Most of us are raised in a world where we have to touch and feel our bills and statements. We accept our monthly bill by post, opening an envelope, reviewing information and putting it aside to pay later. When it comes time to pay for our monthly bill, we will review the bill, write the check and then attach it in the envelope and send payment. Until recently, only that we know – that’s how we live our lives.
With the creation of personal computers and other personal electronic designers, and of course the internet, what we always do may not, today, the smartest way to handle our finances. This is certainly not the way “green green” to handle our monthly fees.
We all have to worry about identity theft. It is known that some of the ways our personal financial information obtained are through theft of our paper receipts, bills and statements. Of course the bill can be grated to protect from identity theft, but maybe the real answer doesn’t have your bill in the form of paper at all. The following are five reasons why to keep your finances online …
Five of my reasons are:
1. You will eliminate the cost of payment bills with paper. If you pay ten bills a month, in shipping alone, you will save more than $ 50 per year by turning to the bed-based payment method. It does not take into account the cost of your check and envelope. In fact, you can actually receive some prizes by registering for billing without paper. I have to believe all banks and credit unions now offer bill payment services and if you are with no banks, most likely your credit card company, mortgage companies or utilities take payments right on their website.
2. You don’t need to go to the post office as often as it. Okay, this might not amount to a large savings, but it needs to be remembered there is talk that the US Post Office will send a letter five days a week instead of six. Gas costs are certainly a factor for all of us when deciding to drive now so the idea not to go to the post office and leave a letter in a box that is not maintained.
3. You will reduce the cost and chaos of paper archiving. By creating a folder on your computer or in a free email account, you save the cost of buying a wardrobe file. Electronic files are easily transferred and even easier to reserve. Keep in mind, if a fire occurs in your home, you can lose your notes, however, if stored on a web-based backup system, your files remain protected.
4. You have access to your file literally anywhere. You can eliminate tireless searches through receipts and invoices by creating an electronic storage system. If you use a free email account or a web-based backup system, you can actually access your files anywhere there is internet access.
5. You will deter theft. Now most people realize that letters are stolen from the mailbox and those who want to steal someone’s identity often searches through garbage. With your information guaranteed with a password on your computer protecting yourself and blocking theft. Of course if there is the sixth reason to be without paper when it comes to maintaining your financial records is that we all have to be more “green.” Fewer bills and paper statements that you receive means fewer trees that reduce and finally the fewer waste is paid in a garbage disposal site.
With the right security on your computer and a little retraining about how we grew up, divert your bills and statements to a paperless method will be proven safer, easier to manage and better for our environment.
