11 Reasons Why You Must Use Bill Reminders

Qiana Chavaia — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 15:00:24 +0000

Bills. They never seem to stop coming. And unless you have a perfect memory or someone on your payroll that manages them for you, it's difficult to keep track of all the due dates and make sure payments are made on time. (See also: 5 Ways to Automate Your Finances)

Bill reminders are a good solution for this, and offer other added benefits, too.

1. They're Free

Most service providers, banks, and online platforms like Mint.com and Google Now offer free bill reminders.

2. They're Your Very Own Virtual Money Manager

It's like having your own financial assistant — but one that practically never makes an error and doesn't cost a dime.

3. Setup Is Easy

A one-time setup means you can easily and efficiently get on track. And managing payees is as simple as logging into your account and adding, deleting, or editing payee information.

4. Alerts Protect Your Money

You can set alerts to let you know when an upcoming bill is due, using alert features that let you decide how and when you want to be notified. You can choose to receive email and/or text alerts. You can also opt to receive low balance and suspicious activity alerts.

5. They Help You Plan Ahead

By knowing you have an upcoming bill, you can make sure money is in your account. This helps you avoid service interruptions or point-of-sale embarrassments.

6. They Help You Avoid Overdraft Charges

NSF fees are annoying and a flat-out waste of your hard-earned money. Spare yourself the inconvenience of incurring them — and the potential trickle-down effect they can have on your pocketbook — even on the smallest of purchases.

7. They Help You Avoid Late Fees

There are times when we simply can't avoid paying late fees. Those times should be limited to the very rare occasions when you simply don't have the money to pay a bill. They should never be incurred just because you forgot to pay your bill on time.

8. Reminders and Autopay Do the Dull Work For You

Enjoy your weekend. Bill reminders with autopay free you from that dreaded one day a month where you sit sifting through bills and licking stamps.

9.They Help You Monitor Spending

You can use bill reminders to track your spending and stay within your budget. For example, your credit card payment should be steadily decreasing each month. If it isn't — or worse, if it goes up — you can catch and correct the issue.

10.They Help Organize Receipts

You will have a digital record of every bill payment made and will no longer have to hang onto paper receipts that clutter your office or desk. Tracing a bill payment is as easy as reviewing your account history and pinpointing dates.

11. Automation Is Good for Us

Our busy lifestyles demand so much of our time as it is. So why not embrace the advances in technology that are designed to make our lives easier? It's about building good money habits.

Do you use billpay or other automated money management services? Tell us about your system in comments!

This article is from Qiana Chavaia of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

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