Comments on: Ten Minute Tip: Setup Online Bill Payment

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 23:22:32 +0000

There is nothing wrong with automatic payments, especially if you manage your bank account well enough. I only use it for a few things like my AT&T account among other things. One suggestion is if you are concerned with bouncing your bills is to set a date after your paycheck but before the deadline.

Another suggestion is to set up the online payment for 80 percent of the bill, in other words, if the bill is 100 a month, set it up for 80 dollars a month and when you are confident you will have $20 dollars to pay the difference between now and the next deadline, you can easily send off the difference separately as a manual payment. I find this works for me well and the companies I pay rarely complain. I don’t know if this suggestion would work for anyone but it does for me and my bank account has been happy ever since.

By: Mrs. Micah

Mrs. Micah — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:31:45 +0000

Indeed. Mr. Micah and I have set this up. We pay online, a few days before it possible but sometimes we just squeeze in.

By: iarenoob

iarenoob — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:24:28 +0000

Web bill pay is wonderful since you can set reminders to pay your bill (if you do not have it set to automatic). For those of you who have your budget laid out you can have that money taken out every month, every day, every week, whatever you please!

By: jim

jim — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:14:08 +0000

Sydney: In this particular case, I’m not talking about automatic payments but just linking things up. I agree with you, manual payments are crucial, I don’t like auto-payments either.

By: Sydney

Sydney — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:43:53 +0000

I never let anyplace con me into automatic payments because since I usually have around $100 in my bank account at all times, sometimes less, if they make a mistake and take too much or too early, then I’m screwed in a big way. Overdraft fees from my bank and then if I bounce anything, fees from that.

Auto payments are nice, but instead I use my calendar to remind me when things are due. I do most payments online, but I do them manually when my computer beeps at me and says “Pay your bills, you’re a grown-up now!”