Rossen Reports: These are the bills you should and shouldn’t put on autopay (2024)

Jeff Rossen

Chief National Consumer Correspondent

Rossen Reports: These are the bills you should and shouldn’t put on autopay

Yeah, auto pay can simplify your finances. No question about that, making it easier for you to pay bills and avoid late penalties. But finance experts say there are some things that should never be set to auto pay. So I want to go through the dos and don't with you first do set up auto pay for fixed rate bills. That means the bills that have amounts that don't change drastically month to month. Things like your phone, your internet, even your rent, set those up, don't worry about them, but don't set your utility bills on auto pay, heat and water bills can clue you into how much you're really using. For example, if you have *** really high water bill one month that may tell you you have *** leak somewhere that's costing you *** lot of money. If you have it on auto pay, you're sort of in cruise control and you're not paying attention to it. So those are safer to pay manually, month to month. So you can keep *** very close eye on it and it's in the front of your mind. You set car payments and car insurance on auto pay in fact, some companies and lenders will actually give you *** small discount if you do that, but don't set your credit card bill on auto pay. Here's the reason for that. If you don't review your credit card statement monthly, you could miss and pay for. Hey, I didn't, that's an incorrect or fraudulent charge. Once you've paid for *** charge, it's much harder to dispute. It do set up auto pay if you're missing payment deadline. Some of us have trouble keeping track of all the payment due date. So if you're struggling set up auto pay to avoid late fees, but don't forget any and everything you set up on auto pay should be reviewed from time to time to make sure you're still paying the right amounts and the level set yourself on your budget. Plus you could be paying for subscriptions and services you no longer use. So review them monthly anyway. I hope this helps back to you.

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Rossen Reports: These are the bills you should and shouldn’t put on autopay

Jeff Rossen

Chief National Consumer Correspondent

Setting up autopay is a huge time-saver and can help you avoid late fees but there are some payments that shouldn’t be automatic because they can do more harm than good to your finances. Financial experts say these are the dos and don’ts of autopay.Do: Set up autopay for fixed-rate bills. This means bills that have amounts that don't change drastically month-to-month. Things like your phone, internet, even your rent. You can set those up on autopay and not worry about them as much.Don't: Set your utility bills on autopay. Heat and water bills can clue you into how much you’re really using. For example, if you have a higher water bill, that might indicate that you have a leak somewhere that’s costing you a lot of money. These bills are safer to pay manually month-to-month.Do: Set car payments and car insurance on autopay. Some companies and lenders will give you a small discount if you do.Don't: Set your credit card bill on autopay. If you don't review your credit card statement monthly, you could miss and pay for incorrect or fraudulent charges. Once you've paid for a charge, it can be harder to dispute it.Do: Set up autopay if you’re missing payment deadlines. Some of us have trouble keeping track of all the payment due dates. If you’re struggling, set up autopay to avoid late fees.Don't: Anything and everything you set up on autopay, should be reviewed from time to time to make sure you’re still paying the right amount. Plus, you could be paying for subscriptions and services you no longer use. So review them monthly anyway.

Setting up autopay is a huge time-saver and can help you avoid late fees but there are some payments that shouldn’t be automatic because they can do more harm than good to your finances. Financial experts say these are the dos and don’ts of autopay.

Do: Set up autopay for fixed-rate bills. This means bills that have amounts that don't change drastically month-to-month. Things like your phone, internet, even your rent. You can set those up on autopay and not worry about them as much.

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Don't: Set your utility bills on autopay. Heat and water bills can clue you into how much you’re really using. For example, if you have a higher water bill, that might indicate that you have a leak somewhere that’s costing you a lot of money. These bills are safer to pay manually month-to-month.

Rossen Reports: Your water bill is sky high, here’s what to do

Do: Set car payments and car insurance on autopay. Some companies and lenders will give you a small discount if you do.

Don't: Set your credit card bill on autopay. If you don't review your credit card statement monthly, you could miss and pay for incorrect or fraudulent charges. Once you've paid for a charge, it can be harder to dispute it.

Do: Set up autopay if you’re missing payment deadlines. Some of us have trouble keeping track of all the payment due dates. If you’re struggling, set up autopay to avoid late fees.

Don't: Anything and everything you set up on autopay, should be reviewed from time to time to make sure you’re still paying the right amount. Plus, you could be paying for subscriptions and services you no longer use. So review them monthly anyway.

Rossen Reports: Save money with these online shopping tools

Rossen Reports: These are the bills you should and shouldn’t put on autopay (2024)

FAQs

What bills should you never put on autopay? ›

That means the bills that have amounts that don't change drastically month to month. Things like your phone, your internet, even your rent, set those up, don't worry about them, but don't set your utility bills on auto pay, heat and water bills can clue you into how much you're really using.

