I Asked ChatGPT Which Bills I Should Put on Autopay: Here’s What It Said

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Autopay can be an incredibly useful tool if you want to avoid late payments and fees. It’s also helpful if you’re trying to build credit and want to make sure every payment is on time. Plus, some creditors offer a small rate discount for auto payments.

But not every bill should be put on autopay. GOBankingRates prompted ChatGPT to find out which payments are best made automatic. Here’s what it said and why.

Bills You Should Put on Autopay

According to the AI tool, the best bills to put on autopay are those with fixed or predictable monthly payments. You may also want to set up autopay for any accounts where a missed payment could either hurt your credit or interrupt your service. These include:

• Mortgage or rent payments since they’re usually the same monthly amount and autopay can protect your credit.
• Car payments since they’re fixed, predictable and lower the risk of repossession.
• Student loans since they’re fixed and loan servicers often offer a small rate reduction for autopay.
• Home, car and renters insurance premiums as they rarely change from month to month and some insurance providers offer a rate discount.
• Phone and internet bills as they’re fixed and rarely come with surprise charges.

The AI tool also suggested putting essential subscriptions on autopay. This could be something like your gym membership or a subscription to your favorite streaming platform.

Did you know the average person spends nearly $1,900 a year on subscription services, according to Solitaired. That’s $158 a month. Before setting up autopayments, make sure you’ve got the funds to cover those small withdrawals — they add up.

What Else You Might Put on Autopay

There are a few non-fixed bills you could put on autopay, like the electric, water or gas bill. But ChatGPT suggests doing so with caution as amounts can fluctuate. You may also allow your service provider to debit up to a certain amount from your account automatically. Just be prepared to pay any excess amount yourself before the due date.

Another bill you could put on autopay, according to the AI tool, is your credit card. Even just setting it up so you make the minimum payment can save you a lot in late fees and penalty APRs. If you can, pay off your credit card balance in full every month to avoid interest and other charges.

Never Set Up Automatic Payments for These Bills

According to ChatGPT, any bill that might contain an error or fluctuate significantly from month to month should be reviewed and then paid manually. These include contractor invoices and other services that don’t have fixed prices (like home repair or lawn maintenance).

Medical bills also shouldn’t have autopay. It’s generally better to review the bill for accuracy and to make sure your insurance provider (if any) has paid what it should first. Then, if you set up a fixed payment plan for what you owe, you can set up automatic payments.

A Word of Caution

Before setting up automatic payments, always make sure the funds needed to pay those bills are in your account. This also means checking the payment due dates to make sure they align with when you get paid. If you don’t, you could end up in a bit of financial trouble.

Consumers spent over $12 billion in overdraft and non-sufficient fund (NSF) fees in 2024, according to Financial Health Network. While some banks and credit unions will let you link your checking and savings account to avoid these fees, you’ll want to check with yours to make sure they do. Even then, if you don’t have the money in savings, you could end up getting charged.

A few other tips offered by ChatGPT include:

• Keep extra funds in the account used for autopay to avoid NSF or overdraft charges
• Review your bills every month even if you do have autopay
• Sign up for text or email alerts for any upcoming payments

And if you do set up auto for your bills, know that you can generally change your mind later if you’d prefer to pay manually.

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