Bill paying service...

[Runes911]

Well I get tired of filling out a check, finding a stamp, addressing the envelope...etc etc. Does anyone know of a good bill paying service that isn't TOO expensive that will automatically debit your account and mail a check on your behalf? I heard at one point paypal had such a service but they canceled it. Any others you guys use/suggest?

 

[FoBoT]

see if you bank/credit union offers that service. my bank gives me free bill pay just for letting them NOT send me a paper bank statement each month

 

[Demo24]

Just give me the money and Ill do it for ya

 

[Runes911]

They do, however their website is HARDLY ever up lately. I wouldn't trust them to pay my bills on time.

 

[Yossarian]

BoA is free if you have direct deposit I believe. It's great. I spend nothing on stamps for bills, even rent.

 

[Runes911]

I dont want to change banks. All the others in my area are even worse then mine. (Hancock Bank)

 

[BooGiMaN]

online bill pay is the best thing since sliced bread...i have never had a prob with bofa's online bill pay

 

[Runes911]

Thats all good but there are NO BoA in my state that I am aware of. If their are they are too scattered to be reliable...

 

[Runes911]

Bump for the morning crew. Wanna give me some opnions?

 

[trinketsummoner]

1) look up local banks on google
2) read websites
3) ...
4) profit!

 

[Runes911]

Don't you think I've done that??

You forgot this:

Any suggestions?

 

[DorkBoy]

Originally posted by: Yossarian
BoA is free if you have direct deposit I believe. It's great. I spend nothing on stamps for bills, even rent.

Yes I agree, I have a Bank of America "my access" checking account.
It is free with free Bill Pay.
I have been using it for 1 year now with no problems at all.


GL

 

[dullard]

Many people want to do what you are suggesting: to have one company write checks and pay all the monthly bills. Some banks do this for free, but in most cases, you have to pay for this service.

But there is another way to get the same thing done. Virtually all monthly bills give you the option to automatically debit your account 100% free of charge. Instead of having one company pay all your bills, have all the bills charged to that one company. Do it in reverse. It works with almost all bills and is free in every case that I've ever seen.

Don't have your bank write a monthly check to your water/garbage/cell phone/internet/tv companies. Instead, have your water company automatically debit your bank. Have your garbage company automatically debit your bank. Have your cell phone company automatically debit your bank. Etc.

Or even better, if you pay your CC bills in full and on time: have the bills autmatically charge on to your CC and get the 2% cash back. Of course, not all people pay the CC on time, so this advice isn't a good idea for everyone. You can even have that CC automatically debit your bank.

 

[junkerman123]

wachovia hooks me up with the freed0m

 

[Jzero]

My electric company seems to have teamed up with mycheckfree.com to do this. I'm not sure how it works for other utilities as I use my bank's online bill service for everything.

Originally posted by: dullard
Virtually all monthly bills give you the option to automatically debit your account 100% free of charge.

I'm OK with this for loan repayments that don't change, but for utility companies that habitually make errors that seem to always be in their favor, I don't want them to get a penny without me going over the statement to make sure they haven't made any "mistakes." If you've already paid, you don't have much bargaining power.

Or even better, if you pay your CC bills in full and on time: have the bills autmatically charge on to your CC and get the 2% cash back. Of course, not all people pay the CC on time, so this advice isn't a good idea for everyone. You can even have that CC automatically debit your bank.

I do this for the vast majority of my bills. The rewards bucks mount up pretty quickly.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Jzero
I'm OK with this for loan repayments that don't change, but for utility companies that habitually make errors that seem to always be in their favor, I don't want them to get a penny without me going over the statement to make sure they haven't made any "mistakes." If you've already paid, you don't have much bargaining power.

But you have that same problem if your bank automatically pays the bills. So that argument doesn't matter in this thread.

 

[Jzero]

I don't do that automatically. I don't even think my bank offers it that way. I go in once a month and punch in the amount I want to pay.

 

[wondersteve]

MyCheckFree.com is a great site. I use for quite a few CC and store CC bills I have.

PM me and I will send you a referral.

And its free.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: Jzero
I don't do that automatically. I don't even think my bank offers it that way. I go in once a month and punch in the amount I want to pay.

But Runes911 wants that: "bill paying service that...will automatically debit your account "

 

[bonkers325]

Originally posted by: Runes911
Well I get tired of filling out a check, finding a stamp, addressing the envelope...etc etc. Does anyone know of a good bill paying service that isn't TOO expensive that will automatically debit your account and mail a check on your behalf? I heard at one point paypal had such a service but they canceled it. Any others you guys use/suggest?

what bank are you with?

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: Jzero
I don't do that automatically. I don't even think my bank offers it that way. I go in once a month and punch in the amount I want to pay.

But Runes911 wants that: "bill paying service that...will automatically debit your account "

OK well, then I will supplement my advice by stating that I would advise against paying creditors automatically with both eyes closed.

 

[RossMAN]

Some credit cards will allow you to pay bills but there are two catches:

1) Monthly fee of $4.95 - $6.95 per month.
2) These bill payments do not earn perks like airline miles, etc.

 

[bonkers325]

i have online billpay with HSBC. i dont use it b/c i dont have that many bills, but its good to know that its there

 

[Runes911]

Originally posted by: wondersteve
MyCheckFree.com is a great site. I use for quite a few CC and store CC bills I have.

PM me and I will send you a referral.

And its free.

I see none of the bills I need paid on that site.

Originally posted by: bonkers325

Originally posted by: Runes911
Well I get tired of filling out a check, finding a stamp, addressing the envelope...etc etc. Does anyone know of a good bill paying service that isn't TOO expensive that will automatically debit your account and mail a check on your behalf? I heard at one point paypal had such a service but they canceled it. Any others you guys use/suggest?

what bank are you with?

Hancock Bank of Louisiana

Originally posted by: dullard
Virtually all monthly bills give you the option to automatically debit your account 100% free of charge.

Not the ones I am looking to pay... Hell one of them ONLY accepts checks NOT a money order, chashers check, or any other type of payment! They would LOVE to charge you $10 for a check by phone though.

 

[kranky]

Originally posted by: Jzero
My electric company seems to have teamed up with mycheckfree.com to do this. I'm not sure how it works for other utilities as I use my bank's online bill service for everything.

Originally posted by: dullard
Virtually all monthly bills give you the option to automatically debit your account 100% free of charge.

I'm OK with this for loan repayments that don't change, but for utility companies that habitually make errors that seem to always be in their favor, I don't want them to get a penny without me going over the statement to make sure they haven't made any "mistakes." If you've already paid, you don't have much bargaining power.

Or even better, if you pay your CC bills in full and on time: have the bills autmatically charge on to your CC and get the 2% cash back. Of course, not all people pay the CC on time, so this advice isn't a good idea for everyone. You can even have that CC automatically debit your bank.

I do this for the vast majority of my bills. The rewards bucks mount up pretty quickly.

You should have seen the nuclear meltdown that my co-worker had due to a utility billing error. He has every possible bill set up for autopay (debited from checking automatically). One time the water meter was read incorrectly and his water bill ended up being $1200. That caused two CC payments, a car payment, and the phone bill to be late since there was no money to satisfy the other autopay attempts. It eventually got all straightened out, but it took him two weeks and dozens of phone calls, and although he didn't get dinged on his credit report, he lost the promo APR on one of the CCs.

The convenience factor is seductive but I still want to choose the time and amount of payment. One of the utilities here, if you are set up for autopay, emails you a statement three days before the money is withdrawn. If there's a mistake, or I'm disputing something, I don't want to have to fight to get my own money back.