With almost any loan with a monthly payment schedule, a payment book is a useful tool. This booklet, which might resemble a checkbook, contains years worth of payment slips with the amount due and the date printed on them. Payment booklets like this make it easy to keep up with your payments and maintain a record of the loan's activity. If your lender doesn't provide you with a customized payment booklet, you lose it, or you give a loan to someone else, it's quite easy to create a payment booklet and print it out at home. Most word processing programs come standard with all you need to design and print out your payment booklet. These instructions will adhere to the Microsoft Word menus and terminology, which will apply to Open Office as well and be only somewhat different in iWork Pages.
Step 1
Open a new document in whatever word processing program you use. Insert a rectangular box in the blank document. You'll find this by looking at the shapes icons in the toolbar or in the main menu under "Insert" and "Shapes." Adjust the size of your rectangle to suit your needs. For reference, a personal check is generally 6 inches by 2 3/4 inches.
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Step 2
Using the "Insert Shapes" option or the icon, put a vertical line about 2 1/2 inches from the left edge of the rectangle. This will be the payment stub, which remains in the book as a record of payments made. When the line is in position, use the formatting options to make it into a gray or dashed line to indicate that this will be where to tear or cut the payment coupon, or slip.
Step 3
Insert text boxes in both the large and small portions of the rectangle. Inside each box, type the name and mailing address of the payer and the payment recipient, the account number, the amount paid and, if you know it in advance, the due date for the payment. Add a line for "payment number" on the stub and coupon to keep track of your payments. Use a smaller font to fit the information on the stub section.
Step 4
Click on "Print Preview" to make sure your text fits and lines up in the box as you expect. Then use the highlight, cut and paste functions to put three or four boxes on the page. Click on "Print Preview" again to confirm that the boxes will print onto one page.
Step 5
Review your payment schedule, and paste enough boxes across multiple pages to last the duration of the loan. If you have included the payment due dates, change them in each box. If you have added dates or payment numbers to your coupons, use the "Tools" menu to add page numbers to your document so you can keep them organized.
Step 6
Print your coupons onto thick or cardstock paper. When they have all printed out, use scissors to cut each rectangle individually, or a large cutting board to cut several pages worth at once.
Step 7
Staple your coupons together along the left edge; or staple small batches, then connect those batches, or leave them separate in an empty checkbook folder or other case. You may need a heavy-duty stapler.
Tip
Alternately, some printing companies offer payment coupon templates online, which will save you having to design the coupon yourself. They can save time, especially if you are not already familiar with the functions of your word processing program.
Things You'll Need
Microsoft Word, iWork Pages, Open Office, or another word processing program
Printer
Thick or cardstock paper
Scissors or cutting board
Stapler
Plastic or sturdy paper case
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