lucas2000

I've read posts here where people are away for 3, 4, 5 or more weeks and was wondering how these people take care of bills that are due when they are away.

My wife and I will be away for about 3 weeks and we don't know how to deal with this situation. We are not frequent travellers like some people here. In fact this is the longest time we will be away from home. We are not into electronic bill paying and such. Neither do we really have anybody around who we can leave signed checks to pay for our bills. Thanks. Lucas.

brookwood

I am not sure how to answer this one because we do what you just said you don't do: Automatic bill pay.

We pay the utilities via bill pay that automatically comes out of our checking account.

For credit card payments, we log into our account(s), see what the balance is, then schedule the payment amount to be transferred. All this is done like I am doing now, using the keybord on an Internet connection.

Between the automatic deductions and self-originated payments, we take care of all bills and charges.

I know this may not be the solution to your problem, but it has worked well for us.

When we are in Europe we find a computer somewhere that has access to Internet and access our bank.

artsnletters

If you have fixed payments (car payment or the like), I'd just pay them early. With things like utility bills, believe it or not, you can just let them go till you get back. They will not cut off your power or ruin your credit rating if you pay them late. If that bothers you, then just send a double payment the month before.

Personally, I'm a great one for electronic bill paying. No stamps, no envelopes, no writing checks (or buying checks!), no worrying about the mail getting there on time. Whoosh, and it's taken care of. I have all my fixed payments set up on automatic, so I don't even have to think about them.

adeben

I'm usually away from home for about eight weeks each year. I have no one 'around' who can pay any bills that arrive, so I pay them all on-line. If I was 'not into electronic bill paying and such', then I would have difficulty travelling for the periods that I do. I also buy my plane tickets and reserve accommodation on-line as well. It seems to be the easiest, most convenient and cheapest way to resolve my travel requirements.

scdreamer

Basically what we do is put everything we can on our credit card - utilities, insurance, etc. - we earn miles that way, and we pay the credit card bill in full electronically from our bank account each month.

Mortgage payment is pretty much the only bill I still pay by check - they won't allow the credit card payment - so when we're gone for any great length of time, I pay ahead on the house payment. Just make sure you write two separate checks and enclose each along with the monthly coupon ... otherwise you may be credited for an extra payment toward the principal and then you'll have a non-payment for the following month.

WillTravel

I agree - set up bill paying online. I pay my electrical and gas and credit cards online via my bank account. I pay my telephone and Internet bills through a prearranged automatic credit card charge.

For three weeks away, you can just pay excessive amounts in advance, and that should take care of anything. You could mail some checks the day you depart.

lucas2000

Thank you everyone for your input and advice. I think we have just gotten paranoid with all these electronic conveniences because of all the warnings regarding computer hackers and identity thefts. I think it's about time to go to the bank to setup online banking even if we'll just use it while we're away.

But what precaution do you take when you are using public computers? Is it true what they say that hackers can install something in the keyboard that will remember the passwords that you enter?

Thanks, Lucas.

Pegontheroad

If you do try to make payments early or make double payments, be sure to indicate what you are doing. I have made the mistake of making a payment for two months and when I returned learned that I was not credited for two different months, but rather for a large one-month payment. I then had to make another payment.

I'm not sure if you can follow my thought there.

Before I did online billpay, I used payment by phone service. It works on the same principle as online payment. You might ask if your bank still has this type of service.

kit

lucas,

I'm a huge online banking fan, but if you don't like the sounds of it, I'd just estimate you bills for that three weeks and pay them a little early. (Double up the payment before.)

Since it's only three weeks, you'd probably be safe if you did nothing at all...but I understand your hesitancy.

I don't think it's worth it to set up online bill paying for just this one trip. My opinion only.

Hope your trip is grand!

brookwood

The identify theft problem is out there for sure. I bought a protection package that is has a0 firewall, web site scanner, and anti virus checking of anything I download.

Also on my bank account, there are several security devices including a password that has to meet the banks general requirements for password contents -- e.g. special characters mixed in with numerals and letters.

hopingtotravel

I had exactly the same problem. I put extra money from savings into my account. Then a few months ahead I made xeroxes of my payment stubs. I estimated (high) what I would owe during the month I was gone. I filled out xeroxed pay stubs and checks and left them with a neighbor telling her what dates to mail.

Note: bank card bills complicate this. You can't just pay them early, because then, they want a payment the next month too. That's why I gave her specific dates when to mail the bills.

luvtotravel

I just started online banking, but haven't dealt with that while traveling. I would be very hesitant to use a public computer for money transactions. I just pay a lot upfront--utilities, cable service, etc. The only place this might not work is a mortgage payment. Even my credit card bills, I pay a lot upfront -- enough not to worry about exceeding that amount while gone. On my last trip I used cash a lot and didn't have to concern myself about credit card bills coming in that were not already covered.

I've given thought to traveling for a couple of months and have been wondering how I'll manage for such an extended period of time. I guess if I take my own computer I'll feel more comfortable about paying bills online.

prue

We do online banking and programme the amounts to be paid on a specified date in the future - which then covers the period you are away.

Rhea58

I agree w/others that 3 wks should not make a difference.
I also do what Prue does. Certain
bills (car payment for ex) are on automatic monthly pay & others I indicate WHAT date in future I want to be paid.
You can do this! And banks are encouraging on-line payment (mine pd me $25 to do this) plus they want folks to convert to paperless
(you print your own) accting which I will not do.
The other convenience is that you can check your acct. on-line daily
if you so desire & not wait for the monthly statement.

JeanneB

I've done e-billing for years. All my bills but one come in my email. But I did hit a little glitch in the beginning.

My email server automatically downloads incoming mail to my home computer. When I left home I didn't turn off my computer, so my emails were sitting on my pc at home and I couldn't access them. Make sure you can get to your emails on the web. (My service has changed since then...I can see emails on the web even after they're downloaded.)

But, as a security precaution, I still disconnect the cable from the computer when I leave. This may prevent some updates, but it also makes it impossible for someone to hack my system (I think!).

[I also establish a separate email when travelling. Saves me from scrolling through a lot of mail that can wait til I get back. When I'm paying for computer time overseas I check mail from family/friends/bank on that address.

caroline_edinburgh

Absolutely no need to do anything while you are away - as Prue says, just set up the payments to be paid on the dates you would normally pay them.

joebear

You could double your payments on each bill as it came in....that way you should be okay.

mr_tower

We were gone for 5 weeks. I thought about setting up some advance bill payments (for the bills that don't come out automatically every month), but then decided I'd just pay them when I get home.

Sure I had a stack of bills to pay, but unless you're already on a short leash with the company (cable, gas, or whatever), being a couple of weeks late with a payment isn't going to do anything.

Don't worry about it! Go have fun and sort it out when you get home.

caroline_edinburgh

"being a couple of weeks late with a payment isn't going to do anything" - except incur penalty charges, in the case of credit cards ?

tcreath

I always pay everything either online or through automatic payment too. On top of being so much more convenient, its better for the environment because it cuts down on paper.

If you don't want to do this, couldn't you just call the companies and explain that you are going out of town and ask to either pay in advance or ask for a grace period of a few weeks? I would imagine they would appreciate the call and if you are customer who consistenly pays on time I don't know why this would be a problem. I have no experience with this, but just a thought.

Tracy