How to Convert Paper Bills to Electronic

If you are tired of the living amid the paper clutter of monthly bills, consider receiving your bills electronically. In a relatively short period, your mailbox is less crammed, and things you thought were lost suddenly reappear as the paper clutter recedes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Pay your bill electronically through the company website instead of writing a check. The website URL is usually found on your statement, or even in the top right corner of the return envelope, where your stamp would normally go.
2. Search the website for a link for "paperless billing." It contains an agreement that you will no longer receive paper bills after a certain date, and only receive the bill electronically. You can also check your last paper bill to see if there is a check box to select if you want to stop paper bills from coming to your mailbox.
3. Start new bill-paying habits. Keep an eye on your email inbox for notification of when a payment is due. In some cases, you can schedule alerts that you remind you a payment date is coming up.
4. Request paperless billing for any new accounts you open. Credit cards, cell phone service, and other services will allow you to go electronic before you even get your first paper bill!

Tips & Warnings

• Some websites make it quite easy to shed your paper bills. Others, for some reason make it more challenging by continuing to send paper bills for several months after you have signed up for paperless billing; most credit card providers can make the switch within the month. Be patient and keep contacting the company until your request is honored.
• Another route to paperless billing is using bill paying services. These companies will collect your paper billing accounts, scan them and convert them to email that is sent to you when the bill is due. There can be a fee associated with this service depending on how many bills you authorize them to send. Your bank may also take care of your bills automatically if you sign up for their service, which is usually free.
• U.S Postal Service also has an electronic bill-paying service, called EBillpay which usually free for the first three months and very affordable after that.