Ask anyone who’s made the switch to internet banking and online bill paying how they like it, and chances are they’ll tell you they’ll never go back to the old way. Why would you? Not only has my savings in stamp money alone afforded me a couple extra cappuccinos a month, I’m also saving a ton of time. As a girl with a major need for speed, it’s a dream come true. I’ve got places to go and people to meet, and let’s face it, I still need to pay bills, check my account balances, transfer funds, and so on, and so on.

Benefits of Banking Online

Gone forever is my 45 minute “mailing of the bills" ritual, also a distant memory is that minty book of (expensive.) stamps and – oh, how I miss all those unnecessary ventures to the bank, after fighting off rush-hour traffic. While it may not seem like a big deal, the time I save really adds up in the end. So how will online banking save you all these headaches? Here are just a few of the benefits of banking online with my bank, Bank of America:

• Ability to manage my accounts online
• View account activity
• Online Bill Pay (this is, by far, my favorite)
• See the latest features and benefits

And those are just a few of the benefits of banking online. Did I mention that I now balance my checkbook in record time by logging in to my Online Banking service? And with internet usage any time of day, paying bills online is so easy. Instead of having to do it at the bank, I can do my banking anywhere I have my laptop and access to the internet – during my lunch break, at the coffee shop, at work, on vacation, or in the comfort of my cozy little apartment. No matter what the time of day, paying bills online is right at my fingertips. My virtual bank is open weekdays, weekends, and holidays, whether it’s 2 o’clock in the afternoon or 2 o’clock in the morning1.

So, What’s the Hold Up?

If you’re still not convinced this kind of banking is for you, chances are you’re worried about online banking security. While this is understandable, it always amazes me that you probably don’t think twice about dropping those bills in unsecured mailboxes, or leaving a paper trail behind for ID thieves to steal. The fact is, Online Banking security from Bank of America has never been better. Here are just a few of the things Bank of America offers me as a customer:

• $0 Liability – Bank of America guarantees $0 liability when you notify them promptly2 of any unauthorized activity originating from Online Banking, including Bill Payment.
• Information Security – Whenever personal information is requested or displayed on their Web site, they use encryption technology, like Secure Socket Layer (SSL), to help keep unsavory types away from your data.
• On-Time Payments – If Bank of America doesn’t send your payments to the right payees at the time you specified, they’ll pay for any late payment charges.

Chances are, your bank offers at least some safeguards against fraud and ID theft, but make sure they have a good security practices before you decide to trust them and bank online.

Ready, Set, Go.

Now that you know the deal with Online Banking and Bank of America, it may be fun to take a deep breath, and give it a little test drive. It only takes a few minutes. I promise you, this will probably be the longest you’ll ever spend dealing with your account again – then it’s life in the fast lane.