I'm not a US Bank Cash+ cardholder but I hope to be some day. Have a question about the Bill Payment category.
I understand the bill categories are phone, internet, cable/satellite TV, utilities and insurance. But exactly how does one set up payment of these bills?
Is bill payment set up on the US Bank website or the utility's website?
Do the utilities charge a surcharge to pay bills by credit card? If yes, does the surcharge negate the benefit of using Cash+?
Any information to maximize the benefit of using Cash+ for Bill Payment is greatly appreciated.
All you have to do (after selecting Bill Pay as 5% cash back category during the quarter) is to pay the bill using credit card online.
You dont need ti set it up on the US Bank website or through the utility website.
Some utilities do charge a fee for paying it online, but most do not.
Starting Score: EQ=665,TU=618 on Oct 9,2010
I pay my applicable bills with this card.
Some things, like landlines and cell phones, you simply set up online if you have verizon or att or whatever. It's easy. If you are on autopay with a debit card visa/MC for these services, just switch the card. Easy. My cable/internet was done with a phone call to my cable company. I am on autopay with them. My insurance is also on autopay through geico. Again, online. All these have no fee.
My electric, gas and water utilities can be more tricky. Mine do not offer autopay through a credit card. So I call every month via the phone number on my bill to pay by credit card and just do it manually. There is a fee for all three of mine. The fees are $4.95 for electric and gas and 3.80 for water. The gas and electric have a max of $600 per transaction. These two are handled Bill Matrixx. It's their policy.The fee is $4.95 no matter how much you charge. So I always charge the max and carry a credit.
Start (Sept 2011): low-mid 600s. NOW: TU FICO: 801, EQ FICO 808, EX FICO 798 (PSECU). Goal: Achieved! Now Maintain!
Self Correction:
I previously wrote:
"My electric, gas and water utilities can be more tricky. Mine do not offer autopay through a credit card. So I call every month via the phone number on my bill to pay by credit card and just do it manually. There is a fee for all three of mine. The fees are $4.95 for electric and gas and 3.80 for water. The gas and electric have a max of $600 per transaction. These two are handled Bill Matrixx. It's their policy.The fee is $4.95 no matter how much you charge. So I always charge the max and carry a credit."
I just paid my gas bill (commercial) and it was $953.61 and I paid it in one transaction. I just assumed it was a $600 maximum because my electric supplier was too. Now that we're heading into winter, my gas bills are naturally higher and this is the first time I've had a bill this high (Normally in the 400s-500s) since I have had the cash+. Maybe $1000 is the max for my gas company. I don't know. I didn't test it. But anyways, I figured I would update my experience. Add in the $4.95 fee and my total charge was $958.56.. A nice $47.93 bonus to start my day. 