Paying bills on line?

[Miniv]

I do NOT want to sign up for "auto withdrawals" from our bank account with companies.

But I am interested in paying bills ON LINE through my bank where I have control of how much is withdrawn as payment.

How easy is this ..... and most importantly, HOW SAFE????

Thanks.

 

[sfmini]

I have been paying everything online for a few years and have had no trouble. Most places you can use your debit card or directly from your checking.

 

[Miniv]

Jody,

Do you do it through your bank or do you have to go into every company's website?

I think my bank offers something, but I've been a little nervous because of internet hacking.

Ma---

 

[horsefeather]

Miniv,

I've used bill pay on line for several years. In fact, I really can't remember how to start it. I am with Bank of America and you can go online any time, night or day, to see your account. I check mine usually everyday just to see if anything has happened that isn't right. I really like the fact I can sit down on the 1st of the month and pay all my bills because B of A has a calendar that you can choose which day you want to pay certain bills. I thought about hackers, but I figured if they saw my account they would feel sorry for me and add a little to it

My bill pay also asks questions if something seems strange, example, last month while paying my bills I put a payment in as $3,400.00 instead of $34 dollars and the computer asked me if that was the amount I really wanted to pay. I was able to change it to the $34 that it was supposed to be.

Pam

 

[sfmini]

I go to each site, but I am only paying credit cards and car insurance.

Judy pays the electric, uses their site and pays that way.

 

[Horse Feathers]

I LOVE bill pay thur my bank

 

[jayne]

Maryann, I was in the same boat as you...thinking about doing it but being afraid of the possibility of internet shenanigans. Well, my hand was forced one month when I went to pay bills and I had only ONE check! So I called my bank (WAMU now Chase) to get some emergency checks, and the nice lady said to come down and bring all my bills with me. So after talking about my safety concerns, we sat down together and entered all the information and paid all my bills on line right then and I've never looked back.

It's very easy to set up and also add new bills when you need to. Some of my payments are sent electronically right from my bank to my creditor's bank, but some do not have 'electronic relationships' with my bank, so it sends them a check. And they pay the postage!! And it doesn't even have to be a business. I send my mother $200 a month and the bank sends that one too! No need to jump from website to website, paying your bills with your debit card every month. Just set it up in your online banking and you're good to go.

I swear the only time I write checks any more is for the farrier or birthdays/graduations of the nieces and nephews. So go to your bank, Maryann, and talk to them about it. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Jayne

 

[minimomNC]

I have been paying bills online for almost 10 years now. I pay electric, cable, water, cell phone, everything that I can, I do. The only thing that is auto pay each month is my mortgage payment. I have never had an issue with either the companies I am paying or the bank. I have used the same bank for almost all of the 10 years too. Most companies I think prefer for bills to be paid online because it gets to them quicker and there is less paperwork to deal with.

 

[Miniv]

You all are making me feel better.

Do you still get a statement in the mail? I'm silly about having some sort of "paper trail".

Maryann

 

[Matt73]

I pay all my bills through my bank online. You just type in which account and # etc. and it pulls it up automatically ie. it will have Bell Canada and then your acct. #. You add it to your "bills" and then pay when you want online. It's so easy. I don't even get a credit card statement anymore in the mail, I just check it each month and pay through my bank account.

 

[Shari]

A number of years ago I paid online. Until I found out the Bank sometimes paid the same thing twice, even though I only sent the funds once. Even if they make a mistake, it can make a mess of your checking account. Charged me a butt load of money for their mistake, it took them two months to straighten their mistake out, and credit my account. But the Damage was done.

In the mean time, we had no money for food and other things.

Now I no longer will do Online Banking. Just do not trust them.

Went back to old fashioned checks.

 

[wrs]

We've just recently started using online bill pay with our credit union. We were pretty against it, but finally gave it a try & love it, can't believe we didn't try it sooner. Besides being easy & fast, you save a check & stamp.

 

[Bess Kelly]

I've almost forgotten HOW to write a check!

My bank & credit union offer bill pay services but, I generally go to the website of the creditor and pay through them which gives me the ability to select which account I want to use at that time. I like to check my bank accounts daily and this keeps my balances correct and verified.

It's fast, easy and so convenient! You can set up a date for the payment to be made, in advance, you can change the payment at anytime BEFORE it is put thru, if needed. Wonderful to be able to jump on line and take care of that "OH, NO!" tomorrow it's due and I forgot to mail......geesh, it's a great thing to just sit, type and be done

My accounts then email me a confirmation of the payment. Of course, any can be printed if you want that. I don't get bills in the mail anymore, you can download entire statement on line. And with auto-deposit of payrolls, pensions, etc....gosh, it's easier to live in the boonies.

Been doing it for about 10-12 yrs now. No problems.

 

[Charley]

I pay my bills online also. It saves time and is easy.

I still have statements sent through the mail to me. I also have a mortgage company that sends me a reminder of payment due by email and a receipt by email when the payment is made.

I did have one local account that did receive the payment each month but payment did not show up on the statement. Found out that one digit was missing from the account number and the payment was received by them but they couldn't match it with the account. This was cleared up, I added the missing part of the account number online, and has been working great ever since.

 

[twister]

I too pay my bills online, I go to my bank site, call up the list of bills I have then select one, I choose the account to pay it from, you can pay up to 3 bills this way before confirming then if you have more bills to pay you click on more bills to pay. Then I print a copy for my records and file it in the month the payment occurs, couldn't be easier and I love the convenience.

Yvonne

 

[Miniv]

Thanks Everyone......

Guess I am going to join the 21st century with this...

Shari AND Charly, those were examples of some of my concerns. But if I can make sure to have a paper trail, hopefully something like that can be nipped in the bud.

 

[Jill]

I've been paying everything online for years w/o any problems. It's actually kinda fun

 

[Connie P]

Add me to the list of online bill paying. It is a breeze. Convenient and quick. I have never had any issues thus far and have been doing it for years now.

 

[~Lisa~]

I've been paying everything online for years w/o any problems. It's actually kinda fun

LOL Jill I love that we are both easily amused I find it kinda fun to

 

[Shari]

I kept close eye on my account. They were not good with the paper trail, rarely could get them to send me one. There were a lot of hidden fees. Got to be too much of a hassle.