Say Farewell to Check Writing and Hello to 21st-Century Convenience

Check writing was the mainstay for paying bills and purchasing goods for years. But these days you might wonder whether it is really necessary to write checks anymore? More and more consumers are discovering their house payments, utilities, and other services can easily be paid with the click of a mouse. Online bill pay not only offers 21st-century convenience, it's actually safer, better for the environment, and less expensive than the traditional method of paying by check.

No one can escape the responsibility of paying bills on a monthly basis. But with the Internet, a computer and a bank account, the job can be one of the easiest things you do all month. There are several types of methods available for paying bills online.

The first is a service offered through your bank. This method sends money to service providers you have designated. In some cases, a check will be printed and mailed to the recipient. In other cases, a service provider who is setup with a bank's system receives the payment through an electronic transfer. The second method is one offered by a service provider, such as a phone or utility company. To begin this process, the payee provides the company with a voided check and authorization to pull the money electronically from your account. This may be set up on an automatic monthly basis. The third service is one that is automated through an online bill pay service. Once established, it does not require any additional effort on the part of the payee. The provider simply sends a request for payment and the money is drawn from an account each month.

The convenience of online bill pay is further enhanced by the ability of consumers to manage their bank accounts 24/7. Writing checks requires keeping up with the register and keeping it balanced. Access to our bank accounts via the computer allows consumers to see any information regarding outstanding checks and account history. Some banks provide account balancing by reducing available funds to reflect bills that have been paid online even if the provider has not deposited the check. Online management of accounts allows bank clients greater control over their money. In addition, money is saved by not having to pay for new boxes of checks, as well as the postage required to mail bills.

Most anyone can identify with the struggle it can be to find the time to sit down and pay bills before they are due. Writing checks can often require filling in additional information such as account numbers or other forms of identification. Online bill payment only requires you have sufficient funds in an account to make the necessary payments. Once online bill pay has been established, you can make the payments in a matter of seconds with a couple clicks of the mouse. Pay bills from work, at home, or even while enjoying a latte at the neighborhood coffee shop. Paying bills may become one of the easiest things you do, rather than a chore.

While some have questioned the security of paying bills online, with encryption codes and heightened safety measures, paying bills online is actually safer than sending them by mail. Bills sitting in a mailbox waiting to be picked up can pose a perfect opportunity for identity theft to occur. Would-be thieves use personal information, such as that provided on a check or credit card numbers to steal identities. In addition, carrying around a check book can also pose an additional risk. A lost checkbook requires following up with a bank and potential fraud. Checks will need to re-ordered.

Check writing also creates environmental issues. Imagine in the United States alone the amount of paper required to print checks, the ink used, the fuel used to ship the checks, the energy required to process the checks, as well as destroy them. Eco-conscience consumers are quickly embracing the idea of online bill pay because it negates most of the above consumption of natural resources. Pay online - make the earth a more efficient and cleaner place to live.

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