cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Which Cards Offer Check By Mail Payments

tag
solxp
Contributor

Re: Which Cards Offer Check By Mail Payments


@jake619 wrote:

That was vague.  I'm looking for any cards that allow you to pay bills by check that also generate rewards but don't count as cash advances.  For example, one of our car loans only accepts checks by mail or ACH from checking accounts.  I'd like to have a card that will cut a check payable to them so I can realize some rewards on the payments.  For that matter, how about mortgage or rent payments?  Does it even exist?


One option I have used before is Bluebird. Bluebird is a free fee free in certain situation pre-paid card that Amex and Walmart started offering around Oct of last year. With Bluebird you can set up bill pay and they will cut checks or do electronic transfers for free. There is no monthly fee or min required. As far as reward go there are none for bluebird however there is a way to you can use it as a middle man to receive rewards. This come with a cost so you have to look at the entire picture before deciding whether it works for you or not.

 

How it works is you choose your best rewards card then purchase a vanilla reload card at walgreens or office depot then pay for it with your rewards card Credit Card. Keep in mind there is a 3.95 fee charged per transaction so smaller transaction would not be worth it. In the specific example you stated however it would be worth it in the long run. 

 

Here is how it would work. Sign up online for a bluebird account or simply go into a walmart and pickup starter kit(5.00 fee in store Free online). Once you have received your permanent card (you can not reload money on to the store temp card so really no reason to not just get it online). Next setup the accounts you want to pay its very simple and most large companies will pop up during the process indicating you can do ACH transfers if they do not just enter in all the info and Bluebird will mail them a check for free.  

 

Funding: To fund the bluebird account go to office depot or walgreen or anyplace that sells vanilla reload cards and buy them with your rewards card. do not waste money on purchases below 400 I will explain that more later. You will be charged a 3.95 fee for the transaction. I think the limit per card is 500.00 but not positive the most I ever bought at one time was 3 cards for 1500.00. Then go to the vanilla reload site and add the money to your Bluebird card it will show up instantly. Then go to bluebird and send out the money to whoever you want.

 

Why its not worth it to buy reloads under 400 at 1% rewards the 3.95 fee wiped out any gain 2% will not see any benefit for under 200.00 

 

Is it worth it: What its worth to some maybe not be worthwhile for others. Lets take your car payment. Its 6##.00 a month, For a 1% cash reward card using the table below you would net about $13.00 a year which may or may not be worth it to you. For a 2% card you would net around 89.00 dollars a year.  

 

 

 

Month# reloadsAmount PaymentsBalance
Jan2$1,000.00$635.00$365.00
Feb1$500.00$635.00$230.00
Mar1$500.00$635.00$95.00
Apr2$1,000.00$635.00$460.00
May1$500.00$635.00$325.00
Jun1$500.00$635.00$190.00
Jul1$500.00$635.00$55.00
Aug2$1,000.00$635.00$420.00
Sep1$500.00$635.00$285.00
Oct1$500.00$635.00$150.00
Nov1$500.00$635.00$15.00
Dec2$620.00$635.00$0.00
     
 16$7,620.00$7,620.00 
 Reload Fee 1% card2% card 
 $63.20 $76.20

 $152.40

 subtract fee to get total net
Message 11 of 29
solxp
Contributor

Re: Which Cards Offer Check By Mail Payments


@boomersooner02000 wrote:

Sign up for a Amex Bluebird. Then find yourself a CVS or Office Depot that will let you purchase $500 Vanilla reloads with a miles or cash back credit card(make sure you're not charged a cash advance fee). Then load those onto your bluebird and use the bill pay feature of bluebird to pay your car etc...


I took to long to type my reply and Boomersooner beat me to the punch

Message 12 of 29
ztnjpv
Established Contributor

Re: Which Cards Offer Check By Mail Payments

I don't know of any bank loans of any kind that take CCs for installments without a fee. If you know of any, please let me know, I'll move my mortgage, car and personal loans there.

