OK, I've read enough. I am abandoning any bill paying by mail (that I can).

[CTyankee]

Everything will be automatic withdrawal. I have been moving toward this for a while now, but every bill I pay from now on will be done that way.

I had gotten to hate hauling out the checkbook at bill pay time of the month. I'll still send birthday cards to my grandkids cause they like them and that's fine, even tho one of them has their mother (my daughter) read the card since it is in "Grandma writing." I guess that's cursive.

I know I'm late to this game but I'm pissed and beyond able to deal with this in my life at my advanced age...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I've been doing it for years - it's much easier and more reliable

than writing and mailing checks and you know exactly when the payee gets paid. Some bills can be set up for EFT. I support the USPS by buying stamps I probably will never use.

[CTyankee]

5. Use the stamps to send holiday cards. My grown kids and my grand kids just love them.

And I love looking through the cards at the supermarket and selecting one (when I have enough time and am not rushed). It's fun and family loves getting them. A win/win all around!

[RKP5637]

2. It works extremely well! n/t

[VarryOn]

3. I pay all my bills via auto draft and...

the only check I write is for my church. And now they now do auto draft. I need to sign up for that too.

I still send cash to the grandkids for birthdays, but I call to make sure they received.

[Hoyt]

4. Used to get so agitated when I had to open bills, get checkbook, etc.

It’s so much easier on-line, it’s almost fun. I can even hold a payment awhile if I need to.

You know exactly what is going out and when. And you can even use the ruse companies have used for decades by saying “my computer says that was paid.” That throws em off for awhile if needed.

[roamer65]

6. I don't make it automatic.

Less chance of them making a mistake and fucking up my checking account.

I do it manually. I also keep a separate savings account with most of the cash that I never use for online.

[Skittles]

7. absolutely correct

that's how I do it

[kimbutgar]

14. I'm with you

Some bills I pay by check and others I do auto debit. The only time my account when I tried to do auto debit because sometimes they come in earlier and has caused an overdraft in my account. So now I only have about 3 small monthly bills paid that way.

[Jamastiene]

15. Yeah, I don't let them automatically draft money because

if something comes up that costs me money and with my money pit of a house and car, it does often, and the bank doesn't update in time, I don't want the overdraft charges that might happen.

Instead, I just manually do it too, except the one for my crappy behind the times city's water bill pay. They still don't have a way to pay online. So, I have to do it over the phone, which is a hassle. I personally hate talking to a human being to do anything any more, even thought they are really polite. I just hate the anxious feeling I get when dealing with people, in general.

[Blue_true]

26. All the auto debits I allow on my personal account is for a specific amount, to the penny.

The company can charge less, but it can’t charge more.

[roamer65]

30. I do allow car insurance to do it.

I got a nice discount for it.

I can be bought.

[Blue_true]

32. Well, ALL OF US CAN BE BOUGHT. But thanks for the reminder.

There are exceptions, I would burn in hell before I would allow Trump or one of his cronies to buy me.

[roamer65]

33. There is not enuff money on this pitiful planet for a Trump to buy me.

We all have our price...but...FUCK TRUMP.

[Blue_true]

34. .....

Yes, being bought by Trump or his lackies is a bridge waaay too far. No self respecting person would do that.

[Awsi Dooger]

38. I only do automatic for specific seldom-used accounts

Like Home Depot and PayPal credit and an automotive chain.

All 3 have no-interest promotions on 6-12 months that I occasionally take advantage of. One those balances are in the system I do the math and set the autopay for the exact monthly amount to pay it off in time.

[Sherman A1]

8. I find it far easier

I pay bills twice each month. It’s very easy to schedule the payments and manage the account.

[Blue_true]

28. I have my personal stuff set up be exact date for withdrawal.

Business is more complex due to varying amounts of payments, so with that an account is used that I load money to for covering anticipated charges, it turns out that for repetitive purchases that can be done pretty accurately.

[Sherman A1]

39. I have some automatic debits for utilities

But most I do online manually as always pay the full current balance with credit cards. The statements are always a bit behind in account activity not reflecting charges made since the closing date and I like to catch those as well when making the payment. It’s an easy online check before scheduling the payments which are done several days ahead of the actual due dates.

[CurtEastPoint]

9. I pay all of them auto by charging to Amex. Then I get the Delta miles.

A couple only take Visa/MC but most do take Amex.

