Saving by Paying Online

Aug. 15, 2001 -- While consumers have long had the option of paying their various bills online, they've never been able to actually save money while doing it.

Now there are several Web sites that can help.

One of them, lowermybills.com, claims to be the first site to give consumers ways to lower a wide range of monthly bills — from auto insurance to long-distance bills and debt relief.

The site's slogan: "More for you. Less for them."

MoneyScope: Look Before You Click

Here's how the site works: It gathers the information you supply, then presents a variety of options available, based on your location or other specific requirements. You then have the option to sign up for the plan of your choice.

The service is free of charge.

Help Finding Low Credit Card Rates

Another consumer resource to help you save money on credit cards is the Web site lowcards.com. The company researches more than 200 credit cards and creates a top 10 list of cards with the lowest interest rates in the nation.

It also provides information on fees, credit limits and grace periods for paying bills. The Web site also offers evaluations of the deals offered by the various credit cards.

Credit Card Calculators

Before you transfer all your bills to other companies, consumer advocates advise that you should make sure you check those businesses out first.

As with all major financial transactions, it's useful to look at their history of customer complaints and get references, if possible.