Bills - How do you pay them? Internet, checks, automatic payment?

United States
September 29, 2008 8:56pm CST
What method of payment do you use for your monthly bills? I would have to say that for about 75% of my monthly bills, I pay over the internet. I only use automatic payment for one bill. I would probably use auto payment more but I have had the billing company make mistakes so I prefer not to use auto payment. I only reserve checks for companies that a) I don't trust their payment website b) Company only takes checks (i.e property manager). So, what method of payment do you use?
5 people like this
28 responses
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
30 Sep 08
Most of my bills I pay online as well. I pay with a check my water bill only. I go to city hall to pay that bill in person. Otherwise if the place does not have a website, etc. I use my check card. With my check card I earn airline miles so I like using it for that reason. But my credit cards and store charge cards I pay online. It saves me the expense of the stamp and the gas to drive to the Post Office to mail it out. It is also quicker and more convenient for me. Have a great day and happy myLotting!!!
• United States
5 Oct 08
Earning airline miles with your card - gotta love that! Happy myLotting to you too!
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
30 Sep 08
I employ a variety of methods for paying my bills. For the regular ones like my utility bills and loan repayments, I have GIRO arrangements where the bill amounts are deducted automatically from my bank to the company I am paying. My credit card bills are mainly paid via internet banking for those bills were I have a bank account tied to the credit card issuing bank. Any other bills are normally paid through checks and there are only very few such bills.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Oct 08
Somewhat like me. Thanks for responding.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
30 Sep 08
i usually pay mine using the internet... it is so convenient, save time and easy as well... i work full-time and i just don't have time to pay bills by cheque or post office... take care and have a nice day...
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Oct 08
Internet - where would we be without it? Thanks and happy myLotting.
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
30 Sep 08
I usually go to the payment center to pay in cash... but with regards to electricity and water... my landlady is kind enough to pay it for me... so i just give her the money together with my rent payment... i thought of just using my credit card... but i haven't gotten around inquiring how to do that...
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Oct 08
Personally, I think cash is the best way and safest, as long as you get a receipt. Thank you for dropping in.
@calebsw1 (15)
30 Sep 08
My husband and I pay most of our bills over the internet. It is the fastest method and most of our billing accounts are online, so we rarely receive a physical bill. It is less hastle and you immediatley get a confirmation number once the bill is paid. We've had so much trouble with paying bills by mail. So many times they will say that they never received the check or the check would take forever to get to them. So I love online bill payment.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Oct 08
Nice - less snail mail is always a plus. Thanks.
• Denmark
30 Sep 08
I use internet payment like 99% of the time. Since i got my antivirus, firewall, and antispyware, i should be safe, and its sooooo much easier! But if you really dont know much about virus/antivirus, it can go wrong.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Oct 08
Agree - even if one doesn't pay over the internet, computer security is extremely important.
@KrauseHome (36449)
• United States
30 Sep 08
For the most part I would say 90% I use automatic payment for, and have no problems. Some of the other places I either use a Money Order, or pay cash if they are somewhere close. I have not had checks in a long time, and prefer doing it this way which is so much easier as well. And if it is a site online where I do cannot use my CC, or Debit Card, I use paypal.
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Sep 08
Nice - cash is definitely the safest (as long as one gets a receipt). I recently set up a paypal account but have yet to use it. Thanks for your response.
1 person likes this
@Ithink (9980)
• United States
30 Sep 08
I pay all the bills possible over the internet. The ones I pay by check is because they dont offer on line paying. I wish they all did thou. I hate buying stamps and it seems when it is time to send one out Im of course out of stamps! Trying to think but I think that only 3 bills have to be sent out. I love the ease of on-line paying. I however refuse to do automatic payments, as we truely live check to check and sometimes there just isnt the money at that time and I have to wait a day or so to have the money to pay.
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Sep 08
Here, here. Buying stamps is a pain. Unfortunately, your situation is common - if things go as they are for us (medical bills, economy), we'll be doing the check by check living. Keep your head up and thank you for dropping in.
1 person likes this
@n30wing (4767)
• Philippines
30 Sep 08
I don't use any of them I really make it a point that I will go there directly and pay and ask for the receipt just to assure me that their wont be any mistakes. Have a nice day!
