Question about Bills...

snsgirl336 · #1 September 29th, 2009, 07:18 AM

Obviously this is an off topic question LOL

Do any of you go "paperless" with any of your bills (like you get no statements/bills from certain companies and pay them online only)???

I'm in charge of most of the bills for DH and I and I have been thinking about going paperless with some (if not most) of them. I pay practically all of our bills online and I'm thinking about all the paper waste I go through month after month of just receiving the statements and bills. I make scrap paper out of most anything I can, but I'm really good to go for scrap paper now! LOL

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

Kari_B · #2 September 29th, 2009, 08:15 AM

We pay a lot of our bills online too. We probably only write out two or three checks tops. But DH loves to keep the statements on file. So we still get ours mailed to us. He's anal about that kind of thing.

tracyanne · #3 September 29th, 2009, 08:37 AM

I am as paperless as I can be! Some companies don't offer that option, but the ones that do I take advantage of. I also pay all our bills online and I am always checking statements on line as well. So often, I don't even open the bill when it comes in the mail because I have already seen it on the computer. I say go for it! It is so simple!

aogilvie · #4 September 29th, 2009, 08:48 AM

I'm paperless too, just like Tracy. I'd say go for it.

Hopingfor1soon · #5 September 29th, 2009, 09:32 AM

I am actually 90% paperless. In fact most of our statements and bills can be veiwed online also so that is what we do. I do still get our electrical and gas bill however, because you cannot see those statements online yet. I love it though! So easy and not a huge waste of paper!

~*Jackie*~ · #6 September 29th, 2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kari_B

We pay a lot of our bills online too. We probably only write out two or three checks tops. But DH loves to keep the statements on file. So we still get ours mailed to us. He's anal about that kind of thing.

Kari!! I may just be your husband!!

I do the bills in our house, and I pay as much as I can online, but I'm a paper nut (for unknown reasons) and I insist on keeping as many paper statements in my files as possible. I think the only thing I don't still receive is our cable internet bill and our electricity bill. Otherwise, I get the paper statement and I pay online whenever possible.

snsgirl336 · #7 September 29th, 2009, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kari_B

We pay a lot of our bills online too. We probably only write out two or three checks tops. But DH loves to keep the statements on file. So we still get ours mailed to us. He's anal about that kind of thing.

I'm kind of anal about keeping impeccable records myself, but I think I can still do it- just with less paper (like a running list of payments made and dates and balances). If there are any problems, I can always print out the statement from the computer, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tracyanne

I am as paperless as I can be! Some companies don't offer that option, but the ones that do I take advantage of. I also pay all our bills online and I am always checking statements on line as well. So often, I don't even open the bill when it comes in the mail because I have already seen it on the computer. I say go for it! It is so simple!

Yeah, I'm also online nearly daily or weekly checking on statements and stuff. I'm always cautious about our bills and banking. I like to know what is going on! My Grandmother taught me that I should know what the bill or balance is before I open the letter in the mail and that's something that's definitely stuck with me! DH and my Mom are always impressed! LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by aogilvie

I'm paperless too, just like Tracy. I'd say go for it.

I'm thinking I might!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hopingfor1soon

I am actually 90% paperless. In fact most of our statements and bills can be veiwed online also so that is what we do. I do still get our electrical and gas bill however, because you cannot see those statements online yet. I love it though! So easy and not a huge waste of paper!

Yeah, it's the waste of paper that gets me. I should take a picture of all the scrap paper I make out of junk mail and bill inserts. It's crazy! Plus, I have all these files of bills from the past that I keep for my records and they just collect dust! I can always go into the archived files that most sites hold to check out past statements if necessary!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~*Jackie*~

Kari!! I may just be your husband!!

I do the bills in our house, and I pay as much as I can online, but I'm a paper nut (for unknown reasons) and I insist on keeping as many paper statements in my files as possible. I think the only thing I don't still receive is our cable internet bill and our electricity bill. Otherwise, I get the paper statement and I pay online whenever possible.

How long do you keep your paper statements for Jackie (if you don't mind my asking). I think that's part of my problem as well- I keep everything forever. I know there are some bills I can't go paperless for, so I'll still keep my "anal" records for those, but for how long?!?!? The ones I can do all online generally all have archived files so I'll let them hold them for me! LOL

~*Jackie*~ · #8 September 29th, 2009, 12:50 PM

Good question.... I'm not sure. We'll have been married for 5 years, I think I have all those years- but I have no good reason. I think 3 years for regular bills or statements, and I'll probably keep my tax information and pay stubs, etc. for 10, although the IRS only recommends 3-6 these days.

Soape · #9 September 29th, 2009, 02:13 PM

We went paperless but my husband is a sole proprietor and has to use the statements for taxes at the end of every year. So we switched back

KDD · #10 September 29th, 2009, 04:20 PM

I pay all of our bills and I pay them online. But I'm a visual person and I'm afraid that without that paper bill as a reminder I might forget to pay it.

I keep all of our bills too. I must have at least 10 years worth on file!

At least they're all neat and organized.

snsgirl336 · #11 September 29th, 2009, 08:06 PM

Thanks Amanda and Kim! I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who has a billion years worth of paperwork on file!

I have to see what DH thinks, but it seems like we'll try the paperless route. Like Amanda and her DH had to do, we can always switch back, right?

~Lynda~ · #12 September 30th, 2009, 05:05 AM

you ladies are brave!! my husband was a computer programmer and now is an IT Rep and he told me that paying bills online isn't safe to our personal financial information. he said sites are pretty secure, but he told me a good hacker can get information on you quite easily. he told me that the time and effort that it would take to clear up our "name" if someone got in and stole our identity or financial information would be devastating. we love the idea of paperless, but I've watched stories of people (on Dateline and Oprah) who had it happen to them and it was a nightmare. So for now, we pay everything by check. I do remember too, getting an email from one of our credit card companies (who we don't really use the card) that someone got into their online system and they needed to advise us on it. It was an old card for us, so we just closed the account.

SavaAngel · #13 September 30th, 2009, 12:56 PM

DH and I SHARE the bills responsibility and we most definitely need to have paper statements. I hate paying online, but sometimes it is my only option. I really love the idea of checks and seeing it on my bank account online.

My mother never trusted checks and I never had a checkbook till I was 18 and living in Texas. Everything was cash or money order with her. DH and I don't trust the security aspect on a lot of websites and the hackers out there, so we try not to pay online if we can avoid it.