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The answer should determine where you sign up for automatic payments. What if your phone company accidentally withdraws automate payments your monthly payment twice? Or your cable provider adds a zero to your balance and takes out $850 instead of $85?

How to automate your personal finances

The second way to set up automated payments is by using your credit card. For instance, if you need to pay your Netflix or Hulu subscription each month, you could set up an automatic payment allowing those fees to be charged to your credit card. Automatic bill payments use electronic fund transfers (EFT) to move money from one account to another. In addition, some companies may allow users to make autopay arrangements by phone or mail. When you’re using your credit card for automated payments, you need to supply your payee with your credit card information, including the card’s number, expiration date and security code. The charge, which will appear on your credit card statement, will still need to be paid.

Doing all of this ensures you don’t incur any late fees or stress about deadlines. Additionally, this step should include reviewing all of your automatic payments and removing the ones you no longer want, such as a streaming service you no longer use. With the proliferation of mobile apps and smartphones, it’s easier than ever to automate your finances. This can include automatic savings or automation of paying down debt, which is very valuable from a behavioral perspective.

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If you don’t have enough money in your account, you’ll end up owing even more because of overdraft fees and any fees the payee might charge. If you’re using a checking account to make the payments, set up an alert that occurs before the date the payment is supposed to go through. That way you can be sure you have the funds available and avoid any overdraft charges.

HSBC, among other major banks, is utilizing the solution to improve its user experience and promote virtual payment card adoption, the release said. HSBC will be the first bank to offer the embedded virtual card experience to Oracle customers in the U.S. and the U.K. Creditors make errors, so it’s possible you could get double-billed, or a canceled auto-payment could still occur. Some companies auto-enroll users into autopay as part of their terms and conditions. All of these are reasons why it’s essential to review your accounts regularly.

When Would It Not Make Sense to Automate Bill Payments?

Monitor your account to make sure the amount and timing of the transfers are what you agreed to. A company cannot require you to repay a loan by automatic debit from your checking account as a condition for giving you a loan (unless the loan is an overdraft line of credit). Be wary of a company that pressures you to repay by automatic debit. Most providers give you access to a 30-day free trial so you can try the software before purchasing it.

Data breaches make headlines, but online banking is no less secure than leaving a check in an envelope in an unguarded mailbox. In fact, your accounts may be better protected through the encryption techniques that banks use online to secure customers’ information. However, even when using auto pay, it’s important to monitor accounts and review bills regularly to make sure everything is accurate and up to date. Automatic payments, or auto pay, can be a convenient and hassle-free way to manage recurring payments.