7 Reasons to Use Online Banking ...

Have you ever meant to pay a bill, and simply forgot? By the time you realized you had forgotten, there might have only been one or two days left… and there’s simply no way a check you mail today will arrive and be processed in time! If you use online banking, sometimes those payments will arrive the same day to send them… it’s so much faster!

Photo Credit: Golden vision

If you opt for online billing at your online bank, your cell phone company, credit cards, utilities, and everyone else you pay won’t have to ail you paper statements. Also, you won’t have to write paper checks and put them in paper envelopes to send them back… and you won’t have to burn fossil fuels to drive to the post office to buy stamps or mail payments, either… all of these little things add up to one simple fact: using online banking is better for the environment.

Photo Credit: annia316

A box of envelopes, a box of checks, a book of stamps… these things all cost money. If you use online banking, you won’t have to buy as many of them, or maybe you won’t even have to buy them at all… which will save you money!

My biggest fear before I started using online banking was that it wasn’t safe, that some hacker out there was patiently waiting for me to start using online banking so they could break into my account and steal all of my money. So silly of me! First of all, online banking at most large banks and even small credit unions is completely secure, and secondly, most banks offer you the added protection of free insurance against the illegal or unauthorized use of your account. Whew!

Did you know that some banks offer you better rates or even a cash allotment every month that you don’t use a teller? If you use online banking, and only deposit money though the ATM, it can get you a better rate on a CD or loan, or even a little extra cash in your pocket!

Photo Credit: *midtownsky*

Ever wonder just how much you spend eating out or at Macy’s? Online banking makes finding out how much you spend, and on what, each month by offering a range of reports and tools for free… but do you REALLY want to know how much you spent on shoes this year?

If you’ve ever had to order a copy of a check to prove you paid for something, then you know what a hassle it can be… unless you use online banking. Most banks offer their online customers the convenience of free check images you can print once they clear. So convenient!

I’m sure there are so many more reasons to use online banking, but those are the ones that convinced me… and now I’m hooked! I’ll never go back to writing checks and doing everything else the old way… do you use online banking? Why or why not? Please let me know!

Top Photo Credit: P i c t u r e Y o u t h