USPS Follies

[Bert Kemp]

I still know people who refuse to do it. They would rather but checks, then drive to the store and buy envelopes, the drive to the post office and buy stamps then drive home, write the check, address the envelope put the stamp on it then drive back to the post office to mail it, then pray it doesn't get lost and gets there on time, while I sit back and relax everything is on auto pay, I even get a email telling me they received payment.Just can't figure out people sometimes.

[Brian Elfert]

I know there are people out there who won't give their bank account number to credit card companies, mortgage company, utilities, whoever for autopay because they are afraid that too much money could be taken out and have a hassle getting the money back. If worried about the account number it is on the bottom of every check sent out. Some people also think they need that cancelled check as proof of payment.

Almost every bank has online bill pay if there is a concern of giving the account number out. All of the credit card issuers, mortgage companies, insurance companies, and so on are generally tied into the bill pay systems so the payment goes to them electronically. Others are paid by a check that the bank sends out.

[Doug Dawson]

IRS still hasn't cashed the check I sent them on 30 December...I'm sure I'll have to be calling in to argue the same point.

As an aside, all of our statements for everything financial come electronically and have for as long as that's been available. I don't need the paper and it ends up just having to be shredded. It's rare to not pay something electronically, too, in our house... But that's a personal decision.

In some (many?) jurisdictions, if there’s a billing dispute of some kind and it goes to court, if you don’t have the paper then you don’t have anything. I’ll stick with the paper statements.

[Bert Kemp]

You can easily print out all your statements

In some (many?) jurisdictions, if there’s a billing dispute of some kind and it goes to court, if you don’t have the paper then you don’t have anything. I’ll stick with the paper statements.

[Doug Dawson]

You can easily print out all your statements

That may not work, because you can print out anything you want however you want it. That was the point, I’m assuming. They want originals.

[Bert Kemp]

any statement you print from your online account from your financial institutions are watermarked in some fashion and are considered original. Hey do it your way , Millions of people do it electronically .to each his own . I'm lazy prefer to sit back and let the banks do all the work for me

That may not work, because you can print out anything you want however you want it. That was the point, I’m assuming. They want originals.

[Bert Kemp]

Just curious how many times have you gone to court over a billing dispute ? Do you know anyone who has and lost because they had printed out electronic statements?I think were in big trouble if the courts wouldn't except them since most of the people use it now and have done away with check writing.

[Doug Dawson]

Just curious how many times have you gone to court over a billing dispute ? Do you know anyone who has and lost because they had printed out electronic statements?I think were in big trouble if the courts wouldn't except them since most of the people use it now and have done away with check writing.

Do you know many courts that would accept what are basically photocopies of stuff printed out from the internet? I suppose you could ask the bank or credit card company or whatever to mail you some official documentation.

[Brian Elfert]

Courts will have to figure out a way to deal with electronic statements as some banks don’t even offer the option of a mailed paper statement anymore. I do everything paperless and I am not the least bit bit worried about a possible court case. Even if I had paper statements I wouldn’t keep a filing cabinet full of them on the very remote chance chance of a court case.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Yikes pay bills by snail mail ummmm Nope . All mine are done electronically and auto pay. Never have to worry about being late or forgetting to send it

Don't ask our younger son. Paid all his bills electronically. Money leaves his account, but none of it reaches destination. He only finds out when he starts getting late notices. Remember money left his account, so balance was correct. Took several MONTHS for bank to make him whole again. Even with letters in his credit file from bank explaining situation, when he went to buy another house a couple years later, it bit him again. His auto insurance premiums also went up because of this.

[Bert Kemp]

Must not have had it set up correctly. I get an alert each time my accounts are accessed, one when the money is sent and another when its recieved. I really don't see how its possible to have money electronically with drawn from an account and not reach the intended receiver, doesn't make any sense.

Don't ask our younger son. Paid all his bills electronically. Money leaves his account, but none of it reaches destination. He only finds out when he starts getting late notices. Remember money left his account, so balance was correct. Took several MONTHS for bank to make him whole again. Even with letters in his credit file from bank explaining situation, when he went to buy another house a couple years later, it bit him again. His auto insurance premiums also went up because of this.