Bill Ranson

There are a lot of expenses for which we’re billed in large chunks. For example, consider your car insurance. In most cases, your auto insurer will send you an annual or semi-annual bill. If you pay the entire amount, you can avoid paying additional convenience fees (usually a few dollars). Otherwise, you can decide to pay a monthly amount which includes the convenience fees. It’s the same with your life insurance policy and your home property taxes.

Those people who consider themselves financially savvy might immediately think that paying unnecessary fees in order to enjoy the convenience of paying monthly is foolish. However, there are compelling reasons to do so. IN this article, I’ll describe the benefits of paying large bills on a monthly basis.

Advantages Of Paying Monthly

The first advantage comes from enjoying a higher yield on your savings and money market accounts than the interest rate implied by the convenience fee. For example, assume that your auto insurance bill is $1,300 for one year of coverage. If you elect to pay a portion each month, you’ll be required to pay an additional $2.50 fee (hypothetically). Let’s further assume that your savings account has a 4% yield (not uncommon with online banks).

If you were to put the $1,300 into your savings account and transfer the necessary amount to your checking account each month, you would likely come out ahead. In effect, you could earn more through interest than what you’d pay in extra fees.

Another advantage is related to budgeting. A lot of people place a high value on knowing what their expenses are each month. By writing a monthly check to cover a large bill, they can track their budget more easily, especially if the payments are sent automatically from their bank.

One of the realities of struggling to make a living is that finding the funds in order to pay off a large bill in one lump sum can be difficult. Returning to our car insurance example, many people might have trouble setting aside $1,300. Unexpected car repairs, medical expenses, and other factors can cause short-term cash flow problems. By contrast, paying a smaller portion each month can provide a little financial breathing room, even if that means having to pay a small convenience fee.

It’s important to note that every circumstance is unique. Choosing to write a check each month for large bills may not be appropriate for every situation. Nor is it appropriate for every person. Review your personal finances in light of your recurring cash flow needs. If you decide that sending monthly payments is the right choice for your circumstances, consider establishing an automatic payment plan with your bank. The convenience of having it drafted each month represents one less thing to worry about.

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