paying bills with automated systems

[Maid In Bedlam]

When I pay my Utility Bills over the phone to one of those automated payment systems. I have to jump Through hoops. Giving passwords and answering security questions. I am actually glad the security is so tight. The last thing i would ever want to see happen is one of those cunning and unscupulous fraudsters paying my electric bill.

 

Just saying

[Carolyn Marie]

I am old (school) so I am usually reluctant to sign up for automatic payments for anything.  There are a couple of exceptions.  I change passwords and credit card numbers often enough to make it very tedious to have to remember which auto payments I'm signed up for and change them out.

 

So I buy my stamps, lick my envelopes, and pray that the "Mail Goes Through" on time.  Even that is becoming less of a sure thing these days.  Some days I don't get my mail delivered until 9 p.m.

 

Carolyn Marie

[Ivy]

I used to refuse any automatic payment things myself - I'm from the old land-line days.  It made me feel like someone (or something) else was in control.  But I kept forgetting to prepay my phone, and then they did offer a discount, so I just figured what the hell.  I mean it's not like anything is really hack-free.  I use a credit card so if anything suspicious happens I'll see it on the statement.  Anyhow, it keeps me from being surprised by a dead phone.

And then last winter I had to have some surgeries.  I was staying with my daughter in another town and couldn't keep up with my mail and stuff (bills) so i switched what I could to auto pay.  I'm not crazy about it, but so far it's worked out okay.  

[Jani]

I was initially leery of online payment but I have been using my credit union's Bill Pay application, but only on my laptop, not on my phone.  I've also set up alerts so I am emailed whenever there is a charge to my CC account.  

[Tory Aoi]

I also used to be reluctant to do automatic payments as I was fearful that I'd be relinquishing too much control over my finances.  That changed as I started to see the benefits of not having to put so much time and effort each month into keeping the household running, so to speak.  Now whenever I have to deal with a new loan or something like that, automatic payment is one of the first things I setup.  I still monitor the flow of cash very carefully myself, though, just to make sure things stay balanced.