Today, almost all companies use the computer for varying amounts of their business needs. Some only use it to access email, while others hold complete bookkeeping systems and data on computers. One use that's gained popularity recently is check free bill pay.

When online bill pay programs first started there was a cost to participate. Now, many companies offer online bill pay free. If you don't already use free online bill pay, check with your bank to see if they offer the service. If you use a service that costs, investigate the potential of switching to free bill pay services.

There are a number of advantages to free online bill payment:

1. The postal rates continue to increase each year, so the use of free bill pay programs help you reduce your expenditures.
2. Free bill payments means no more paper checks and the cost that goes with them.
3. With free bill payment systems, your payments are guaranteed to make it to their destination.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose free bill paying systems with versatility

There are a variety of free online bill pay styles. Choose a service that has the most versatility and never write another check, if that is your choice. Once you find how easy online bill payment is for your business needs, you'll use it frequently.

I recommend: A number of banks offer free business bill pay to their customers. National City Corporation offers the free service and allows you to make recurring payments or one-time payments to any company or individual. Capital One Services, Inc. boasts that they even allow you to pay the baby sitter online.

Find a free online bill payment that offers a timely payment guarantee

If timely payments concern you, several companies offer a guarantee with their online bill pay. These guarantees vary, but often include the payment of finance charges and late fees if the bill pay service makes an error. Some companies also guarantee a stop payment on the bill pay service.

I recommend: Wells Fargo offers both the stop payment guarantee and timely service guarantee. Branch Banking and Trust Company offers timely payment guarantees and allows access through Intuit QuickBooks.

Locate a free online bill pay service that protects you from fraud

Hackers and disgruntled employees cause thousands of dollars in lost business revenue. Unauthorized and fraudulent payments cost you nothing if you have free bill payment services that back your account with a guarantee.

I recommend: Washington Mutual, Inc. offers a fraud guarantee to sole proprietors that use their service. With the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., you also get Visa Extras Rewards points in addition to the guarantee when you use their free online bill payment service.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you use online software for bookkeeping, several programs merge with your database and make entries automatically. While many of these are not free bill pay software, they save you entry time.