Go Green by Going Paperless

Go Green in 2014: Week 38

These days, most companies offer paperless billing, as well as ways to easily pay your bills without sending a check in the mail.

What is paperless billing?

As I'm sure most of you already know, paperless billing is simply a way to receive your bills without actually getting a paper statement in the mail. This is an option that allows you to reduce waste - and that stack of mail that keeps piling up on the kitchen counter! It also saves businesses money on paper and ink.

I am not completely paperless when it comes to receiving my bills, but I have been working on it. I would say the majority of our bills are paid without receiving anything in the mail. Of course, there are still companies that don't offer that option, but any amount of reduced waste is a good thing.

Ways to go green with bill paying

Some businesses offer automatic bill pay on a certain day each month; my car payments actually come directly out of my check. Even if the business itself doesn't offer this option, most banks do. Otherwise, you can either call the company to pay a bill directly over the phone, or you can pay through their website.

What are some ways you pay your bills without actually writing out a check and mailing it out?

Potential drawbacks...

There are a few bills that I still pay with a paper check, simply because it's easier or costs less - even if it does waste paper. :( Perhaps you have trouble remembering how to log into your account every month, or the website is difficult to navigate, or they charge an arm and a leg to pay your bill online. In these instances, it might make more sense to send a payment in the mail.

Even though I'm not completely paperless yet, I feel pretty good about how far I've come. How about you?

Photo courtesy of Flickr / Filippo Diotalevi

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Your challenge: This week, think about the ways you can go paperless with bill paying.

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**This post is part of a weekly challenge {Go Green in 2014}, during which the author has challenged herself - and you - to find 52 ways to lead a greener life in 2014. You can follow the weekly posts on this page.**