Start (Sept 2011): low-mid 600s. NOW: TU FICO: 801, EQ FICO 808, EX FICO 798 (PSECU). Goal: Achieved! Now Maintain!
Message 13 of 29
ztnjpv
Established Contributor

Re: Which Cards Offer Check By Mail Payments

Light Bulb:

 

If you don't already use Amazon payments for anything, you can transfer $1000 per month with no fees to someone. Google it and read about it. Send money with your card every month to someone you can trust...family member, spouse and then have them give you the money back.

Start (Sept 2011): low-mid 600s. NOW: TU FICO: 801, EQ FICO 808, EX FICO 798 (PSECU). Goal: Achieved! Now Maintain!
Message 14 of 29
creditballer
Regular Contributor

Re: Which Cards Offer Check By Mail Payments

Citi Forward just sent some with my new card

Last App Oct 2013...applied and received Amex PRG and Blue Sky!
FICO -Walmart = 779
Credit Karma = 781
EX-766, EQ 772, TU-759
Goal: 800
Message 15 of 29
jake619
Frequent Contributor

Re: Which Cards Offer Check By Mail Payments


@solairedp wrote:

@jake619 wrote:

That was vague.  I'm looking for any cards that allow you to pay bills by check that also generate rewards but don't count as cash advances.  For example, one of our car loans only accepts checks by mail or ACH from checking accounts.  I'd like to have a card that will cut a check payable to them so I can realize some rewards on the payments.  For that matter, how about mortgage or rent payments?  Does it even exist?


One option I have used before is Bluebird. Bluebird is a free fee free in certain situation pre-paid card that Amex and Walmart started offering around Oct of last year. With Bluebird you can set up bill pay and they will cut checks or do electronic transfers for free. There is no monthly fee or min required. As far as reward go there are none for bluebird however there is a way to you can use it as a middle man to receive rewards. This come with a cost so you have to look at the entire picture before deciding whether it works for you or not.

 

How it works is you choose your best rewards card then purchase a vanilla reload card at walgreens or office depot then pay for it with your rewards card Credit Card. Keep in mind there is a 3.95 fee charged per transaction so smaller transaction would not be worth it. In the specific example you stated however it would be worth it in the long run. 

 

Here is how it would work. Sign up online for a bluebird account or simply go into a walmart and pickup starter kit(5.00 fee in store Free online). Once you have received your permanent card (you can not reload money on to the store temp card so really no reason to not just get it online). Next setup the accounts you want to pay its very simple and most large companies will pop up during the process indicating you can do ACH transfers if they do not just enter in all the info and Bluebird will mail them a check for free.  

 

Funding: To fund the bluebird account go to office depot or walgreen or anyplace that sells vanilla reload cards and buy them with your rewards card. do not waste money on purchases below 400 I will explain that more later. You will be charged a 3.95 fee for the transaction. I think the limit per card is 500.00 but not positive the most I ever bought at one time was 3 cards for 1500.00. Then go to the vanilla reload site and add the money to your Bluebird card it will show up instantly. Then go to bluebird and send out the money to whoever you want.

 

Why its not worth it to buy reloads under 400 at 1% rewards the 3.95 fee wiped out any gain 2% will not see any benefit for under 200.00 

 

Is it worth it: What its worth to some maybe not be worthwhile for others. Lets take your car payment. Its 6##.00 a month, For a 1% cash reward card using the table below you would net about $13.00 a year which may or may not be worth it to you. For a 2% card you would net around 89.00 dollars a year.  

 

 

 

Month# reloadsAmount PaymentsBalance
Jan2$1,000.00$635.00$365.00
Feb1$500.00$635.00$230.00
Mar1$500.00$635.00$95.00
Apr2$1,000.00$635.00$460.00
May1$500.00$635.00$325.00
Jun1$500.00$635.00$190.00
Jul1$500.00$635.00$55.00
Aug2$1,000.00$635.00$420.00
Sep1$500.00$635.00$285.00
Oct1$500.00$635.00$150.00
Nov1$500.00$635.00$15.00
Dec2$620.00$635.00$0.00
     
 16$7,620.00$7,620.00 
 Reload Fee 1% card2% card 
 $63.20 $76.20

 $152.40

 subtract fee to get total net

Now that's a solution.  Wow.  Thanks for the lesson.  Very informative.  Maybe I should have got BCP instead of BCESmiley Surprised  You think using AMEX to buy the reloads and then depositing the money into BlueBird would be suspicious?  Maybe use another card?  CASH+ may be viable in the rewards arena.