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Sep 08
Now, I must say that your method of payment is probably the best way. Unfortunately, some of my payments go to another state - love to take vacation time every month to make a road trip out of paying my bills though!
1 person likes this
@arcidy (5005)
• United States
30 Sep 08
Luckly I dont get any bills since I dont have an apartment and I live at my parents house so I dont have to worry about bills just yet. But I know my parents use the internet to pay there bills since my mom told me that a few days ago.
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Sep 08
Uhhhh (sigh) - those were the days! Happy myLotting.
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Sep 08
The internet is my preferred method for paying bills. My printer is broken, and alI bought a new one, I haven't installed it yet. That means I can't print out statements, so I don't feel quite as comfortable as usual. But paying online through my bank still works out well for me. I hate having to write checks and wait for them to clear so check them off in the register. Mail gets lost or delayed too often, and is too easy to steal.
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Sep 08
I usually run into my printer "out of ink" - arghhh. Waiting for checks to clear is the worst. I do the finances here and I also hate having to wait for any check to clear.
1 person likes this
@sudalunts (5523)
• United States
30 Sep 08
I only pay my rent by check. I have three bills that are auto pay from my checking account, and everything else I pay online through the creditors website. My electric bill was the last bill that I was able to set up online, previously they did not have online payments. I have been doing this for quite some time, and have never had a problem.
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Sep 08
Thank you for your response. I am considering setting up another one of my bills on auto payment so glad to hear you have had good luck with it - as of right now, I just have one bill on auto.
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Sep 08
I usually pay for all my bills with regular snail mail, at least that leaves a paper trail and can't get lost in cyberspace! Although I may convert to internet payments if the price of postage goes up very much.
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Sep 08
I do like the paper statements. One of my problems with snail mail was that I would forget until a couple days before it was due. This was how I first started paying online since I didn't want it to be late! Thanks for your input.
1 person likes this
@cjfoust (614)
• United States
30 Sep 08
I still mail in my payments monthly. Only recently have I started paying a few bills online. It's quick and convenient. I really think I'm going to start paying more that way.
• United States
30 Sep 08
Online payment is very convenient - good for you. Plus, you cut down on the cost of ordering new checks all the time!
1 person likes this
@shell94 (990)
• Canada
30 Sep 08
I use internet banking and auto payment for over 95% of the bills I need to pay. The others are not offering either of the mentioned options as of yet or I would definitely use them that way as well. The price of postage is a killer these days.
• United States
30 Sep 08
Hear ya - I hate buying stamps. Thanks for dropping by.
1 person likes this
@sk66rc (4250)
• United States
30 Sep 08
I pay my cell. phone bill at the store with cash... I usually pay more than I need to so I don't have to make that trip as often... Last time I made the cell. phone payment, I way more so that I don't need to pay for next 3 month or so... comes in handy when the weather gets bad out with snow & ice... I do the same with my utility bills as well... I over pay so much each time I only make 2 - 3 payments a year... Mortgage on my house is automatically withdrawn from my bank account so I don't need to do anything...
• United States
5 Oct 08
Nice! I round up all the bills, that are not on automatic payment, to the nearest ten. Happy myLotting.
@cndn420 (2062)
• Canada
1 Oct 08
I pay my bills through online banking. Its much for convenient for me and I can always keep track of my accounts and balances whenever I want to
• United States
5 Oct 08
Thanks for your input. Have a great day!
• India
30 Sep 08
I prefer to pay monthly bills through Credit Card . I use Internet & Mobile to pay these bill.
• United States
5 Oct 08
Thanks for dropping in. Happy myLotting.
• Malaysia
30 Sep 08
Usually, i'm using internet banking to pay all my monthly bill, after each payment through internet banking i'll print the record and keep it for my reference, This internet banking make me easy to trace which bill that i didn't pay yet.
• United States
5 Oct 08
Internet banking - I should do that. WHen I do online payments, I go to the website of the company that I have the bill with. I know that both my banks have internet banking - guess I should look into that. Thanks.
• United States
30 Sep 08
I pay them from online, i think it's the easiest way to do it.
• United States
5 Oct 08
Thanks for your response and happy myLotting.