Then I pay one big Amex bill per month!

[Jamastiene]

10. I used to dread that too.

I'm having major problems since Trump's lackey took over the USPS. My regular mailman, who does his job great and has always been the kind of person you want to see coming while out working in the garden, is not there any more now. This substitute sucks and is dumber than a box of rocks. My local postmaster is an asshole and I hate having to talk to the hateful thing anyhow.

Also, seeing how they just sent my medicine back after only one attempted delivery, and ignored the Re-Delivery Request I put in entirely, I am avoiding any company that uses USPS to mail packages too right now. Unfortunately, that is a lot of them. They claimed there was no safe place to put the package, when for over 15 years now, my porch has been perfectly safe.

I need my medicine, but won't be able to get it that way any more. Plus, I am out about $50. They closed the physical store for my pharmacy. This is a major pain in the ass. I hope there is a special spot in Hell for Trump, if there even is a Hell. I doubt there is. So, I wish the fucker would pay before he goes somehow, anyhow, at this point. I have no more forgiveness or mercy left for Republicans. Pits with lions and torture devices are too good for them, at this point, in my mind. I despise Trump. I hated Bush, but I despise Trump to a level I have never despised anything or anyone ever before. This, alone, is enough. All the other horrid crap he has done just compounds it exponentially.

If the mail is no longer going to be safe, will always be late, my medicine will be out in 90+ degree heat for weeks before getting to me, IF AT ALL, the USPS will be turned upside down, and Trump wants to destroy the USPS, I will just halt ordering anything from any company that uses it until this is all straightened out.

Fed Ex and UPS are great. I have had few troubles with them. I wonder if they will take up the slack and let people mail their ballots that way. It might be what we have to do, at the last minute, so Trump will not have time to go mess that all up to try to keep his power. I despise that man.

I hope there is a special spot in hell for Trump for destroying what was a great institution for America for ages now. I will miss the USPS and my regular mailman, who was fantastic and always did a fantastic job. I hate this is happening, but while Trump and his NC yes man lackey (an inordinate amount of his appointees are Republicans from NC, which should automatically give anyone pause, because they are the most corrupt of them all) are messing up the USPS on purpose to throw this election, fuck it. I don't need the stress, especially without my medication to help deal with the stress. Now, I gotta find out how to scrounge up $50 more dollars and figure out how to get about 75 miles away to get my medicine or change pharmacies. I resent the thought of changing pharmacies. So, I guess, off I go. Fuck this shit. I despise Trump more than words can express.

[nancy1942]

37. Ditto.

[bamagal62]

11. A lot of seniors still write checks

for their bills. I know my mother does. This has the potential to be a huge disaster.

[2naSalit]

12. I either mail them or pay in person.

At least everything I pay bills to is local, well the ins. guy has an office in town so I can go there to pay whatever, but the rent and phone I can just go there when I'm in town. I will now just pay for everything in person when I go to town.

[CincyDem]

13. Check with your bank about "electronic" checks that go USPS.

Had an issue with a payment that required me to dig into the process. I learned that my bank, one of the big 5, processes most electronic payments via a contracted check mailing operation.

I go on line and pay the bill digitally. That night, a file goes to the printer who prints, envelopes, and mails my check, along with the checks of every bank customer who did in line bill paying that day. Most of the bills I pay on line have a physical check sent.

Not saying dont do it. Just saying you’re not getting as far away from USPS as you might imagine.

[Blue_true]

29. That is interesting.

I have never dug down to that level.

[questionseverything]

16. everyone not using the post office is exactly what trump wants

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

19. Yes, but what's the alternative? Not being able to get your bills paid?

I realize that a lot of people not using the post office gives them another excuse to cut its funding, but a lot of us have been handling their finances online for years anyhow (close to 15 for me), which is one reason the post office has been losing business even before Trump. So I buy stamps even though I don't use very many. I've read that if everybody bought $10 of stamps the post office would be fully funded.

[questionseverything]

23. to help fund the post office we have to buy stamps we don't use

I started collecting a lil while back but I still pay most of my bills by mail, I have never "not gotten a bill paid"...I like a paper trail and I know the post office needs customers like me so customers that are not as lucky as me have the service

my absentee ballot I will hand deliver to my local election authority

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

24. Exactly. The post office has other merch too.

I have a whole bunch of stamps I probably won't get around to using.