Is auto pay for bills a good idea? ›

Pros of Automatic Payments

Instead of having to remember to mail a payment or log onto an account each month, you can relax and let your bank or biller take care of things. You also won't have to worry about late fees. Automatic payments can even help you build a history of on-time payments and boost your credit score.

What is the problem with autopay? ›

  • If you don't keep a cushion in your checking account, an automatic payment could bounce.
  • You may incur a returned payment fee or late fee.
  • You could miss catching mistakes or fraud because the payment is automatic.
  • Automatic payments can be difficult to cancel.

Is autopay bad for credit? ›

If used wisely, autopay can help the more forgetful build and maintain a good credit score. Your payment history is one of the most influential components of your credit score, so making timely payments can also help improve your score over time.

How to avoid autopay? ›

Contact Your Bank

You can also contact your bank or related financial institution to cancel autopay. Usually, you can stop autopay online through the bank's website or over the phone, but check with your specific bank or financial institution first.

Why do people not use autopay? ›

You Could End Up Spending More Money

As you place a bunch of expenses and subscriptions on autopay, it's easy to let your monthly spending increase. You may even have a false sense of financial security, since you don't have to even input your financial information — your phone may have that all stored already.

What is the disadvantage of AutoPay? ›

Con: Potential Overdraft Fees

“If you don't keep track of when your bills are paid, or if your payment amount exceeds the balance in your checking account when it's due, you could end up with overdraft or insufficient fund fees on your statement,” Uptain said.

Does AutoPay make your bill cheaper? ›

Benefits of Setting Up Autopay

Pay less: When switching to autopay is incentivized, you get a discount on your bill amount or interest rate, which can add up. Avoid fees: Autopay ensures you'll never pay a late fee since your bill will automatically be paid on time, every time.

Can I trust AutoPay? ›

Like rateGenius and Tresl, Autopay is owned by The Savings Group. Autopay customers appear generally satisfied with the service. The company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and a strong customer rating of 4.51 out of 5 stars.

Why are companies pushing AutoPay? ›

Autopay arrangements are convenient and can lower the risk of late fees, but companies also push autopay because it discourages customers from switching to another service—what the industry calls “stickiness.”

Can I opt out of AutoPay? ›

Call the company and tell them you are taking away your permission for the company to take automatic payments out of your bank account. The company's customer service should be able to help you, and there might be an online form you can use. Then, follow up by writing a letter or an e-mail.

Is it legal to force AutoPay? ›

According to California's legislature in Civil Code 1947.3: “(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a landlord or a landlord's agent shall allow a tenant to pay rent and deposit of security by at least one form of payment that is neither cash nor electronic funds transfer.” So, while you can require that your ...

Should you put bills on autopay? ›

"The bills that make the most sense to put on autopay are the ones that stay the same every month," Rossman of Bankrate said. "But even there, check in periodically to make sure it did get paid on time and also that something didn't change. Sometimes hidden charges creep up, surcharges get added, or a fee goes up."

What is the safest way to autopay? ›

Set it up as online bill pay through either your bank or credit card. Do not use automated debit transactions OR open and use a new checking account (separate from your primary checking account) for automatic payments. Set up alerts in advance of your bill due dates to make sure you have money to cover the bills.

Is it safe to use a bank account for autopay? ›

Autopay services are safe. However, since enrolling in automatic payments involves providing your bank or credit card account information, make sure the company is one you know and trust.

What form of payment should you avoid? ›

Debit cards are a step above cash in terms of security, but are still a relatively risky payment method. Debit cards could leave you liable for funds lost to fraud, provide criminals direct access to your bank accounts, expose you to overdraft fees and risk tying up your money in hold charges.

What is the safest way to auto pay bills? ›

Set it up as online bill pay through either your bank or credit card. Do not use automated debit transactions OR open and use a new checking account (separate from your primary checking account) for automatic payments. Set up alerts in advance of your bill due dates to make sure you have money to cover the bills.

Is it safe to enroll in autopay? ›

Making payments on time can help improve your credit score too. But even after setting up autopay or online bill pay, be sure to keep an eye on your bank statements, credit card statements and other financial accounts for potential signs of fraud.

Does autopay make your bill cheaper? ›

Benefits of Setting Up Autopay

Pay less: When switching to autopay is incentivized, you get a discount on your bill amount or interest rate, which can add up. Avoid fees: Autopay ensures you'll never pay a late fee since your bill will automatically be paid on time, every time.

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