SECURE. CONVENIENT. SCHEDULED.

John and Alena have been married for 10 years, work full time, and have two young children – so downtime tends to be sparse. Although the two love spending time together relaxing in front of the TV, their tastes couldn’t be more different. 

“Our children have their own programming, I like watching international dramas and John is a real guy’s guy, into action films and sports,” Alena says.

“But it’s also not something we ever argue about,” John says. “There are more important things to worry about day-to-day, you know?”

As young parents to a 5 and 8-year old, they each juggle multiple responsibilities, so they always tend to have a lot on their minds. “Life right now is a lot like a dance,” Alena says with a smile. “So many parts require coordinating the right steps, and other parts you just sort of follow the rhythm and improv.”

This comparison holds a lot of meaning for both, as the two initially met when Alena decided to take dance classes – and John ended up being her teacher. John continues, “When the little steps become automatic, second nature, you can focus on the big ones. Direct Payment is the perfect dance partner in that regard. We don’t have to remember the small things like due dates for streaming services, so we can spend more energy on the things that really matter – like family, and our future.”

Rico is an avid bicycle racer, a voracious bookworm, and a retired business owner. He understood the value of Direct Deposit because it made his work as an insurance agency owner much easier. “It was maybe 20 years ago when Direct Deposit really took off [for my business],” he says. “It was game-changing. We used to physically meet clients, draw up the check, they’d have to make a deposit at a bank branch, and wait up to two weeks before they could see their funds. If we had to make adjustments, we’d have to meet them again, and the process would start over. Now, it’s like night and day—people get their money quickly, and our work is much easier.”

“That’s why I make sure I receive benefits like Social Security with Direct Deposit, and I pay as many things as possible with Direct Payment,” he continues. “I’m busier than ever even in retirement, so it’s nice having to not remember things like due dates.”

An enthusiastic reader and storyteller, Rico also appreciates how Direct Payment makes it easier to give to his favorite causes. “I think it’s so important that young people have the same access to the resources I had to be successful,” he says. “And that includes the importance of books and reading. So I try to donate to a lot of literacy-related causes, but because causes don’t have a due date, those donations slip my mind sometimes.

“But with Direct Payment, I can make sure I continue to do good in the world without interruptions,” he continues. “It’s so convenient to know I can pay all my bills and give to others without having to write checks or worry about mail. [Direct Payment] is the best thing going, quite frankly.”

Phylencia is a busy marketing professional with an extraordinarily busy lifestyle. Between 10-12 hour workdays as a busy executive and coordinating extracurricular activities with her teenage son Chance, she often finds herself short on time.

“This is why Direct Payment is important to me,” she says. “I simply don’t have the time or mental space to keep track of different bill due dates. I can just turn it on, live my best life, and not worry about when to pay something like our cell phone bills.”

She continues, “Making sure our cell service is always on is especially important because it’s the best way to keep in touch with my son.” She says she texts him 10-15 times a day, although upon hearing that, Chance scoffs and estimates it’s closer to 25.

“Oh please,” she says in response to her son. “It’s not like I’m nagging. I send him memes, funny pictures, just chats. I think my relationship with my son is a lot closer than the one I had with my parents, and cell contact is a big part of that. It’s also one less thing I have to worry about, knowing I can reach my son in emergencies – and honestly, Direct Payment makes that possible.”

Chuck is a retired accountant, happily married for 30 years and counting, who has used Direct Payment for nearly every bill whenever it became an option. “We’ve used it to pay our mortgage, student loans and car payments, health and auto insurance bills—it’s really been a blessing to just set it and forget it,” he says. “All our charitable donations are paid through Direct Payment, too.”

He continues, “I’m a bit old school, but I’m still trying to get rid of my checkbook completely, because it saves a lot of time and mental energy to not write checks, mail them out, write down the amount in a ledger and balance it up manually every month, you know? This is especially convenient with our charitable donations.”

Charity is an important part of Chuck’s life and philosophy. “Being a good person means giving when you can, whether it’s time or money,” he says. “My wife and I make a lot of donations to church-related causes, but I’m also really passionate about helping our country’s veterans, however I can. Without Direct Payment, I’d be worried about missing contributions. Bills have due dates, but donations don’t, so it really helps me helping others.”

Chuck is also an avid baseball fan, coaching a varsity team for a local private high school. “Success on the diamond requires a lot of planning and strategy, more so than other sports,” he says. “In similar ways, Direct Payment really helps me lay out a plan for my future, post-retirement. Knowing my obligations are being met automatically, I can keep my eye on the ball, focus on getting on base, without worrying about whether I’m paying my bills on time.”

Jenifer is a busy federal contractor, an aspiring model and actress and a proud single mother of a smart and precocious 12-year-old boy.

“He’s my heart and joy,” she says. “He’s a National Junior Honor Society student and he plays basketball on the Amateur Athletic Union team, so I’m really excited about his future. But he keeps me really busy, so things like Direct Payment really help keep everything straight.”

Jenifer relies on Direct Payment to stay on top of most of her bills, including the utilities. “Between juggling work and my son’s schedule, I’m so happy to have one less date to remember. How embarrassing would it be if our lights were cut out because I forgot to pay the power bill?” she says with a laugh. “With Direct Payment, I know that’ll never happen.”

