How to pay living expense bills while on the road

[sandsys]

54 minutes ago, Jinx & Wayne said:

The results of being hacked can range from annoying to catastrophic.  It all comes down to your individual tolerance for risk. 

X2. I find that those who have been hacked and/or had their identities stolen think the risk is not worth it. It's kind of like having a family member heavily hit by covid-19 then suddenly deciding maybe masks are good after all. Once is too many and the fix is so easy why would you not choose to be safe in either environment?

Linda

[Kirk W]

11 hours ago, Jinx & Wayne said:

I am risk averse, at least where the burden of avoiding the risk is not too burdensome.  Today I paid the month's bill on my phone in ten minutes.

That's pretty much our way as well. I happily use free wifi to browse the web and visit internet forums, social media and such things but I wouldn't use one to sign into my bank account or to pay my bills. I look at it much like putting on my seatbelt. I take a few extra seconds each time that I drive to connect it, even though a short trip to Walmart and back is probably safe and I have not been in an accident in years. A little extra care when spending the little time it takes to pay my bills does mean less risk and it makes me feel better and more comfortable. 

Everything in life comes with some degree of risk and each of us must find the level we are comfortable with. What is right for me might be wrong for others. 

[docj]

15 hours ago, hemsteadc said:

Your actual chances of being hacked on a public wifi like Starbucks are almost zero.  Your bank connection is perfectly secure, it's just the connection from your computer to the router that isn't, which means you have to have the incredibly bad luck to pick a place where a hacker is waiting.  Be as safe as you can, of course, but don't assume that your 10 minutes of activity is in any sort of real jeopardy.

I agree, but if you are bothered by using free wifi just turn on your phone's hotspot and use it for your banking and other sensitive transactions.  The chance of someone intercepting a cellular transmission is infinitesimally small.   Connect your laptop to your phone using a USB cable and you've further reduced the chance of being intercepted.

[Bill Joyce]

Many years ago we were in a campground and a guy told me my WIFI was not secure.  He was trying to sell his services securing WIFI's and computers. He showed me the files on my computer, except it was not my computer.  The WIFI he assumed was mine was someone else that turned it on about the same day we arrived.  He went off to find the real WIFI owner, since my WIFI was secure.  

[hemsteadc]

12 hours ago, Jinx & Wayne said:

  I am risk averse, at least where the burden of avoiding the risk is not too burdensome. 

That's right.. it's a risk assessment which is a decision we all make as opposed to "oh no, if I use that wifi my bank account will surely be drained."

It's kinda like propane.. some will travel with it on (me), some won't, and some won't even have propane in their rigs. Each of us decides what we can live with.

[Jinx & Wayne]

Well, the discussion piqued my curiosity enough to go looking for answers.  The clearest answers I found were in a Consumer Reports article from 4/19.

Wayne & Jinx
2017 F-350 diesel, dually
2006 Carriage Carri-Lite 36KSQ

[Kirk W]

13 minutes ago, Jinx & Wayne said:

Well, the discussion piqued my curiosity enough to go looking for answers. 

A very good article! Not so long ago there was a thread about using antivirus software and it appeared that the majority no longer use it. After reading this in the April 2020 PC-Magazine, I have gone back to running antivirus. 

Quote

If you’re using a Windows computer or an Android device, you should most definitely install a third-party antivirus utility. Windows Defender is getting better, but it’s not up to the best competitors, even the best free ones. And Google Play Protect is ineffective.

Mac users need protection too. One study showed that last year Macs got infected at a higher rate than PCs. That could well be due to the Mac’s long-standing reputation for resisting malware.

Do You Really Need to Buy an Antivirus App or a VPN Anymore?

[Chalkie]

34 minutes ago, Jinx & Wayne said:

Well, the discussion piqued my curiosity enough to go looking for answers.  The clearest answers I found were in a Consumer Reports article from 4/19.

My employment in the years immediately prior to retirement required that I work from home. I connected to servers remotely using VPN. I still use VPN on my computer and my phone service also provides VPN.

8 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

A very good article! Not so long ago there was a thread about using antivirus software and it appeared that the majority no longer use it. After reading this in the April 2020 PC-Magazine, I have gone back to running antivirus. 

Do You Really Need to Buy an Antivirus App or a VPN Anymore?

As stated above, my previous employer required a VPN, which was provided by them and an anti-virus provided by the employee. Only 3 (at that time) were allowed: Kaspersky, ESET NOD32, or Windows Defender with Defender being a free option. Their thought was that since you were on a VPN connection to their servers that Defender was more than adequate for work as they were running a/v software on the server side as well. Fast forward to today and you can purchase a VPN (free ones will drive you nuts with ads), you can purchase an a/v program (free ones lack a lot of features), or both. OR, you can purchase a good VPN and just use Defender as it has matured rather well over the years, which is the route I choose.

