On methods for paying bills
Nov. 24th, 2018 04:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livingdebA thing I just got in the mail made me think that maybe some people still pay extra costs or fees to pay their bills in addition to the bills themselves (even if the check doesn't bounce). But it doesn't have to be that way anymore for most things, at least for me. (I understand that some people cannot get bank accounts because of their bad credit, check-bouncing histories, or other weirdness from being poor.)
For example, I no longer pay bills by mail like I used to, thus saving the tiny cost of a stamp. And when I can, I pay by credit card, thus actually getting a "reward" for paying (unless the reward is smaller than the fee, which it always is when there is a fee).
Pay in person
* county taxes - My county adds a fee to pay online and a fee to accept credit cards, so I pay my property taxes and car registration in person with a check. The office is in walking distance, so I walk. If I had to drive, it would probably be cheaper to mail it in than to pay for the gas and wear-and-tear on my vehicle (and, in the olden days, parking).
* group lessons - The Austin Ballroom Dancers still only take payments in cash or by check. I pay in person when I am there for lessons.
* neighborhood association dues - I don't even pay these guys by check because who knows when they will deposit it. I pay in cash in person, which means I have to go to a neighborhood association meeting. There are usually interesting things going on there, but also very boring things, so I bring video games.
* repairs - When paying auto mechanics, plumbers, etc., I've learned to ask questions such as which payment forms are accepted, which forms are preferred (in case I really love them and want to make them happy), and whether there is a cash discount. Often I pay by credit card, sometimes I pay with cash to get a discount.
Online pay
* utilities - My utilities company is very excited about their new payment option "for payments made over the phone and through the online 'quick pay' option." The quick pay is in case you have waited until the last second but also in case you want to use a credit card. Now there will be "reduced payment transaction fees" and "more payment options." I have been using the slow pay option which still has no "convenience fee," where they just take the money from my checking account. Now that I have a credit card with 2% cash back, it may be possible that their fees will be lower than my reward, but I doubt it.
* auto insurance - I pay for six months at a time to eliminate financing fees. They let me use a credit card.
* credit card companies
* charities - I find some online company that lets me use a credit card and no stamps in order to donate to companies anonymously, but they do charge a fee. I do not know any way to donate anonymously without a fee. (My old workplace system also charged a fee.)
* local memberships (the Ladybird Johnson Wildlife Center, public radio, public TV) - I still pay once year; they wish I paid monthly but I'm not yet ready to increase my donations to the minimum amount needed for monthly donations.
Auto pay
I only use auto pay for things where the bill is the same, or almost the same, every month:
* dental insurance
* homeowner insurance
* cell phone
Also, I try to use it only in situations where I am not worried about trying to stop payment in the future. I would never use it for a gym membership, for example. (I just pay for a full year all at once. Sometimes that even gives me a discount.)
* internet/home phone - I don't trust this company, but I had to agree to autopay to get the semi-decent rate. And I don't foresee being able to switch to a better company anytime soon anyway because they all suck except Google Fiber, and part of their sucking is blocking Google Fiber in every way possible, so even though Google Fiber is in my city (woo!, and may I add, hoo!), it's going to be a while, or maybe never.
Bill pay
* natural gas - I tried using my natural gas company's online bill pay several times and it never worked. But my credit union's bill pay does work, so now I use that.
Maybe I should use bill pay more often than online pay whenever possible because I prefer to give my account information to my credit union than my credit union information to whoever I'm getting services from, but I haven't done so yet.
On a similar topic, I now deposit checks directly to my high-interest savings account using my online credit union's photo app. I used to go into my local credit union and then transfer the money to my online credit union.
Do y'all use your bank or credit union's online pay feature at all? Any other advice, comments, or questions on this topic?
For example, I no longer pay bills by mail like I used to, thus saving the tiny cost of a stamp. And when I can, I pay by credit card, thus actually getting a "reward" for paying (unless the reward is smaller than the fee, which it always is when there is a fee).
