it’s easy to just chalk it as a mandatory expense, but it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think. For us, going from not having a trash bill at all, to suddenly having to pay for trash pickup really made us think twice.