Mondays Matter: Week 44

Taken from the book Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways To Make A Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza

USE ONLINE BILL PAY

-One of the fastest growing robbery crimes is identity theft by stealing mail.

-With password protection, more than one level of authentication, increased online security, and 100% protection in case of fraud, online bill pay is much safter than putting a check in the mailbox.

-Internet use and electronic account monitoring is the fastest way to detect fraud and decrease losses from identity theft.

-Banking information can be accessed via the Internet anytime, anywhere.

-Paying bills online saves the average consumer $6 in stamps and 4 hours of time each month.

-18.5 million trees would be saved annually if consumers viewed and payed bills online.

ACTION STEPS

1. Go to your bank's website, click on "online banking" and follow the instructions to set up online bill pay.

2. Print out statements, view transactions, check balances, pay bills, transfer funds, and look for other financial information at your convenience.

3. Stop receiving bank statements and bills in the mail by signing up for online delivery.

4. If you're not able to connect online, then set up automatic payments over the phone. You may still receive a statement, but your payments will be automatically deducted from your bank account.

This is one idea that I am a little conflicted with. Both of my parents worked for the US Postal Service. This agency is feeling the effects of people communicating and doing their business solely online. For that reason, I don't do everything online. I still send letters, birthday cards, and bills in the mail. I do use online banking to be able to access our account, but don't pay my all our bills that way. Everyone has to do what is comfortable for them. Online bill paying is more cost-effective, more environmentally friendly, quicker, safer, and more convenient. But, you have to choose what method you are most comfortable with. Maybe starting with a few monthly bills and see how you like it. Next time you get a statement, check and see if they offer online bill pay.