Throughout the year, I will have to pay $1,750 in annual bills. This is not a one time hit, but a number of hits throughout the year. This makes it easier for me to address my annual bills. With that in mind, I try to keep an extra $150 in my checking account. However, any debt I have gets addressed first. This is especially true considering that my annual bills hits a credit card rather than my checking account. If need be, I can always address the bill the next month, and as with most credit cards, I have a 25 day grace period.