Being a computer geek that loves everything online, I still get my credit card statements and bills through the mail. In fact, my wife always tease me about this because it just doesn’t seem to make sense. Why would I want paper statements when it could get lost in the mail, not to mention that it’s environmentally unfriendly?
Ancient and Traditional Ways Can Sometimes Still be Better
Actually, I don’t ever plan to just get my bills electronically unless I have to pay extra for the privilege. I have alerts and everything setup so they email me whenever statements are available, but I still want those paper bills. Why? Here are the reasons:
- I can read paper statements more carefully without killing my eyes – Whenever I read something in detail on the monitor, my eyes get strained. I just don’t need that.
- I need a paper record for taxes – Since most of my expenses are actually offline, it takes me more work to keep everything online than to keep everything off. Therefore, I want my bills in paper form as I have to print them out anyway. Having them offline probably also helps if you get audited because I believe they need you to print them out.
- It’s a Backup – Having a paper backup to the online statements are just another way I put redundancy into my filing system.
- Paper statements are more in my face – Having these paper statements remind me of my spending. Seeing those bills on the desk (I keep them there before I pay them) reminds me that I’ve spent too much money on that iPod last month and that I let that oven run on for too long. If I just elect for electronic statements, the best I can do is leave the email in my inbox but that would be buried with the other 348 emails that’s in there.
Outdated or Not, Do What Works Best
I’m the type of guy that loves new technology. I would install the newest version of a software as soon as it comes out. I would also try all the new toys and gadgets when they are launched. However, I don’t ever try to fix something that’s not broken, and I will never make a major overhaul to how I do things unless I can see that it is clearly beneficial.
Paper statements for my bills are still the way to go in my honest opinion, and it will stay that way until proven otherwise.
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I agree, it is a lot more manageable with paper statements especially when there is discrepancies but what can we do if it all goes electronic?
I mean electronic payment, no more cash and statements too.
I mean sure, there is scams and fraud now but will it really change when its all electronic? probably not and seeing how say our parents and baby boomers are not as tech savvy, it will make it even harder and worse for them to adapt.
who knows, maybe better security measures will be used.
tom: If everything becomes electronic, we will just have to read those statements on the screen and kill our eyes
I like the idea of electronic payment to be honest, but I just hope that statements can be in printed form.
I think the older generation will adapt if it really happens. I mean, everyone is fine with credit cards, so maybe they will come up with a standard (like a chip within your index finger or something sci-fi like that) which people can use to pay with electronically.
Some of my accounts only keep on-line access to statements for a few months – so paper is a must.
Plus there’s preparation for the post internet-age apocalypse…
Well maybe they will make more advanced screens and maybe in a few years, they will make the switch to just electronic. Like wherever you go you will be faced with a computer screen.
We seen such examples in various movies but I think it will be lots of years still before we see a full switch over, probably not in our lifetime, not mine at least, i am in my 20s now.
I sincerely hope that this doesn’t happen, or that they found some other technology which can repair eye sights. (Not prescription like lasik, more like fix eye disease).