Congratulations! I'm sure you will enjoy having total control of the money.

Regarding your computer problem, I was intrigued so went to google, selected "GROUPS" (and not "WEB" though that might work too) and typed in "keeps dialing up on its own" (including quotes) and got a couple of interesting hits. HERE are my results. You should be able to do the same. Let me know if you can't or if what I'm saying here doesn't make sense and you are interested.

You didn't say what operating system and I know this forum is not the computer help forum but pardon me for passing on a bit of info. I wasn't able to "zero in" exactly but maybe you can with these little tidbits.

One main web page about this problem that seemed a good place to start (and was referred to in one of the posts in a google groups - microsoft.windowsxp.basics) was at:
Autodial problem .

From what you said, you have already tried some of these solutions but please read some of the posts in the group(s) and you will find several suggestions also which sounded like very good possibilities and which didn't sound like they would be toxic (from what I could tell though you never know). At the very least, you might feel better knowing you aren't alone with this problem (LOL!).

Good luck in the world of electronic finance management and getting your computer fixed...

--Alice

Here is a link that might be useful: Link posted in Windows troubleshooting google group

thanks, Alice! I'll take a look.

ain't this forum (and others, frankly) great? I have this theory, that you should talk about your problems, big and small to lots of other people, because they might be the person who knows something, thinks of something, et.c

The trikc, though, is not to be boring while you drone on and on.

Talley_Sue,

Go over to the Computer Help forum. They'll get it all figured out for you.

Congratulations, Talley Sue, you finally did it :)

I was just thinking this week how much easier online banking has made my life. I had essentially *zero* checks to write/address/stamp/mail this month...I did do one but that was a magazine subscription for my son.

What I've got set up now is: land phone, cell phone, (bottled) water, and all insurance (homeowners and auto)bills are autopaid monthly and charged to our credit card, which has a rewards plan. No charge for any of those. I pay that bill at the end of the month, online through the USAA website, which is not only my CC issuer but my insurance policy source. No charge.

My electric bill, my corporate charge card bill, my quarterly water bill and my 18-months-no-interest Best Buy bill are paid by online deduction from my bank checking account. Again, no charge for any of those.

I frequently check my credit card and bank accounts-online-to ensure nothing weird has happened. So far so good, and again no charge.

I *love* online banking/bill paying. It's truly changed my routine. No more evenings sitting over the desk writing checks, no more worries about late payments if something doesn't happen to get sent out on time. Just clickety-click, as my husband calls it, and the chore is done.

Ann

Thanks, Ann! Of course, I'm only halfway there; I need to set everything up on the site. But it'll happen this week!

I have a dial up connection and I don't have any problems paying bills online (2 different banks). Been doing it for years now. I have the latest 56K modem from US Robotics. Sure, it's slower than the connection here at work, but it's not tedious.

Tally Sue, regarding spyware and malware. It's possible that your scanners are not detecting it. I went to a friends house who's connection was really slow and it wasn't even dial-up. Turns out she had a ton of malware that came from visiting the wrong web sites. That may be your problem. Sorry I can't offer to help. I spend too much time trying to keep my own computer clean. Also, if your computer is trying to dial the internet all the time, it might just be for Windows updates. I have mine automatically connect and download in the middle of the night so I don't have to deal with the waiting. Good luck.

that's my fear, clg--but I don't have time to clear the thing out. DH is in charge of that, and he's kind of half-hearted about it.

I keep dreaming about buying a Mac--they don't usually get those things, do they? If I buy the right software, it'll run all my Windows programs in emulation!