[Blue_true]

31. The Post Office likely makes more money off of parcel deliveries than personal mail.

I send maybe four letters a year, I receive many packages via the Post Office. In the last five years, I have paid three bills by mail, I have transacted hundreds of packages during that time.

[Iggo]

17. Oh my gawd thanks for reminding me!

During the uncertain times (#theseuncertaintimes) it's even harder for me than usual to remember the 1st and the 15th.

(What's funny is I was participating earlier today in a thread about paperless bills. Didn't even register on me that half my rent was due today...lol.)

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

18. I have likewise been paying bills electronically for several years now.

A couple are automatically taken from my checking account, a couple are billed to my Visa card, and the others, when I get the bill in the mail, I go straight to the computer and set up the payment. I also tend to look on line at my checking account pretty much every day as a just in case. I can also electronically transfer funds between checking and savings account, which is handy.

And I'm a senior citizen.

[maxrandb]

20. I'm sending my late bills to the White House

and if I get late fees and my credit score gets fucked up, I hope there's a fucking class action lawsuit.

[stopbush]

21. I'm a senior. I've paid bills electronically for at least 15 years.

Some companies like Allstate give you a discount if you use auto pay.

I can’t imagine going back to snail mail to pay bills. Mail still gets lost, even in the best of times.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

22. I do my bills via money order

I got physical receipts and there will be no more overdraft bullshit which I cannot afford to have happen ever. I have to pay rent via money order so I get it all done at once and no anxiety over overdrafts,no confusion over how much I have.

I feel more in control with money orders.

[Blue_true]

25. Make sure that your bank notify you about unusual transactions.

Also, don’t use the debit card attached to your checking account on unsecured gas pumps. Most banks monitor their ATMs, so using them in daylight hours should be fine. Don’t use your debit card with new online businesses that don’t have card safe certification (the system conceals most of your card number, the expiration date and in some cases, the 3-digit number on the back of the card.

One of the risks with online transactions is fraud, but if your bank is on top of things, it will flag unusual transactions and contact you before paying them.

[Baked Potato]

27. And when he glitches the Internet? Just kidding....

[PuppyBismark]

35. I use my Costco visa when possible & Bill pay from my bank

I have set alerts on my Costco card so that I know every charge. My bank gets the Costco bill, I can see it and modify it before it is paid. It is then paid electrically via ACH. I also get at least 1% cash back.

[TheBlackAdder]

36. Electronic payments are far more secure than mailing a check that might not get shredded.

.

You risk the chance that a payment is not shredded.

Most of the gateway servers are the same ones that the payment center people use to process your payments by phone.

FYI -- Many banks will hold onto a received check for upwards of a week before processing it, in the hopes they can claim you are late and kick you into the default interest rate. Then, all of your other banks and lending institutions will follow suit.


===


Just make sure you access their payment site using a secure browser and make sure the SSL lock/key is displayed in the browser.

When you pay electronically, the date you make the payment, if it's before their cut-off window will be your posted date. You know, then and there that the payment was received, and you don't have to worry that some jerk swiped your mail or it was received late or lost. Those payments can also get 'lost' at the payment center by disgruntled or lazy employees who are making minimum wage or just above it.

.

[Maeve]

40. I switched earlier this year after a mail theft

I noticed two checks I'd sent hadn't cleared and was told they hadn't been received (paid over the phone). One I found in my car (Oops! forgot to post it!), but the other envelope came back to me in a PO package minus the check---and a letter saying it was part of an investigation of mail theft. It asked where I had posted it, what day, etc (at that point it was a guess--I use two mailboxes in the area, depending what other errands I'm running)
Since then, almost everything is on line. Bills are set to be paid the day I get them, no need to remember to post them, done and done!

[CTyankee]

41. I'm glad you got this done. It only reinforces to me that I made the right decisiion.

Must get hubby on board. He's old too and crabby so that might be a problem.

[MineralMan]

42. We've been paying all bills electronically for years.

I've even added tax bills to the list in the past couple of years. However, we don't allow automatic withdrawals. We pay them when they are due, or before, individually, so we do not forget how much those bills really are.

Except in a very few cases, we also get bills electronically. However, we know the due dates for every bill, and if one that comes in the mail does not arrive, we check the account and pay ahead of the due date.