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Paying tuition on AMEX for miles or points.

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MrShush
Valued Contributor

Re: Paying tuition on AMEX for miles or points.

Walt_K, the Blue has MR points too. It's the no-frills revolver that I got for the MR points. However, I was also thinking similarly about putting it on the Green rather than any other.

 

Stan_the_man, you've nailed the big ones and the one I attend is on that list Smiley Wink

 

Assuming my bill comes in around 1800, the convenience fee would run me $49.50 which isn't terrible bad, but certainly isn't cheap. I can include that in my education expenses when filing 2011 income taxes--at least I think I can.

Message 11 of 23
Walt_K
Senior Contributor

Re: Paying tuition on AMEX for miles or points.

It's not worth it.  Just put the $49.50 aside toward whatever you are planning to redeem your MR points for. For example, if you plan to use MR points for travel, create a savings account for travel and tuck the $49.50 away there.


Starting Score: ~500 (12/01/2008)
Current Score: EQ 681 (04/05/13); TU 98 728 (01/06/12), TU 08? 760 (provided by Barclay 1/2/14), TU 04 728 (lender pull 01/12/12); EX 742 (lender pull 01/12/12)
Goal Score: 720


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Message 12 of 23
MrShush
Valued Contributor

Re: Paying tuition on AMEX for miles or points.

Good point, but would it be safe to assume they'd roll that into the bill for the few extra points? If hate to write a check and get nothing in return, ya know?
Message 13 of 23
stan_the_man
Established Contributor

Re: Paying tuition on AMEX for miles or points.


@MrShush wrote:
Good point, but would it be safe to assume they'd roll that into the bill for the few extra points? If hate to write a check and get nothing in return, ya know?

Penn said I'd be a seperate charge. St. Joe's said it was charged by the vendor (didn't say if it was directly part of the bill thought). You'd have to ask the rest to find out how they deal with it.

Message 14 of 23
Walt_K
Senior Contributor

Re: Paying tuition on AMEX for miles or points.


@MrShush wrote:
Good point, but would it be safe to assume they'd roll that into the bill for the few extra points? If hate to write a check and get nothing in return, ya know?

Not sure what you mean.  Are you asking whether you will get an additional 49 points because of the fee?  Still not worth it.  Maybe if you are right near an award that you have an immediate need to take.  For example, I could see if you needed 1800 more points to book some travel, it might be worth it, but you're paying 2.7 cents per point.  Reading on the travel blogs, I see MR points valued at about 2.2 or 2.3 cents. While that's not gospel, it seems like you are overpaying.

 

This is how points cards get you in trouble.  Sometimes you just need to write the check.   


Starting Score: ~500 (12/01/2008)
Current Score: EQ 681 (04/05/13); TU 98 728 (01/06/12), TU 08? 760 (provided by Barclay 1/2/14), TU 04 728 (lender pull 01/12/12); EX 742 (lender pull 01/12/12)
Goal Score: 720


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Message 15 of 23
stan_the_man
Established Contributor

Re: Paying tuition on AMEX for miles or points.


@Walt_K wrote:

@MrShush wrote:
Good point, but would it be safe to assume they'd roll that into the bill for the few extra points? If hate to write a check and get nothing in return, ya know?

Not sure what you mean.  Are you asking whether you will get an additional 49 points because of the fee?  Still not worth it.  Maybe if you are right near an award that you have an immediate need to take.  For example, I could see if you needed 1800 more points to book some travel, it might be worth it, but you're paying 2.7 cents per point.  Reading on the travel blogs, I see MR points valued at about 2.2 or 2.3 cents. While that's not gospel, it seems like you are overpaying.

 

This is how points cards get you in trouble.  Sometimes you just need to write the check.   


I think OP is asking whether the fee would be part of the same charge so that he could deduct it as an education expense on his taxes. If you can, the points would come at a discounted cost.

 

In any case, I would never recommend paying more to receive points unless you could immediately use them and their effective value was higher than the cost of accuring them.

Message 16 of 23
llecs
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Paying tuition on AMEX for miles or points.

Our kids are in private school (4th grade, 1st, and Pre-K...just started today!) and I use Amex for their tuition bill. The fee is only $8.95 per CC transaction in our case and IMO is worth it. I can't remember when we last wrote a check to anyone.

Message 17 of 23
MrShush
Valued Contributor

Re: Paying tuition on AMEX for miles or points.

I just got my bill; $1988 for tuition and university fees and $54.67 for the service charge. The total charged to the card would be $2042.67, of course, immediately PIFed when it posted. So, to those following this thread, for 2042 MR points or Sky pesos, is it still not worth it?

Message 18 of 23
Walt_K
Senior Contributor

Re: Paying tuition on AMEX for miles or points.


@MrShush wrote:

I just got my bill; $1988 for tuition and university fees and $54.67 for the service charge. The total charged to the card would be $2042.67, of course, immediately PIFed when it posted. So, to those following this thread, for 2042 MR points or Sky pesos, is it still not worth it?


According to this blog post, with Delta's current promo, you can buy 100,000 miles for $1100.  I haven't researched how, but you could probably find out looking around travel blogs and/or Flyertalk.  In any event, buying directly from Delta, sounds like you can buy at 1.1 cent per mile.  You are going to pay 2.67 cents per point for these MR points.

 

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onemileatatime/2011/08/29/great-award-availability-to-iceland-on-delta...


Starting Score: ~500 (12/01/2008)
Current Score: EQ 681 (04/05/13); TU 98 728 (01/06/12), TU 08? 760 (provided by Barclay 1/2/14), TU 04 728 (lender pull 01/12/12); EX 742 (lender pull 01/12/12)
Goal Score: 720


Take the FICO Fitness Challenge
Message 19 of 23
dp321
Regular Contributor

Re: Paying tuition on AMEX for miles or points.

According to Plastic IQ's analysis, membership reward points are worth $0.0125 per point

http://www.plasticiq.com/blog/what-is-the-value-of-american-express-membership-rewards-points/

 

Skymiles are worth $0.0111 per mile

http://www.plasticiq.com/blog/value-of-delta-skymiles-points/

 

So most of the time you are forking over 2% in fees to get a bit better than 1% in rewards. The net lost is about 1%.

 

 


Starting Score: EQ: 703 (4/2011);
Current Score: EQ: 738 (04/2013)

Goal Score: ALL 800

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Message 20 of 23
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