Pay in person
* county taxes - My county adds a fee to pay online and a fee to accept credit cards, so I pay my property taxes and car registration in person with a check. The office is in walking distance, so I walk. If I had to drive, it would probably be cheaper to mail it in than to pay for the gas and wear-and-tear on my vehicle (and, in the olden days, parking).
* group lessons - The Austin Ballroom Dancers still only take payments in cash or by check. I pay in person when I am there for lessons.
* neighborhood association dues - I don't even pay these guys by check because who knows when they will deposit it. I pay in cash in person, which means I have to go to a neighborhood association meeting. There are usually interesting things going on there, but also very boring things, so I bring video games.
* repairs - When paying auto mechanics, plumbers, etc., I've learned to ask questions such as which payment forms are accepted, which forms are preferred (in case I really love them and want to make them happy), and whether there is a cash discount. Often I pay by credit card, sometimes I pay with cash to get a discount.
Online pay
* utilities - My utilities company is very excited about their new payment option "for payments made over the phone and through the online 'quick pay' option." The quick pay is in case you have waited until the last second but also in case you want to use a credit card. Now there will be "reduced payment transaction fees" and "more payment options." I have been using the slow pay option which still has no "convenience fee," where they just take the money from my checking account. Now that I have a credit card with 2% cash back, it may be possible that their fees will be lower than my reward, but I doubt it.
* auto insurance - I pay for six months at a time to eliminate financing fees. They let me use a credit card.
* credit card companies
* charities - I find some online company that lets me use a credit card and no stamps in order to donate to companies anonymously, but they do charge a fee. I do not know any way to donate anonymously without a fee. (My old workplace system also charged a fee.)
* local memberships (the Ladybird Johnson Wildlife Center, public radio, public TV) - I still pay once year; they wish I paid monthly but I'm not yet ready to increase my donations to the minimum amount needed for monthly donations.
Auto pay
I only use auto pay for things where the bill is the same, or almost the same, every month:
* dental insurance
* homeowner insurance
* cell phone
Also, I try to use it only in situations where I am not worried about trying to stop payment in the future. I would never use it for a gym membership, for example. (I just pay for a full year all at once. Sometimes that even gives me a discount.)
* internet/home phone - I don't trust this company, but I had to agree to autopay to get the semi-decent rate. And I don't foresee being able to switch to a better company anytime soon anyway because they all suck except Google Fiber, and part of their sucking is blocking Google Fiber in every way possible, so even though Google Fiber is in my city (woo!, and may I add, hoo!), it's going to be a while, or maybe never.
Bill pay
* natural gas - I tried using my natural gas company's online bill pay several times and it never worked. But my credit union's bill pay does work, so now I use that.
Maybe I should use bill pay more often than online pay whenever possible because I prefer to give my account information to my credit union than my credit union information to whoever I'm getting services from, but I haven't done so yet.
On a similar topic, I now deposit checks directly to my high-interest savings account using my online credit union's photo app. I used to go into my local credit union and then transfer the money to my online credit union.
Do y'all use your bank or credit union's online pay feature at all? Any other advice, comments, or questions on this topic?
no subject
on 2018-11-24 11:37 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2018-11-25 05:51 am (UTC)no subject
on 2018-11-25 03:34 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2018-11-27 01:24 am (UTC)Deposit via photo app?
on 2018-11-27 06:24 pm (UTC)Re: Deposit via photo app?
on 2018-11-27 06:25 pm (UTC)Re: Deposit via photo app?
on 2018-12-02 02:15 am (UTC)* mobile banking - good description, links to apps for various devices, video tutorial
* mobile banking FAQs - so many answered questions!
Re: Deposit via photo app?
on 2018-12-05 04:00 pm (UTC)Re: Deposit via photo app?
on 2018-12-06 02:01 am (UTC)The picture taking looks different than for my other credit union. When I do it, the entire check has to be inside those lines, and then when it shows a picture of what it thinks is my check, they show only the check and not the background. So I guess I'd try making the lines match the edges of the check as closely as possible, but also try making sure the entire check is within the lines (much easier, really). And yes, once you figure out what kind of background it likes (and doesn't like), make notes.
Did you get it to work?
Re: Deposit via photo app?
on 2018-12-06 02:25 am (UTC)