[bigjim]

So does the person, business, or other entity you are connecting with have to have the same vpn or any vpn for you to use it? I think I have access to a free one that I might try if I can even slightly understand that I should use it and how to use it. Then move to a paid one.  Of course course then I will have to make myself crazy figuring out which one to use. If you 'splain this stuff to me always really dumb it down.

Thank you Durango Dave. Finally someone here that knows less than me, at least for now.😉 I think it won't take long before you catch up then pass me by. After that we can't be friends anymore.😂

 

Sorry did not mean to hijack. I forgot where  I was.

Edited January 16, 2021 by bigjim

[jcussen]

Why I do not use autopay.

https://www.gobankingrates.com/saving-money/budgeting/bills-should-never-put-autopay/

[2gypsies]

1 hour ago, jcussen said:

Why I do not use autopay.

https://www.gobankingrates.com/saving-money/budgeting/bills-should-never-put-autopay/

I don't agree with these warnings.  As always, everyone should take responsibility of monitoring their bills.  You should do this while on AutoPay or whether paying yourself.

We have our AutoPays set up so they notify us via email in plenty of time - about a month in advance - with a due date... just like if you would receive a regular bill.... so there are no surprises.  

I just looked at our credit card statements....one has a closing date of Jan 12 and the payment is due Feb. 9.  The other has a closing date on Jan 6 and payment is due Feb 2.  So we have about a month after receiving the email to prepare for the AutoPay.

For the Annual bills I keep a list of them so I know when they're coming up.  No surprises.

We don't keep an amount to the penny in our checking account.  There's always extra as a cushion.

We've done AutoPay for many years with absolutely no problems.

[jcussen]

14 minutes ago, 2gypsies said:

I don't agree with these warnings.  As always, everyone should take responsibility of monitoring their bills.  You should do this while on AutoPay or whether paying yourself.

We have our AutoPays set up so they notify us via email in plenty of time - about a month in advance - with a due date... just like if you would receive a regular bill.... so there are no surprises.  

I just looked at our credit card statements....one has a closing date of Jan 12 and the payment is due Feb. 9.  The other has a closing date on Jan 6 and payment is due Feb 2.  So we have about a month after receiving the email to prepare for the AutoPay.

For the Annual bills I keep a list of them so I know when they're coming up.  No surprises.

We don't keep an amount to the penny in our checking account.  There's always extra as a cushion.

We've done AutoPay for many years with absolutely no problems.

I have stayed in places where I have not had internet, so can't really monitor my bills, so autopay could pay an erroneous amount without my knowledge. When traveling, I just set up my bank to e-pay a little bit more than my regular bill, that way I will probably have a credit balance when I return. But everybody should do what they are comfortable with. Read a story in Houston a couple of years ago where a billing computer mistake added an extra 0 to everybodies water bill. 

 

[SWharton]

We have used autopay since the early 90s and never had a problem. Each person has their comfort level but I would rather have autopay than not.

[Kirk W]

7 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

Why I do not use autopay.

And fortunately, we live in a country where we each are able to do things the way that we each feel most comfortable with. I happen to do things in a hybrid fashion as I do use autopay for things which do not vary or that only vary a small amount. Contrary to what the author states, most cell phone bills that I am familiar with change very little from month to month, if at all. In addition, if you track your expenses on a computer, all of the software for that which I'm familiar with has the ability to automatically enter the things that you keep on autopay a day or so before they actually go out, so you do not need to remember them. in addition, I get an email from each one of the bills that do vary to tell me what that month's bill will be so that I can easily put the exact amounts into the computer. Each of my credit cards send me a text a week before the due date to remind me and the bank sends one when each bill gets paid. Since I don't know what a beauty box is, I have no advice on those and I haven't belonged to a gym in years. 

[hemsteadc]

I will continue to use auto pay until I have a reason not to.  What drives me nuts is the medical profession, whose billing still remains on paper after all these years.

Edited January 17, 2021 by hemsteadc

[Fins]

A couple of things:

1. As Kirk notes above, most companies incentivize paperless billing.  You get an email notifying you that your bill is due and the amount.  Often those bills include a URL you can use to pay the bill online, without auto pay.

2. The post office offers a service called Informed Delivery.  Basically they send you an email that includes scans of each piece of mail you will receive on a given day. I believe it works even if you have your mail being held at the post office.  This is very handy as it will alert you to bills you may receive when you are away from home.  In most cases you can then go online and pay the bill, or at worst call the company to get more information.   

Save travels,

[2gypsies]

Kirk:  You quoted me as saying "Why I do not use AutoPay".  We use AutoPay.    Jcussen said that.  😉

[LindaH]

With few exceptions, I use autopay for all my bills.  I get an email every month from whatever company it is (cell phone, satellite TV, utilities, etc.) telling me what the amount of the upcoming bill is...I don't have to go online to look at the statement to figure that out.  I've been doing it this way for years and have never had a problem with it.