Message 16 of 29
solxp
Contributor

Re: Which Cards Offer Check By Mail Payments


@jake619 wrote:

 

Now that's a solution.  Wow.  Thanks for the lesson.  Very informative.  Maybe I should have got BCP instead of BCESmiley Surprised  You think using AMEX to buy the reloads and then depositing the money into BlueBird would be suspicious?  Maybe use another card?  CASH+ may be viable in the rewards arena.


I rotated between a cash rewards card and my discover escape at current spending will be about  5k on each this  year run thru them just from bluebird reloads. As I said in my first post I  never ever pay either of those two credit card bills with Bluebird only places that do not take CC payments directly. I think that gives me pretty solid ground which i can document and show I am simply using my credit cards to pay bills that do not offer CC payment options because they do not want to pay

interchange fees.

 

I looked into amazon payments before choosing the Bluebird route  personally I felt that was risky and a grey area that while it may not be breaking the letter of the law it definetely cross the spirit of the law but again that is just my personal feeling and I am not a lawyer.  I do know that  there are many sites that allow you to pay them by credit card and for a surcharge they will cut a check and mail it to whoever you want this just cuts the middle man out and saves me money. 

 

In the 3 1/2 months since i have been doing this I recieved an auto cli on one of the cards last week so they dont seem to mind.

 

 

Message 17 of 29
stone
Regular Contributor

Re: Which Cards Offer Check By Mail Payments


@solairedp wrote:

@jake619 wrote:

That was vague.  I'm looking for any cards that allow you to pay bills by check that also generate rewards but don't count as cash advances.  For example, one of our car loans only accepts checks by mail or ACH from checking accounts.  I'd like to have a card that will cut a check payable to them so I can realize some rewards on the payments.  For that matter, how about mortgage or rent payments?  Does it even exist?


One option I have used before is Bluebird. Bluebird is a free fee free in certain situation pre-paid card that Amex and Walmart started offering around Oct of last year. With Bluebird you can set up bill pay and they will cut checks or do electronic transfers for free. There is no monthly fee or min required. As far as reward go there are none for bluebird however there is a way to you can use it as a middle man to receive rewards. This come with a cost so you have to look at the entire picture before deciding whether it works for you or not.

 

How it works is you choose your best rewards card then purchase a vanilla reload card at walgreens or office depot then pay for it with your rewards card Credit Card. Keep in mind there is a 3.95 fee charged per transaction so smaller transaction would not be worth it. In the specific example you stated however it would be worth it in the long run. 

 

Here is how it would work. Sign up online for a bluebird account or simply go into a walmart and pickup starter kit(5.00 fee in store Free online). Once you have received your permanent card (you can not reload money on to the store temp card so really no reason to not just get it online). Next setup the accounts you want to pay its very simple and most large companies will pop up during the process indicating you can do ACH transfers if they do not just enter in all the info and Bluebird will mail them a check for free.  

 

Funding: To fund the bluebird account go to office depot or walgreen or anyplace that sells vanilla reload cards and buy them with your rewards card. do not waste money on purchases below 400 I will explain that more later. You will be charged a 3.95 fee for the transaction. I think the limit per card is 500.00 but not positive the most I ever bought at one time was 3 cards for 1500.00. Then go to the vanilla reload site and add the money to your Bluebird card it will show up instantly. Then go to bluebird and send out the money to whoever you want.

