Editor's note: This is a transcript of the audio file.
It's no secret that online bill-pay systems offer consumers a convenient way to pay bills without paper checks, envelopes or stamps, but what other perks are available? I'm Katie Doyle with the Bankrate.com Personal Finance Minute.
Thinking of trying online bill pay? There are multiple reasons to use this service, including setting up recurring payments, making immediate payments and monitoring your accounts.
But how about tracking your spending? Online bill pay can help you with that, too.
Many banks offer money management tools to categorize your expenditures so you can see, for instance, that your pizza budget has little room left for pepperoni tonight.
Being able to spot expenses that creep up can be a big help keeping your finances on track.
And finally, want to know when your bills have been paid? Online bill pay oftentimes comes with email or text message alerts to keep you up to date.
For more on this and other personal finance topics, visit Bankrate.com. I'm Katie Doyle.