Stupid Is...

[nc211]

You know what I don't get these days? These "convenience" fees the utility companies, banks and local revenue board charges you if you wish to pay your bill online or over the phone with your debit/credit card! I mean seriously, does it make any sense what-so-ever to charge someone an additional $11 dollars for them to get thier money, instantly, without the need for employee assistance "aka a paid employee"? Take for instance my mortgage; I use to be able to just walk up stairs, flip on the computer, log into the bank's website, and click "pay now"..and boom..it's done. But now they charge a freakin' $15 fee for me to do that...but they don't charge a single penny if I write out a check and mail it to them, so some lonely and probably miserable employee in the back office can earn $9.50 an hour to open my letter, enter my check info, process the check, bundle the check, and ship it off to the federal reserve for cancellation. Now, you tell me what makes more sense to you; Charge $15 for getting your money instantly via electronic transfer "that is instantly verified before acceptance"; or don't charge anything for the manpower to process the check and hope it doesn't bounce "i know i know, they charge for bounced checks", but still, the added time to deal with it, doesn't even come close to the bounced-check penalty.

Just a messed up thing if you ask me... especially the banks with mortgage payments in today's environment. If I were some CEO, I'd reverse this decision pronto, and reward my customers who require less of my staff's input to pay me my money, instead of penalize them.

[lenore]

That is why I shop around for online banking that is totally free. I use B of A and it is free and I can pay anyone or anybody with it. Credit unions also have this service. I do not sign up for free online withdrawals because they want to charge you. Working from the online free banking whether it be bank or credit union is great. I would cancel those services where you are being charged for that feature.

[nc211]

That is why I shop around for online banking that is totally free. I use B of A and it is free and I can pay anyone or anybody with it. Credit unions also have this service. I do not sign up for free online withdrawals because they want to charge you. Working from the online free banking whether it be bank or credit union is great. I would cancel those services where you are being charged for that feature.

Banking wise, I'm fine, I'm a credit union member myself. But my mortgage however is in the hands of a different bank in Texas, which caters to businesses, but has a decent size portfolio of residential loans, and they charge the fee. All the other places, like the cable company, gas company, tried to pay my taxes on the car today, they all charge this stupid fee. I understand business, and convenience has it's price, but how stupid is it to charge for certainty of receiving payment? Just seems like poor business practice. I'd much rather charge someone for sending me a hand written check, so I can at least use that fee to pay the salaries for the 5 employees it takes to process that check.

Just brings back ole' Arsenio Hall moments of ".....makes you go, hum?" <_<

[djspawn00]

Convenience fees are a companies way of covering the cost of implementing a system that makes it easier for your to pay your bills... yeah right... its just another way they can squeeze more money out of the consumer... but business is business and if you're not paying fees in one place chances are they're getting you for it somewhere else.

[smooth1]

Have you tried setting up auto pay through your bank? I do it that way. 1 week before the payment goes out, I get an email notice saying that the payment is preparing to be sent, on the day I have it set up to be paid, I get an email saying the payment has been sent. Costs me nothing, not even the stamp, and the mortgage co. gets a real check. I pretty much pay all my recurring bills that way.

[dcfish]

You know what I don't get these days? These "convenience" fees the utility companies, banks and local revenue board charges you if you wish to pay your bill online or over the phone with your debit/credit card! I mean seriously, does it make any sense what-so-ever to charge someone an additional $11 dollars for them to get thier money, instantly, without the need for employee assistance "aka a paid employee"? Take for instance my mortgage; I use to be able to just walk up stairs, flip on the computer, log into the bank's website, and click "pay now"..and boom..it's done. But now they charge a freakin' $15 fee for me to do that...but they don't charge a single penny if I write out a check and mail it to them, so some lonely and probably miserable employee in the back office can earn $9.50 an hour to open my letter, enter my check info, process the check, bundle the check, and ship it off to the federal reserve for cancellation. Now, you tell me what makes more sense to you; Charge $15 for getting your money instantly via electronic transfer "that is instantly verified before acceptance"; or don't charge anything for the manpower to process the check and hope it doesn't bounce "i know i know, they charge for bounced checks", but still, the added time to deal with it, doesn't even come close to the bounced-check penalty.

Just a messed up thing if you ask me... especially the banks with mortgage payments in today's environment. If I were some CEO, I'd reverse this decision pronto, and reward my customers who require less of my staff's input to pay me my money, instead of penalize them.

Pay cash NC, Cash , My man, Cash Cash is KING ;) Or you could pay with Cheetos and beer..................

I couldn't resist...............

[Shoaib]

You know what I don't get these days? These "convenience" fees the utility companies, banks and local revenue board charges you if you wish to pay your bill online or over the phone with your debit/credit card! I mean seriously, does it make any sense what-so-ever to charge someone an additional $11 dollars for them to get thier money, instantly, without the need for employee assistance "aka a paid employee"? Take for instance my mortgage; I use to be able to just walk up stairs, flip on the computer, log into the bank's website, and click "pay now"..and boom..it's done. But now they charge a freakin' $15 fee for me to do that...but they don't charge a single penny if I write out a check and mail it to them, so some lonely and probably miserable employee in the back office can earn $9.50 an hour to open my letter, enter my check info, process the check, bundle the check, and ship it off to the federal reserve for cancellation. Now, you tell me what makes more sense to you; Charge $15 for getting your money instantly via electronic transfer "that is instantly verified before acceptance"; or don't charge anything for the manpower to process the check and hope it doesn't bounce "i know i know, they charge for bounced checks", but still, the added time to deal with it, doesn't even come close to the bounced-check penalty.

Just a messed up thing if you ask me... especially the banks with mortgage payments in today's environment. If I were some CEO, I'd reverse this decision pronto, and reward my customers who require less of my staff's input to pay me my money, instead of penalize them.

Pay cash NC, Cash , My man, Cash Cash is KING ;) Or you could pay with Cheetos and beer..................

I couldn't resist...............

a bit off topic. You dcfish Sir are prolly the biggest user of the two smileys bumpin beer mugs that i have seen on this site. lol.. That is all.