 

Why its not worth it to buy reloads under 400 at 1% rewards the 3.95 fee wiped out any gain 2% will not see any benefit for under 200.00 

 

Is it worth it: What its worth to some maybe not be worthwhile for others. Lets take your car payment. Its 6##.00 a month, For a 1% cash reward card using the table below you would net about $13.00 a year which may or may not be worth it to you. For a 2% card you would net around 89.00 dollars a year.  

 

 

 

Month# reloadsAmount PaymentsBalance
Jan2$1,000.00$635.00$365.00
Feb1$500.00$635.00$230.00
Mar1$500.00$635.00$95.00
Apr2$1,000.00$635.00$460.00
May1$500.00$635.00$325.00
Jun1$500.00$635.00$190.00
Jul1$500.00$635.00$55.00
Aug2$1,000.00$635.00$420.00
Sep1$500.00$635.00$285.00
Oct1$500.00$635.00$150.00
Nov1$500.00$635.00$15.00
Dec2$620.00$635.00$0.00
     
 16$7,620.00$7,620.00 
 Reload Fee 1% card2% card 
 $63.20 $76.20

 $152.40

 subtract fee to get total net

THANKS for the input, this is really a good idea to earn reward. But amex do not let sign up a bluebird since i got a serve account.

Message 18 of 29
ztnjpv
Established Contributor

Re: Which Cards Offer Check By Mail Payments

Very interesting info on BlueBird. I had no idea. I never really paid much attention to prepaid cards. Just signed up and waiting for the goods to come in the mail.

 

Question:

 

After doing some reading, I see this is all well covered material with points/miles enthusiasts on the web. BUT, I did see Office Depot starting to crack down on this back in November. Any current experiences? Also, does it HAVE to be Vanilla loadable cards? Any other options?

Start (Sept 2011): low-mid 600s. NOW: TU FICO: 801, EQ FICO 808, EX FICO 798 (PSECU). Goal: Achieved! Now Maintain!
Message 19 of 29
bribro
Valued Contributor

Re: Which Cards Offer Check By Mail Payments


@ztnjpv wrote:

Very interesting info on BlueBird. I had no idea. I never really paid much attention to prepaid cards. Just signed up and waiting for the goods to come in the mail.

 

Question:

 

After doing some reading, I see this is all well covered material with points/miles enthusiasts on the web. BUT, I did see Office Depot starting to crack down on this back in November. Any current experiences? Also, does it HAVE to be Vanilla loadable cards? Any other options?


This BB + VR strategy has been around for several months. The golden era was when Office Depot accepted credit cards to pay for VR cards. You'd use a Chase Ink card to get 5x on office supply stores (like OD). After netting out the $3.95 loading fee you still get 4.44x in UR points. What made it so amazing was the BB bill pay feature, which allowed you to get 4.44x on your car payments, mortgage payments, etc.

 

Office Depot pulled VR cards off their shelves around November of last year, but not before I loaded my BB account with $50k+. Smiley Happy It still makes sense to use this strategy in order to hit minimum spend amounts, and if you can find a CVS that carries VR cards and allows you to purchase them with credit cards, you can still use your Freedom and Dividend cards to get the 5x in drug stores this quarter, which I maxed out just last week. However, finding such a CVS is difficult.

TU FICO: 800 (2/1/14) | CK Score: 802 (2/1/14) | CS Score: 805 (2/1/14)

J.P. Morgan Palladium ($250k) | AmEx Platinum (NPSL) | AmEx SPG Personal/Business ($50k/$50k) | Citi Executive AAdvantage WEMC ($50k) | Citi Dividend WEMC ($50k) | Chase Sapphire Preferred VS ($50k) | Chase Ink Bold WEMC ($50k Flex) | Chase Ink Plus WEMC ($25k) | Chase Freedom VS ($25k) | Chase Freedom WMC ($25k) | Chase MileagePlus Explorer ($25k) | Chase Southwest RR Plus Business/Personal ($15k/$15k) | Barclays US Airways ($25k) | Barclays Hawaiian Airlines ($25k) | BofA Alaska Airlines ($10k) | Lexus Financial Services ($30k) | Mercedes-Benz Financial Services ($50k)
Message 20 of 29
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.