Paying Bills Online

Are you still writing checks and attaching stamps to envelopes each month? Interested in paying online but worried that it might be too hard or too vulnerable to theft? Online bill paying is both easy as well as secure. To top it off, it's much faster than paying bills the old-fashioned way and is usually free. Save time and money by paying your bills online.

Most banks offer online bill paying for small fees if not for free. All that's needed is internet access and a web browser. Depending on the bank and their system, you can also use online bill paying in conjunction with popular banking software such as Microsoft Money or Intuit Quicken however these programs aren't generally required.

The best part of paying bills online is that many of your fixed monthly bills can be automated. For example, if you know that your homeowner's association dues are $50 a month due on the 1^st of the month, you can schedule payments one time and let the online bill paying system automatically make the payment each month. You'll never miss another payment or be late again.

When you first start paying bills online, you will need to enter each bill into the system making your first time more time-consuming than they will be in the future. Once all of your payees are entered, in the future, you will just choose them from the list, enter the amount due and the due date and that's it. It really only takes a few keystrokes to pay your bills each month!

While you're at it, don't forget to set yourself up as a payee and "pay" yourself regularly by setting up regular transfers to your savings account or retirement account. This simple strategy will assist you in building up your savings on a steady, regular basis.

If you're concerned about security, you have valid concerns. Security is a big issue and the banks use encrypted sites to protect your transactions. Look for the "HTTPS" designation in the address bar as well as the locked padlock to ensure that the website you are using is encrypted and secure. In addition, be aware that banks will not sending you emails asking you to "confirm" your account - any email you receive from your bank asking for private information is likely a scam. If in doubt, call your bank.

Using the mail to send checks is possibly more risky than banking online because thieves can simply open your mail box and steal your bills. If you must pay bills the old-fashioned way, consider dropping your mail off at the post office.

Paying bills online is easy and secure. Give it a try and you'll never go back to licking stamps.