I’ve become increasingly reliant on the Internet lately. Not only does my job require a significant online presence, but I also spend a good deal of free time online as well, whether it’s for fun or for looking up useful information (lately, it’s recipes). Over the past couple months, my reliance on the Internet has increased to new levels as I’ve started to pay all of my bills online.

For a while, I was biased against online bill payment. For one thing, my parents always warned me about giving anybody my account information. There’s also the idea that paying your bills online can make it easier for you to make mistakes, as you don’t have to pay as close of attention to what you’re paying. But the benefits that exist for online bill payment are overwhelming, and here are a few of them:

CONVENIENCE. You’ve got to love being able to press a few buttons and have your bills paid. You don’t have to worry about staying well-stocked with stampsand you don’t have to worry about whether your envelope will arrive on time. It’s just a whole lot easier.

SECURITY. My parents are wrong to believe that paying bills online is somehow less secure than sending in a check that contains all of the same information. All transactions occur through encrypted websites, and none of your information gets saved.  You also have passwords and security questions on your accounts that can help to protect you against identity theft.

SUSTAINABILITY. We’re living in an increasingly paperless world. Using fewer envelopes, shredding fewer bills, using fewer stamps and more can all help you to do your part in following more environmentally friendly practices.

COST. When you send in a bill, you’re at least paying for your postage, and possibly for envelopes. Most online bill payment systems contain no fees at all. Over time, the money you’re saving can really add up, especially when you consider how many bills you have to pay every single month.

SCHEDULING. If you don’t want to pay a bill right away, no worries; you can schedule money to be taken out of your account on any day you want, so long as it is on or before the bill’s due date. You don’t have that kind of control when you’re paying your bills through the mail!

Who else has made the switch to online bill paying? Do you agree with these benefits?