Bill Pay

08/30/2023 0620 Pacific Time
I am writing the entry title today so that it will show up on my thoughts towards the end of the month. There is certainly plenty to say about it... I am just rather rushed for time and can't compose my thoughts intelligibly.
So here it is--as a place holder--for later editing.

1514 Pacific Time
Not sure how many people use checking accounts these days. I know of folks who get along with a debit card, but who knows if they reconcile their accounts. I have ten checking accounts (five from banks and five from credit unions). Each one offers something different or special the enticed me to join or open an account. One had a good CD offering for opening an account. Another had a high yield Christmas club account. Some are just very conveniently located so the ATM could be readily used throughout the country.

One bank, however, had nothing special about it. So, why did I choose it? Well, it was on Hawaii. And when I had gone there the first time, I had said to myself, "Self! I definitely want to return to this lovely island!" And what better reason to return to a place than to leave some money behind for retrieval. So I opened an account.

Maybe I was in love with the rainbow that was part of their brand. Anyway, I went through the usual list of products that the new bank offered and perused the bill pay page.

"$5.99/month for Online Bill Pay (waived with $500 in direct deposits per calendar month)"

Well, that was never going to happen. But oddly enough, it is the ONLY financial institution I use that charges for the service. A former housemate never understood how they could manage to stay afloat with the price of postage being as high as it is. I told him that often times, these payments are remitted electronically and no postage is used since no paper check is delivered.

I mostly use the checks to pool money together and to send it to my primary bill paying program. I've never activated the Hawaiian bill pay application, but I sure do love the convenience.