The Automated Bill Thread; AIB: Automated Checkout Lines

[rcgplanner]

As discussed on this thread about automated checkout lines one of the concerns about using self-checkout lines is putting cashiers out of work.

What does the collective brain feel about automatic bill pay? As I was paying my cable bill through Comcast's website this morning, I was thinking what has the explosion of automatic/online bill payment done to the payment center industry? In the past when you mailed a bill, you wrote a check and stuck it in the mail. The check then arrived at a payment center where the check was removed from the envelope and entered into the system. Now, if you pay electronically the information is updated electronically, requiring less labor.

What are your thoughts on online bill pay? A wonderful convenience? Another way for the machines to take over? Do you use online bill pay? Any horror stories? Any other cosmic thoughts on the subject?

[Maister]

Those familiar with the Maister household will not be surprised to learn that bills are paid by writing drafts upon the account we maintain with the local banking establishment (i.e. cheques) and sending them via the post. If I had a signet ring I'd probably seal the envelope with wax too (no, I do not often write out the cheques using a quill pen, typically a fountain pen will suffice for the purpose).

My biggest concerns with automatic bill payment are security-related.

[mgk920]

My only 'automatic' monthly bill pay is for my internet service (they automatically 'ding' a CC every month). Otherwise it is either snailmail in the checks or, like with my cell phone account, feed a couple of twenties into a kiosk machine at their office.

I just feel most comfortable that way.

Mike

[Raf]

I do not use auto pay simply because i like to review a bill before i pay it just incase i have had to dispute charges ***aheem..AT&T***

[DetroitPlanner]

I route everything I can through the credit card. It helps me get miles faster and I even have the credit card set-up so that the first $200 is auto-pay. Therefore there is no missed payment fees to either the utlities or to the card issuer and I can easily write a single check for the balance. I too also don't like paying Big Bell this way, and can't pay my water bill this way. I do however pay my water bill months in advance, that saves on the number of stamps and time to write checks.

[Chet]

I pay everything but the car payment on line with a debit card, but I won't let them auto debit at their will. I initiate every transaction. I have never had an on line security problem. I would do the car on line too, but they charge a fee that is higher than the cost of a stamp.

[hilldweller]

I've gone completely online for bill paying, everything from the debit account.I can't remember to mail anything for some reason..

[Hink]

I feel just as worried about postal mail and security, as I do about computers these days. I like auto-bill pay for most payments (those that are always the same, mortgage, cable, internet, trash), but use the internet to pay but initiate those that seem to always be changing (credit cards, cell phone).

[kjel]

I pay everything but the car payment on line with a debit card, but I won't let them auto debit at their will. I initiate every transaction. I have never had an on line security problem. I would do the car on line too, but they charge a fee that is higher than the cost of a stamp.

I am with you here. There is one thing I have on auto-pay but its $10 a month so not a big deal. I receive all my bills electronically-no paper statements. I pay everything online either using the company's website or the bill pay function in online banking. I was a pretty early adopter of paying things online since I have been doing so 10+ years. I have never had a problem paying anything online.

[Whose Yur Planner]

Guess I'm one of the dinosaurs. I still prefer to use checks. I pay cah for my daily expenses. I don't use use my credit card much anyway and am leery of giving out my account numbers for my banking. Now get off my yard, you whippersnappers you.

[mike gurnee]

Automated only if the charge never changes, otherwise I want to see the bill first. We pay on line more and more each month because of the convenience and mostly 'cause of the time. No worry about the mail arriving on time.

Our dear state of KS assesses a surcharge if you submit car tag renewals on line; they are proposing a surcharge if you file income taxes my mail.

[CJC]

Everything paid through the credit card, then the credit card balance is paid in full each month through ACH from my checking account. I review everything as it comes in (bills that change), but the charges are automated. I like routing everything through the credit card for a few reasons:

1. More secure and insurance is included with every purchase - if it's an erroneous charge, the product is faulty, or I wreck the rental car, I just tell the credit card company, they remove it from the bill and deal directly with the company that charged it, leaving me out of it.

2. I get 0.5-3% cash back on all purchases (depends on what the purchase is), which maxes out at $500 a year. Because I route every purchase except rent and the occasional cash meal through the credit card, I get a $500 check each year (better deal than any of the airlines cards for me).

3. I can easily track any and all purchases in real time, or at least close to it. You still get the occasional retailer that sends through a purchase a couple days later, but that's it. I don't like having to look in a bunch of different places - all of my expenses show up in one place and are easily sortable with an Excel export.

4. Because I've been using credit cards like this for years and years, my available unsecured credit is massive (far more than I could conceivably use). If something were to ever happen where I needed to depend on credit for a period of time, I've built up plenty.

I pay rent through a website that my landlord set up, though it's an ACH link to my checking account (that's the only automated withdrawal from my checking account). I don't use a debit/ATM card for anything except the occasional time that I need $40 and happen to be buying a pack of gum or something, and use it as an ATM for cash back. I think my single pad of checks is about six years old (and still has 20 out of 25 left!)

[kms]

I pay most of my bills through my bank's on-line bill pay service. This works best for me.

Someone in my uncle's neighborhood removed a utility bill from his mail box and cashed the check. I don't understand how that can happen, but my uncle is a credible person, so I believe him.

[PrahaSMC]

All bills direct to a credit card that accumulates bonus points... make a budget every month, pay the balance off in full. Builds credit and every once in a while, earns me some goodies.

[Linda_D]

I pay most of my bills through my bank's on-line bill pay service. This works best for me.

I prefer to be a paperless person, but I also like to have control, so I like bill pay over automatic billing. I have direct deposit for my paychecks. Even my income tax refunds are direct deposited.

I pay everything on-line through my credit union's on-line bill pay except for my car payment which is automatically deducted from a special account by the same credit union. I have bill pay set up to generate automatic payments for my mortgage and cable/internet/phone bill once a month -- which I can delete or modify any time up to when the payments are actually made.

I set up the payments as soon as I get the bills, and they go out on the day I specify, so I don't have to worry about 1) forgetting to pay bills 2) bouncing checks 3) losing the darn bill (I set it up and then shred 'em) 4) having stamps 5) remembering to toss them in a mailbox.

Once a month I drive through the credit union's drive-thru teller and withdraw a twenty so that my dog can get some biscuits.

[kjel]

Automated only if the charge never changes, otherwise I want to see the bill first. We pay on line more and more each month because of the convenience and mostly 'cause of the time. No worry about the mail arriving on time.

Our dear state of KS assesses a surcharge if you submit car tag renewals on line; they are proposing a surcharge if you file income taxes my mail.

I just renewed my registration online and happily paid the $2 surcharge to do so. It would have taken me at least an hour at the DMV office not to mention dealing with the surly clerks and an hour and a half of missed work. $2 well spent IMHO and the new registration showed up in the mail a three days later.

[WSU MUP Student]

Count me as another who uses automated only if the bill is the same amount every month.

I never signed my cellphone bill up for automated bill pay (but have been paying it online every month for a few years now) and then this past week they sent me an email offering me a $25 MasterCard gift card if I enrolled in the auto bill pay. I signed up about 8 minutes later... I'm not one to turn down free money (just like I bought 5 family-size packages of Pop Tarts at Target on Friday in order to get a $5 gift card!).

[Jen]

No checks, just my bank's bill pay serivce. Extremely convenient, and in my control.

I won't mourn the loss of those mundane jobs...