No more mailed paper bills (unless you pay a fee)

[debodun]

Utility, cable and bank are going "all electronic" and will no longer mail paper bills or statements. You have to go to their web sites and print them out if you want a copy. I don't trust banking online added to the fact I don't have a working printer. The electric company mails me one, but charges an extre $2 for doing it. Oh, for the good old days!

 

[Marie5656]

WOW....but I am concerned about people who do not have internet access. They have to pay for the choice to not be online? That is not right

 

[debodun]

I know. Not everyone had a computer or, like me, a printer. Of course thay can pay the fee to get a mailed document.

 

[deaver]

centurylink charges me 1 buck for paper bill

 

[Nathan]

What business really wants is for everyone to have auto-pay, debiting either a credit card or bank account. They know that the majority of people won't look at their bill if it's auto-paid, and thus, won't notice the bogus extra charges that get snuck in.
Right now I have ZERO bills on auto-pay, and the majority still send a paper billing.

 

[C50]

If you call an explain your situation maybe they will still give you the option of a mailed paper bill. Certainly no harm in asking.

 

[CallMeKate]

What business really wants is for everyone to have auto-pay, debiting either a credit card or bank account. They know that the majority of people won't look at their bill if it's auto-paid, and thus, won't notice the bogus extra charges that get snuck in.
Right now I have ZERO bills on auto-pay, and the majority still send a paper billing.

I'm so glad you said this, @Nathan . I wasn't going to respond to the thread because I figured I'd hear "come into 2023" even though it's my personal choice to have a paper bill sent. So far there have been no charges to use paper. There was a time years ago when I put a utility bill on auto pay and had unauthorized charges of hundreds $$$ put on my card. A hacker got the info from them. I didn't lose it because the card company traced it and fixed it, but it sure wasn't worth the aggravation.

 

[Jules]

What business really wants is for everyone to have auto-pay, debiting either a credit card or bank account. They know that the majority of people won't look at their bill if it's auto-paid, and thus, won't notice the bogus extra charges that get snuck in.
Right now I have ZERO bills on auto-pay, and the majority still send a paper billing.

The telephone/tv/internet bill was $2 higher than usual so DH printed it out. In the very tiniest of print in an addendum, it stated the rate had increased by $2/month. Also, it said that this contract ends in June. We had that on our calendar because we got caught at the end of the last contract.

 

[Don M.]

The cost of postage keeps going up, and the USPS is barely breaking even, so I'm not surprised to hear of some companies starting to charge a fee for sending a paper bill. Luckily, we haven't had any of that in our area, and we still get a paper bill for our utilities, and credit card usage, etc. About the only auto-pay we use is for our Medicare Advantage Plan....which my old company subsidizes....but I still check on that regularly to see that it is being done right.

In an attempt to help the USPS revenue, I save all the junk mail we get that has a "return postage paid" envelope, and I shove some other junk mail, with NO evidence of my name/address, etc., in the envelope and send it back to them. That way, the USPS gets a few cents that hopefully will help keep the cost of stamps from going substantially higher.

 

[Nathan]

I would switch from Dish to Direct TV but they require auto pay, so that's a deal breaker.

 

[oldmontana]

I would switch from Dish to Direct TV but they require auto pay, so that's a deal breaker.

I have Direct TV and they do not require me to use auto pay.

 

[Disgustedman]

., in the envelope and send it back to them. That way, the USPS gets a few cents that hopefully will help keep the cost of stamps from going substantially higher.

In the beginning of home computers. I'd gotten a bundle, printer, scanner, monitor, tower and keyboard. A company had rejected my application with a stern letter as "We don't rehire people like you"

So three weeks later, I got a letter asking about my application process. So, I took that return address. Copied it, then began mailing them...pictures from various website and bulletin boards. I'm sure the mailroom had a great time opening those.

After a time I quit, but never regretted it

 

[Nathan]

I have Direct TV and they do not require me to use auto pay.

Thanks, good to know. I see that the auto pay and paperless requirement are(I guess) only required for the discount:

 

[Judycat]

Yeah my car insurance no longer sends paper bills. I send them a check anyway haha.

 

[RadishRose]

I don't have a working printer

You don't need a paper copy. It's already at their website. You can go back and look at it any time. Or, if you think it will be deleted from their website during your liftetime, just copy it and add it to a folder you've created on your desktop.

 

[StarSong]

I neither want nor need paper copies of all my bills. As it is, I'm half-drowning in paperwork. Anything I do need, I print out from their website. Beyond idle curiosity, why does it matter what my gas bill was 3 years ago? It sure won't affect what I pay now.

I put subscription renewals on my calendar so I can do the annual "I'm not paying that ridiculous new rate" negotiation dance with them.

When my brother had a paper route in the 1960s, he was forever chasing the same people over and over to pay their bills. They didn't answer the door, or claimed they didn't have money that day please come back tomorrow, or you need to collect when my husband/wife is home, etc., etc. He'd have to keep hounding them - a real drag for a 12 year old kid.
I get why companies put people on autopay. It's cost efficient and ensures they'll get paid.

p.s. @debodun, this topic aside, why don't you buy a working printer? Surely to heavens you must need one at least occasionally.

 

[OneEyedDiva]

I think my credit union and maybe my bank started doing that...can't remember because I haven't gotten paper bills in years. I can't say I blame them. Entities are trying to cut costs wherever they can. Postage fees have gone up as the efficiency of the postal service has gone down. There is too much lost mail floating around out there. I've been a victim of that and have noticed too many times that someone's mail who's address is not even remotely similar to ours, winds up in or on top of our mail boxes! Plus it takes more man hours to get those paper bills to people...millions of people. Then there's the movement to save the trees and use less paper.

I do feel for those who don't have computers and/or printers however. It doesn't seem fair that they should be penalized. But one thing we know about life...it isn't always fair.

 

[Jackie23]

I use auto pay on most of my bills, but I keep a close eye on them....no problems so far. I love being able to keep up with my accounts and utilities from my recliner and laptop.

 

[debodun]

I have my electric, cable and insurances on bank ACH withdrawal.

 

[oldlongwalker]

I don't have a single bill that isn't Auto-Pay. Never had a problem, but I keep an eye out. I have everything set up to notify me several days before any bill is paid. I have alerts set up on my bank accounts for every transaction. I pay everything with a cash-back credit card and never carry a balance. What's not to like?

 

[TabbyAnn]

In discussing the threat of a nuclear attack with a military strategist, he said an EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) attack that would destroy our electrical grid is more likely. and it would cripple the country by destroying basic functions such as banking, credit cards, heating and cooling systems, and grocery stores etc. that have gone to all digital electronics. Not to mention most Americans would go crazy without their smart phones. Of course psychologists are starting to say we are driving our children crazy with digital electronics anyway without any help from enemy countries.

 

[rgp]

Utility, cable and bank are going "all electronic" and will no longer mail paper bills or statements. You have to go to their web sites and print them out if you want a copy. I don't trust banking online added to the fact I don't have a working printer. The electric company mails me one, but charges an extre $2 for doing it. Oh, for the good old days!

I do not have a printer either . I guss I'll pay for the paper if it comes here.

My retirement system keeps 'buggin' me to go electronic as well. I prefer a paper check. I do not trust doing financial transactions on line .