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Why I Use Online BillpayingJan 04 '01 Write an essay on this topic.I understand that everyone won’t like online bill payers, but the following is why I use them: Of the many household duties we all engage in, bill paying is one of my least favorite, and that is mainly because I dislike writing checks! I wanted to try a billing paying service because it looked fun (I love newfangled, computer/Internet ways of doing things), and so that I could avoid writing checks. I couldn’t justify the monthly fees because I felt I was just too lazy to write checks. Although I would save postage, I don’t have so many monthly bills that the savings in postage would cover the fee (what a terrible problem, huh?). When my credit union (Wescom Credit Union, see my Epinion of them!) offerred a free 90-day trial of their “BillPayer” service, I decided to try it out. ADVANTAGES O I don’t write checks anymore (my wife does the grocery shopping)! Once I’ve set up a payee (e.g., the gas company, the landlord, etc.), I simply click on the payee, enter the amount, and send it off. O No more addressing envelopes (or making sure my address shows through the window)! I hated having a stack of bills and keeping straight which envelopes went to what, then affixing a stamp and a return-address sticker to each. O No more postage for each bill you pay. O No more need for cashier’s checks! If you buy from eBay (like I have), the seller wants a money order or cashier’s check if you want them to ship when your payment arrives. With “BillPayer,” they receive a bank check from the credit union, so sellers don’t have to deal with personal checks from you. O Specific payee names show on my bank statement instead of just a check number. DRAWBACKS O You still have to pay a monthly fee that exceeds your postage savings (most people). “BillPayer” monthly fee is $4.95 (which is one of the lowest I’ve seen), but I’d have to have 15 bills a month for this to pay for itself (a little less if you consider the cost of the physical check). Nevertheless, the advantages above were enough for me to justify the fee. STAYS THE SAME O You still have to enter your “BillPayer” payments into the check register. O You still have to REMEMBER to pay your bills! I get help with this by taking advantage of a free reminder service that sends me e-mails when certain bills are due (I use the appointment calendar with my free account at www.visto.com). As you can see, the advantages far outweigh other issues. Give online billpaying a chance (if you can justify the cost). There’s many services to choose from now. Your bank or credit union probably has a service, and you could search the Internet for other services.  |
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