Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

My bank (credit union) offers free bill payment. I set up the recipient on their web page and send the amount I choose. The payment is by electronic transfer and is completed the next day.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

In my county, there is also a charge for using a credit card, but no charge for ACH transfers to pay property taxes.

dancers Loc: melbourne.victoria, australia

we have not used cheques for many years......the cost was too high. life is easier without them.

Klickitatdave Loc: Seattle Washington

"What about companies that have no on-line payment method set up"? Well, I have yet to run into one yet and I have been doing on-line billing transactions for years. I grant that there are possibly a few businesses that still refuse to offer on-line payments but it is my guess is that they are increasingly rare and are probably now the exception rather than the rule.

"Or companies that charge a convenience fee for using cards" Again I have yet to run into any that do. I personally will avoid dealing with any company that charges me for the "Convenience" of using my credit card. I would have to first, desperately need their product or service, and second, they would have to be the only company that can fulfill those needs for me to even consider deviating from my use of a credit card for payment. Besides, most companies understand that by charging such fees they will most likely reduce their customer base significantly. I would hazard a guess that in this economy very few companies can afford the luxury of limiting the number of potential customers by charging such credit card convenience fees. Undoubtedly, the companies that do not charge for credit card convenience will build it into their pricing strategies. Those who do charge for the use of credit cards might in the short run make greater profits per sale, but that will likely be quickly offset by a diminished customer base and the subsequent loss of sales.

Look, when it comes down to it I would rather pay $24 per year to companies that I regularly do business with than have some scammer defraud me of $4000. Personally, if I did have to pay every company that I regularly do business with $24 it would come to less than $240 per year. Yes, in this example the price of doing business would be higher than I would like, but this scenario is thankfully hypothetical since I have not yet encountered any business that tried to charge me a credit card "Convenience" fee.

The bottom line is this. Peace of mind is important to me and the way that I currently handle my finances gives me that peace of mind. I am not suggesting that you or anyone else convert to my methodology but in todays world writing checks is risky and potentially very costly. Just ask the originator of this thread who had to face the (In)convenience and emotional impact of having to deal with the fraud perpetrated on his bank account.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I only have a few that do not have on-line payment, I send them a check.
I have four that charge a convenience fee.
I usually take the mail to our post office INSIDE when I'm out running errands, sometimes I put it out for the carrier (box at house, no flag).
I can't see paying for the privilege of paying on-line... Principle.
But since the card companies get their cut, the business looses that.
Some pay it as the cost of doing business, others want YOU to pay for it, and charge the "convenience fee" to cover (or partially cover) the loss to the card company. If it is included in the service fee, then they are getting extra money from check writers. But I wouldn't know that. That's where the old "discount for cash" came in.
Few complain about the $2, but a contractor bill for $5,000 paid on a card might result in a $100+ cost to the business. Would you rather pay that then send a check if they added it as a convenience fee?
Or are you only okay with just getting nickle and dimed to death.

Klickitatdave Loc: Seattle Washington

As I pointed out in my post I do not do business with any company that charges for the privilege of paying with a credit card nor even for doing business on-line. You will have to convince me that companies that don't charge the customer to use their credit card don't make it up in a slight increase in the price of goods and services for all customers. As for that contractor example, it is my guess that the contractor adds the cost of doing business including accepting credit cards into their system of generating estimates. And you will also need to convince me that my doing a transaction on-line costs the company more than processing a check sent or given to them in person. If anything I would think that processing a check increases the cost of doing business because someone at some point will need to process the checks.

Then, there is the problem to businesses in having to deal with fraudulent checks or checks that have insufficient funds to cover the price of the goods or services. While consumers risk having their checks stolen and/or fraudulently altered, businesses risk being defrauded by someone who writes a bad check or uses an altered or stolen check to pay their debt. If goods or services are provided and paid for with a stolen check who ends up eating the loss. The business takes the loss not the victim of the fraud nor the bank. Credit cards are a bit safer because of built in safeguards. Hopefully you have never experienced having your credit card declined but if you have then you must have noticed that the business is immediately aware of any problems with your account before you even leave the building. On-line credit card transaction are no different. If there is a problem with your account the transaction will simply not go through. Who benefits from this immediacy in feedback? The business so isn't it more fair to say that businesses do get some added protection from losses due to fraud by accepting credit cards. Finally, I am not okay with getting "Nickle and dimed to death" as you put it but I have repeatedly assessed the risks and benefits of doing business the way that I have described, and I have chosen to stay with it for many years without getting ripped off. I'm not inflexible and if someone posits a better way that actually is better then I will be open to adopting it.

marine73 Loc: Modesto California

I pay my Oklahoma property taxes my electronic check on their website and the fee is $1.25 versus 6 07.00 dollars for using a card.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

Doesnt the US have internet banking?
I'm not aware of any Banks in NZ still issuing cheques for use. There maybe one I'm not aware of, of course.
But we use 3 different Banks for our personal financial affairs and none use cheques.
All (not very much of it these days) our income, including our pension are direct credited to our nominated account
and all our payments are likewise made via internet banking direct from whichever account we nominate.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

That's interesting. Something of which I was not aware.
We do have "internet" banking in the US. We can pay bills on-line, for the majority. However some businesses don't support that yet. It's not 100%.
You still use cash though, right?

BebuLamar

What cost? I have free checks.

BebuLamar

I don't know of a company that charge a fee for using credit card but most gorvement agencies do. They don't want to pay the fee to the credit card companies to get your business because you have no choice.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

My power and water companies charge a fee, cable, cell, and land line do not.
Others are check or debit, a couple are just check.
I'll have to see if the county charges a fee for paying the real estate taxes with a card.

BebuLamar

If the county doesn't charge you I would be surprised because there is no need for them to attract your business. You have to pay them like it or not. A merchant would be afraid that you simply go elsewhere.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Captive audience with the county.

BebuLamar

I like to correct what I said earlier. Car dealer doesn't accept credit card for car purchase. They said the 3% or so the credit card company charges them is too much.