I also have all my bills set up for paperless billing.  I get an email each month when the bill is ready for viewing.  I then go online and download it to a file on my computer.

Edited January 18, 2021 by LindaH

[Wkjordan2]

 I find the article, in my case, not even close to accurate . For the past 5 years full time and before that in the sticks and bricks I use autopay on virtually every bill. All of my credits cards have phone apps as do all the Banks I deal with. All the Utilities, Verizon ATT etc all have apps and ALL of them  send  me a E mail or text with the billing amount well ahead of the billing date for my review. I can do all that on my phone. Any that will accept a credit card  Cell TV etc go on my % cash back cards saving me more. I NEVER have a deduction form my checking I haven't known the amount in advance and can go online to stop the WD or change it. The Credit cards are all set to pay the balance if I don't intervene because of an error and I've never had to in 5 years and more.  I've eliminated all the mail I can and 90% of what's left is junk I have the mail forwarding toss or just duplicates of what I already can see and print online.  I write so few checks  I have to Think where it is I left the checkbook.

 I run Quicken and can update it daily if I want to confirm every charge that way also.  In fact all our credit cards notify me via text to my phone of ANY charge normally before the cashier hands me the receipt. All Data is on phone or via our 2 hotspots. I haven't used park data in years.  Life is Good 

Im confident the article was written for many who don't budget ,don't track expenses or review all their charges. Not a "safety" issue, a responsibility one. 

Edited January 18, 2021 by Wkjordan2

[jcussen]

Wow a lot of indignation on auto pay. I realize  that you can check online your bills and payments and make sure it all balances, but I just use e-payment from my bank instead of auto pay, only takes a second. Here's a scenario: You are camped out in the boonies and have no internet access and no way to check your bills and payments, would you still have confidence in auto pay? 

[Chalkie]

On 1/16/2021 at 5:02 PM, bigjim said:

So does the person, business, or other entity you are connecting with have to have the same vpn or any vpn for you to use it?

If you are using a VPN it creates a "tunnel" from you to the distant point. The way it works is that any points between A and Z are sealed off. So if you are using a VPN it doesn't matter if the entity you are connecting to has one or not. 

[Wkjordan2]

1 hour ago, jcussen said:

Wow a lot of indignation on auto pay. I realize  that you can check online your bills and payments and make sure it all balances, but I just use e-payment from my bank instead of auto pay, only takes a second. Here's a scenario: You are camped out in the boonies and have no internet access and no way to check your bills and payments, would you still have confidence in auto pay? 

Yes , never had an issue and that way I never foget or pay the wrong amount... ESPECIALLY if I’m out in the boonies or forget to check 

[jcussen]

42 minutes ago, Wkjordan2 said:

Yes , never had an issue and that way I never foget or pay the wrong amount... ESPECIALLY if I’m out in the boonies or forget to check 

Good for you, I don't have the confidence in cell phone companies, utility companies credit card companies etc., that you do, to pay a bill without looking it over first.  Had a water line break underground one time and my bill doubled, luckily I saw the bill and corrected the problem before I could be billed for the same amount again the next month. Auto pay without seeing a real bill could have turned into a disaster.

[dirtyboots]

On 1/16/2021 at 3:02 PM, bigjim said:

So does the person, business, or other entity you are connecting with have to have the same vpn or any vpn for you to use it? I think I have access to a free one that I might try if I can even slightly understand that I should use it and how to use it. Then move to a paid one.  Of course course then I will have to make myself crazy figuring out which one to use. If you 'splain this stuff to me always really dumb it down.

Thank you Durango Dave. Finally someone here that knows less than me, at least for now.😉 I think it won't take long before you catch up then pass me by. After that we can't be friends anymore.😂

 

Sorry did not mean to hijack. I forgot where  I was.

If you want to try a 'free' one, give the Opera browser a try.  I've used it for years and have no problem with it and recently have been using their in house free VPN.  Works great...just have to laugh when some of the responses to a search come back in Swedish. 

[Barbaraok]

5 hours ago, jcussen said:

Wow a lot of indignation on auto pay. I realize  that you can check online your bills and payments and make sure it all balances, but I just use e-payment from my bank instead of auto pay, only takes a second. Here's a scenario: You are camped out in the boonies and have no internet access and no way to check your bills and payments, would you still have confidence in auto pay? 

I see every bill in detail.  I look at our electric usage in the winter DURING the month, I know how how much it is going to be, and in the summer, since we have power turned of at meter, it is the monthly charge for the account.  The other auto pays that we have are subscriptions that don’t change during during the year.   Alll other bills, like credit cards, I will review before paying and those I pay from bank account.     What utilities bill do you expect to pay if fulltiming?