Bills You Shouldn’t Put on AutoPay

With standing orders you can pay your bills and regular debts on time and automatically. You save money when you pay businesses that participate in points programs. It happens that your phone bill, electricity bill, water bill expires, and at the same time your credit card payment deadline expires. And as if all this were not enough, you find that you do not have the time required to meet your obligations. Usually these unfortunate circumstances lead to anxiety attacks. Just as often they end up in situations with the phone or electricity cut off and, of course, with the burden of reconnection fees. But those who know what “standing order” means do not face any of the aforementioned problems.

The process is very simple. You give the order to the bank and it takes care of relieving you of the “queue” headache for a certain period of time. A basic condition is to have an “open account” with the bank to which you will give the order. In other words, the bank pays off all your regular obligations by debiting your bank account. You should also know that with ‘Standing Orders’ apart from utility bill payments, it is possible to settle your monthly insurance premiums, school fees, mobile phone bills and any other regular obligation.

One of the most important advantages of “standing orders” that make their choice extremely advantageous is the way in which the payment is made. The money for the payment comes out of your account on the last day of the deadline, set by the organization. In this way you also earn interest. To give the “mandate” you just need to fill out the special application and submit it to your bank along with the latest copies of the accounts you wish to be paid automatically. You can also, after consultation with the bank, determine a specific time period for paying off bills. After this process the bills that will come to your home will be marked as being paid through a bank.

The cost of a standing order varies, but not significantly, from bank to bank. This is because their goal is to further serve their customers and not to make a profit. From the moment you fill out the application you should make sure that you are frequently updated about your account. Because if there is not the necessary balance to pay off the account, then it is more likely that you will be “cut off” because the bank is not obliged to inform you if the balance of your account is not sufficient to pay it off. Of course, in the event that the bank does not meet its obligation for any reason, you will be able to find out since the back of the bill will not say that it has been paid.

This payment schedule is common for large purchases such as homes and cars. It’s not always possible to buy what you need (or want) right away. Higher prices can be paid in installments that may or may not include a deposit. Autopay is a great way to avoid late fees and some interest (mainly those that don’t change monthly payments), but it’s not recommended for all recurring charges. We have compiled a list of bills that should not be paid automatically. For the smaller ones, you can choose the buy now, pay later route. This typically involves splitting the cost of the product into equal amounts and sending payments on a schedule. It seems simple, but there are risks such as unexpected charges.

1) Satellite bills

Cable and satellite companies sometimes charge for new channels and networks that you never even see. Make a one-time payment and review each bill to make sure you’re not paying for something you’re not using. Like cell phone bills, cable and electricity bills can fluctuate from month to month based on usage. During the winter months, additional movies can be ordered on demand via cable. And you’re probably also turning up the heat and increasing your electric bill in the same month. It could be an older device that sucks too much juice. For this reason, we recommend avoiding automatic utility payments. 

2) Mobile bills

You may experience more charges than expected during a busy month and hit your bank account harder. Cell phone rates can fluctuate if you don’t have an unlimited plan. Depending on your data usage, your accrued amount may change from month to month. Also, some plans do not use the same billing date every month. This could be a monthly cycle that changes based on the number of days in each month. Do not pay anything when you get your paystubs This, too, you may find yourself unprepared for. Get out of automatic payments and keep an eye on your cell phone bill. You may be able to spot a profitable accounting error. 

3) Annual subscriptions

If your bank does not have sufficient balance, you will be charged an overdraft fee in addition to the cost of your account. Yearly subscriptions typically cost less than monthly subscriptions for one year. The problem is that it’s easy to forget and can wreak havoc on your bank account when you least expect it. Then the fault goes to paystubs 1099. Annual subscriptions for magazines/newspapers, car insurance, retail memberships, sample boxes and more are available. Please subscribe for 1 year. But don’t use automatic payments. 

4) Gym memberships

No matter how well you plan, picking a gym is never easy. Life happens and he can walk more in one month than in the next. Paying monthly allows you to evaluate your usage and decide if it’s worth staying here.Not everyone can afford to buy home equipment, but a gym membership provides everything you need. They will do it for you. But beware of hungry managers who will do anything to get you signed up for a recurring monthly or yearly membership. 

5. Streaming services

Living alone does not guarantee that you will get all the services you paid for. Streaming services can help you cut down on cable but offer the same payment plans as cable. It’s easy to forget all the services, especially when each member of your family has different preferences. Check your subscriptions and remove any that are not in use. Netflix, HBO Max, Spotify, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Paramount, Peacock, whatever you signed up for. For the rest, avoid automatic payments.