How to pay the bills in The Sims 4

The Sims 4 simulates a wide range of activities from real life, even ones that you’d probably rather not have to deal with in your own day-to-day. Paying bills definitely falls into that category. Just like in real life, though, ignoring the bills can lead to getting utilities shut off in the Sims, though it happens a lot faster in the game.

How do bills work in The Sims 4?

In The Sims 4, bills will be delivered to your house’s mailbox once per week. They’ll total up everything you owe to keep the utilities on and let you pay the amount all at once. Once you receive a bill, you have two days to pay it without any consequences. After 48 hours go by without any payment, your electricity will be shut off. If you keep ignoring the bills for another 48 hours, the water to your house will also be cut.

What happens if you don’t pay your bills in The Sims 4?

Failing to pay the bills will also lead to utilities being shut off at any business your Sim owns. If you live in an apartment, your rent will be included along with the rest of your bills, and if you don’t pay it, the landlord will stop coming by to make repairs. In previous versions of The Sims, not paying bills could get some of your property repossessed, but that’s no longer the case with The Sims 4. 

Related: How to make money fast in The Sims 4

How do you pay the bills in The Sims 4?

In The Sims 4, there are three different methods of paying the bills, but they’re all very similar. The first step, in either case, is to grab the bills from the mailbox. Any Sim can collect bills from the mailbox, whether they’re a child or an adult, but only adults can pay them. Once you look at your bills, you’ll see the total that you owe. The easiest way to pay up is to pay them right at the mailbox by using the pay bills command that should now appear.

If you don’t want to pay your bills straight from the mailbox, you can also pay them from your cell phone or your computer (as long as your power hasn’t already been cut). You’ll still need to collect the bills from the mailbox and check the total, and then you can direct an adult Sim to pay after logging on to either your cell phone or your computer. Whichever of the three methods you choose, you’ll need to have the full amount in your bank first.