Progression
Bills Must Be Paid Walkthrough: The Four Phases
The four phases, what happens after the ending, and video companions.
Quick answer
Walkthrough: learn → build Legacy → finish the tree → pay the final taxes
A full clear follows four phases: (1) first cycle teaches the loop and banks ~40 Legacy Points; (2) rings/bracelets make later cycles snowball; (3) the $250,000 Bail Bond tests whether your build earns ~$50,000/day; (4) after King Piggy, pay the final Taxes to unlock Freedom, then finish the Skill Tree before the last bankruptcy (COMMUNITY route from a completed save). Expect roughly 3-5 hours for a 100% run.
Phase map
The four phases
| Phase | Goal | Exit condition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Learning | Understand stamina + bills; pay 5 bills | First bankruptcy (~$2,015 paid → 40 Legacy Points) |
| 2. Legacy build | Buy early-payment + damage rings/bracelets | Rings make surplus cash convertible |
| 3. Income test | Reach and pass the $250K Bail Bond | ~$50K/day sustainable income |
| 4. Finish | Pay final Taxes (Freedom), finish Skill Tree, buy all shop items, then final reset | Maxed Out + Prestige Jewelry + Bought It All |
After the ending
Don't reset immediately after the final boss
Beat the final boss with an incomplete Skill Tree and it looks like a lockout — it isn't. Keep playing the same cycle to finish the tree (developer forum reply). The completion trio (Bought It All, Prestige Jewelry, Maxed Out) all want that final cycle before the last bankruptcy.
Video index
Video companions
Frozen YouTube results, grouped by purpose (all are external links; no embedded player, no autoplay):
- Full playthroughs: "Bills Must Be Paid - FULL GAME" and 100% runs (search YouTube for "Bills Must Be Paid 100%").
- Advanced tips: "10 Advanced Tips You NEED to Know".
- Buying decision: "Only 3 Mins To Decide If You Should Buy Bills Must Be Paid!".
- Official: Release Date Announcement Trailer and Official Release Trailer from Rike Games.
FAQ
Walkthrough FAQ
Q: How long is a 100% run?
A: Roughly 3-5 hours in one sitting — nothing needs a second playthrough (COMMUNITY).
Q: What is the hardest part?
A: The $250,000 Bail Bond — it forces ~$50,000/day income, the real build check of the whole game.
Q: What happens after I pay all bills?
A: You unlock Freedom; choose Keep Playing to finish the Skill Tree before the final bankruptcy.
Q: Can I do everything in one cycle?
A: Practically no — the tree, shop, and jewelry need multiple cycles; the final cycle is for the completion trio.
Official / original destinations
Media evidence
Local images are either official Steam promotional assets or clearly labelled archive cards rendered from frozen official page reads. Public reuse rights are not yet verified.
Evidence boundary
What supports this page
Reviewed 2026-08-11. Time-sensitive facts may have changed. Each source line states exactly what it supports.
Supports: the game definition, stamina-and-bills loop, developer, feature list, achievement total, release field, review snapshot, and captured price.
↗Rike Games pageDeveloperSupports: the developer description, demo label, and browser entry.
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