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Bills and Other Payment Obligations

This page will address options for handling bills and other payment obligations while you are overseas.

Arrange To Have Statements and Bills Sent To You via Email. Most creditors and processing companies are delighted to save the money on postage and will gladly offer you this option.

Arrange for A Trusted Friend or Relative To Inspect Your Paper Mail for Bills or Invoices. If he or she suspects you have received an invoice, have them open, scan, and email a copy to you so you may pay it from an online bank account (below, next), or have them scan the sealed envelope, so you can decide if it should be opened.

Open A Bank Account with Online Access and Bill Payment Features. Many banks now offer online access to account information and will allow electronic transfers or bill payments so long as you are using a secure internet browser. If you have not arranged for such features with your current accounts, inquire with your bank about how to establish them. If your bank doesn’t offer such access, consider opening a second account at a bank which does. You will be able to check your balance(s) and make payments from the road, should you need to.

Arrange for Automatic Monthly Payments for Fixed-Payment Obligations. Set up advance payments from your bank account for fixed-payment obligations, leaving plenty of time for the payments to arrive before they are due. If you plan to pay less than the full amount owing on revolving accounts, calculate what you would have to pay at the highest balance you expect to maintain while traveling, then set up a monthly fixed payment for that amount. It is better to overpay than underpay while traveling. The point is you want to be covered and do not want to have to deal with any late payments, penalties, or suspended credit privileges.

What To Do If You Fall Behind on Your Payment Obligations. If you realize that a payment has been missed or has arrived late, call the related creditor immediately and transmit whatever amount is necessary to bring your account in good standing. A few days later, call the creditor again and make sure that everything has been appropriately settled. Otherwise you run the risk of further penalties being applied to your account, and, in the worst case, your credit privileges being canceled or suspended while you are thousands of miles away. You do not want to be caught in a situation where you do not have access to funds you may need, especially in an emergency.

Utilities. For utility obligations such as electricity, fuel, refuse disposal, and water bills, many companies or governments offer fixed payment plans which incorporate an estimate of seasonality with interest built into the monthly payment. While this option often incurs some amount of interest expense (or opportunity cost of interest you could otherwise earn), it provides assurance that your obligations are paid on time if you establish a fixed, periodic payment from your bank account. If the utility bills relate to a property which you have planned to rent or sublease, consider obliging the tenants concerned to pay the bills for you. Of course, that would have to be spelled out in your tenancy agreement with them.