Patent ID: 8533114

Claim:
A computerized method for enhancing payment flexibility implementing a computer processor accessing at least one storage medium, the method comprising: receiving information through a payment information interface upon receipt of a customer payment, the information pertaining to a customer payment amount, a customer payment date, and a corresponding due date; storing instructions and customer identity information in a computer storage medium; implementing at least one computer processor accessing the stored instructions and executing the instructions to perform steps including, enrolling a customer having a bank card in a flexible payment program for paying bills incurred through ongoing use of the bank card, the flexible payment program allowing accumulation of flexible accrual units for enrolled customers by tracking customer payments and calculating flex accrual units adding flex accrual units upon receipt of a qualified customer payment in response to an outstanding bill, wherein the qualified customer payment is paid earlier than an actual due date of the outstanding bill; storing the flex accrual units in a customer record in the computer memory and publishing the flex accrual units, an actual due date, and a flex due date on a bill issued to the customer; and allowing the customer to utilize the flex accrual units by making at least one subsequent late payment after the actual due date in response to a subsequent bank card bill, wherein the number of flex accrual units required to avoid late payment is determined by the computer processor; calculating remaining flex accrual units after the late payment; and updating the customer record stored in memory in order to accurately reflect the remaining flex accrual units.