Why Write a Check?

You may never need to write a check again. It’s easy to pay your bills online. Many banks offer online bill payment, directly debiting the amounts you authorize from your checking or savings account. At some banks these bill-payment arrangements are free and with others you pay a monthly fee — although you may find there’s an extra charge for same-day transactions if they are even possible.

If you do pay online, it’s best to authorize the payment several days in advance of your due date to be sure the payment arrives on time — though if you’re paying a credit card bill or making a mortgage payment to the same bank where your checking account is, you may have more leeway. You may also be able to make automatic recurring payments, so the amount due is deducted from your account every month without your having to do a thing about it. Sometimes you authorize your bank to make those automatic payments, and sometimes a utility company, phone company, or mortgage lender will debit your account directly.