Direct Payment also helps her budget, so she can continue following her own personal dreams. “I love to travel, and I want to go to Dubai, Egypt, Greece, Paris,” she says with a smile. “Direct Payment helps me budget, so I can save towards that every day.”

Annie is an opera performer, a voice-over artist and a music teacher who has lived in Baltimore for nearly two decades. Consequently, she didn’t see the need for having a car for quite a while. “I moved to Baltimore to attend the Peabody, and living in a major city, I found it’s easier to just take public transportation or walk, maybe a used beater for occasional trips,” she says. “After I got married, it became really clear that we needed two reliable vehicles for our jobs, carting groceries, appointments for our daughter—all the things that come with family life.” 

“My husband works in an office downtown, but my job both as a tutor and a performing artist takes me all over the place,” she says. “When I’m not thinking about my daughter—she just started kindergarten, which has been an experience, let me tell you—I’m always thinking about my next gig or my students, so I really value anything that frees up mental space.”

One of those things is Direct Payment, which Annie uses for her monthly car note. “We’ve been making payments for a little over five years now, and Direct Payment has made it really easy,” she says. “It’s made it very easy to budget knowing that a specific amount will be taken out at the same time, every time, helping us save for our next vacation, our daughter’s college fund—you know, all those things that are so much more important than remembering due dates.”

“Metaphorically, Direct Payment really provides space to breathe, which is something I appreciate as a professional vocalist,” she says. “Just like proper breathing is the foundation of healthy speaking and singing, Direct Payment can be the foundation for healthy personal finances.”

Lauren is a government lawyer and a mom of two rambunctious children, so time is at a premium for her. “I have a 9-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl, and they participate in so many activities. Between them and work, I don’t have a lot of down time—but I always make sure I can get a workout in, every day,” she says.

A former Division One rower at Boston University, Lauren takes health and fitness very seriously. “There was a time, right after college, where I was so career-focused that I just didn’t go the gym, and it was the least motivated and unhappiest I’ve ever been,” she says. “Since then, I’ve turned it into my foundation for the day, starting with a gym session every morning.”

Between her job responsibilities, family and side gig as a yoga teacher, Lauren is always busy—which is why she pays her bills with Direct Payment. “All those little bills can get lost in the mix, especially when you’re juggling so many responsibilities,” she says. “I can set it and forget it with Direct Payment—which is especially important with my gym membership, because I don’t think I could be my best self if I didn’t get that workout daily.”

“As a mother, lawyer and homeowner, paying bills on time is very important to me—both for practical reasons, like maintaining good credit, and also to keep my life in order, by making sure financial obligations are met while I can attend to more important things—like sneaking in a good cycling session whenever I can.”

Jalen is a certified nutrition coach, personal coach, and web developer with big dreams. “Dev pays the bills, but fitness is my passion. I get a real kick out of helping people be the best they can be physically,” he says. 

To that end, he devotes a lot of time and energy into transforming his side gig into a full-time career—and Direct Payment helps him with that. “Rent is important enough that I’d never forget about it, but it’s nice not having to write a check, or even log in somewhere to make a payment,” he says. “Direct Payment makes it easier to budget for my future—which includes home ownership, maybe even startup costs for my business.”

“Being financially independent, owning a home and building that equity, shares a lot of similarities with putting together a fitness strategy,” he says. “Start slow, establish a baseline, and work up from there—whether it’s cardio or finances. Feel the movement through your life and adjust accordingly. And in the same way I help my clients through that process, Direct Payment helps me with my financial plans in similar ways. It’s all about building towards goals.”

Alison lives in Pasadena, Maryland, works in Washington, D.C., and has a partner in Baltimore—so her E-ZPass gets a lot of use.

“I don’t think I could function if I didn’t have E-ZPass on Direct Payment,” she says. “Some bills are easy to remember, but does anyone really pay attention to tolls? I certainly don’t. Who has time for that?”

She continues, “I actually spend a lot of time in my car, beyond just the commute—going on hikes with my pups, traveling the East Coast, following my favorite jam band—which means that I couldn’t avoid toll roads if I tried.”

An adrenaline junkie, dreamer and avid traveler, Alison is constantly on the move. “I want to explore everything that’s out there,” she says. “There’s so much more to life than the day-to-day grind. I want to dance, laugh, experience all the things that life has to offer.

“And that’s why Direct Payment is so critical,” she says. “The less I have to think about bill due dates or how much I have on my E-ZPass account, the more time I can spend planning my next big adventure.”

Dorian is a part-time student, full-time apartment complex supervisor and a round-the-clock nerd of all things music and cinema. Whether he’s studying, acting as a concierge for residents or lending a hand on a film production, his days are crammed full—which is why he appreciates how Direct Payment provides one less thing to worry about.

“I’ve always got so much on my mind, I’d forget about paying off my student loans if they weren’t automatically paid with Direct Payment,” he says. “Direct Payment helps me stay on track, so I don’t miss a payment and screw up my credit score.”

A lifelong Baltimore native, he has dreams of moving to Atlanta to join the city’s booming film industry. He says, “Having student loans on Direct Payment helps me budget every month, so I can save bit by bit to make it happen.”