Signing Up an Online Bill Pay
I'm one of those people who constantly needs to be reminded to send out the monthly payments for my credit cards, electricity, cable, water, rent, and car loan or I will simply forget all about them. I've tried numerous ways to overcome this problem, including such things as posting my payment notices on my fridge so I see them every day, using a PDA to keep track of due dates, and designating a specific day each month where I can sit down take care of all my payments at once. But none of those things worked, and I was constantly getting hit with late fees and threats of cancellations. Then a friend recommended an online bill pay service. Since signing up, I haven't been late with a single payment.
These days, many credit card companies, banks, and other service providers support online bill pay options. That means you'll likely be able to enroll in an online bill pay program no matter which companies you have to make your monthly payments to. This is good news for you, especially if you have as much trouble keeping track of things as I do.
Getting started with a third-party online bill pay program consists of just two easy steps. The first thing you have to do is sign up for online bill pay with each of the companies that will be getting a regular payment from you. These companies won't be able to receive electronic payments on your accounts unless you perform this step, so it's absolutely critical that you do so as soon as possible.
The next thing you have to do is register with a website that specializes in online bill pay programs. This company will be a separate entity and simply acts as the middleman between you and your creditors. It's not entirely necessary that you sign up with one of these companies; after all, you could still manually process your own electronic payments each month. But that wouldn't be much different than having to sit down and write out checks when you were on a more conventional payment plan. In other words, it would be entirely up to you to remember to make your payments. Signing up with an online bill pay website, however, would relieve you of this burden. You can set up automatic recurring payments for fixed amounts (such as your car loan or mortgage) or you can schedule reminders that will be e-mailed to you before your payments are due. Once you get the e-mail, you can send your payment with just a couple of clicks of your mouse and be done with it.
Most online bill pay services do not require you to link your user account to your bank account. That means you retain complete control over both your payment methods (by credit card, checking or savings account) and your sensitive data. The bottom line is that online bill pay services provide you with a convenient, safe way to process all your monthly obligations in a timely manner. Get started today!
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