topic Re: Chargesmart.com in Credit Cards

Chargesmart.com

jenn_bar — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:29:43 GMT

Anyone use this site and have any input on it?

With my new extended credit levels, I would like to put most (if not all) my monthly bills that don't immediately allow CC on my CC. Most likely rent, electric, etc.

Just wanted to hear what you all have to say about this site, the fees, etc.

Re: Chargesmart.com

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:39:52 GMT

@jenn_bar wrote:
Anyone use this site and have any input on it?

With my new extended credit levels, I would like to put most (if not all) my monthly bills that don't immediately allow CC on my CC. Most likely rent, electric, etc.

Just wanted to hear what you all have to say about this site, the fees, etc.

A few people have used it and the reviews seems pretty positive.

From what I've read, Chase and Citi posts it as a normal payment without any cash advance fees. Certain lenders might, so do read your T&C, or you can try it out with a test charge.

The fees makes the whole thing not worthwhile, if rewards is what you're trying to go for. I would recommend you use it only for situations where you either cannot afford to pay your mortage, or if you just need help reaching the minimum spend for sign-up bonus.

Re: Chargesmart.com

Open123 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:46:29 GMT

Unless you're using them to pay rent/mortgage, there are better options.

I use a service called Serve from Amex for smaller bills such as utilities, montly insurance payments and the sort which has "service" fees. There's a bill pay option where you can fund with your CC at no cost that also accrue rewards. Then, use their "pay bills" feature to enter vendor information just as you would for any bill pay in a bank account.

If your bills are high, you can opt for Bluebird from Amex. Not as convenient, but can accomodate unusually high montly bills with no service charge.

PS - https://www.serve.com/ - take a look, this is my preferred option for small utility bills.

Re: Chargesmart.com

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:13:12 GMT

This is interesting, I attempted to go the BlueBird route but have had trouble finding VR cards so I kind of gave up. I'm not trying to manufacture spend, just accrue rewards for my car note. I looked into this Serve and noticed in the fine print that cash advance fees may occur depending on your card. Do you know which cards you use to up your account and whether or not it costs any cash advance fee? I figure someone on this forum must know, don't want to go through the tedious task of testing out each card.

Re: Chargesmart.com

Open123 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:22:32 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
This is interesting, I attempted to go the BlueBird route but have had trouble finding VR cards so I kind of gave up. I'm not trying to manufacture spend, just accrue rewards for my car note. I looked into this Serve and noticed in the fine print that cash advance fees may occur depending on your card. Do you know which cards you use to up your account and whether or not it costs any cash advance fee? I figure someone on this forum must know, don't want to go through the tedious task of testing out each card.

Me too, I chose Serve because it allowed me to (1) load directly with CC from my phone or PC; (2) free bill pay function. The CCs I've used all counts as purchases with no cash advance fees.

I've used Citi, Chase, US Bank, Discover and Barclay. Amex has no cash advance fee, but you won't get rewards.

Re: Chargesmart.com

RSCo — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:23:45 GMT

Does anyone know whether you can use Serve to pay your rent TO PRIVATE PARTIES (aka not a known full service rental company). Or, send money another person using money loaded on the card? Thanks

Re: Chargesmart.com

Open123 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:15:51 GMT

@RSCo wrote:
Does anyone know whether you can use Serve to pay your rent TO PRIVATE PARTIES (aka not a known full service rental company). Or, send money another person using money loaded on the card? Thanks

You could, but the problem is the funding limitation.

For CCs, the maxium is $250 per month; for debit cards, the maximum is $1,000 per month. Unlike Bluebird, the limits are much less for Serve, unless you're willing to fund by DDA.

Re: Chargesmart.com

oracles — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:32:15 GMT

@Open123 wrote:
@RSCo wrote:
Does anyone know whether you can use Serve to pay your rent TO PRIVATE PARTIES (aka not a known full service rental company). Or, send money another person using money loaded on the card? Thanks
You could, but the problem is the funding limitation.

For CCs, the maxium is $250 per month; for debit cards, the maximum is $1,000 per month. Unlike Bluebird, the limits are much less for Serve, unless you're willing to fund by DDA.

However with the bluebird account, you can't load directly from a CC which is unfortunate.

However you can reload the bluebird account via reload cards and vs/mc gift cards with pin

Hope this helps

Re: Chargesmart.com

Open123 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:36:05 GMT

@oracles wrote:
However with the bluebird account, you can't load directly from a CC which is unfortunate.

However you can reload the bluebird account via reload cards and vs/mc gift cards with pin

Hope this helps

Right, and with Serve, you can't load prepaid vs/mc GCs with the pin feature. And, you can't have both Serve and Bluebird.

Re: Chargesmart.com

jenn_bar — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:45:47 GMT

My point of this is to avoid service fees. (I don't know if this is possible, but I hope so!)

For example, my rental company just started charging $20 if I want to pay with CC. I was trying to see if there was a third party to take care of this. Does not seem like so!

PS This is purely to rack up points, I will pay them off that week.

Re: Chargesmart.com

Open123 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:18:45 GMT

@jenn_bar wrote:
My point of this is to avoid service fees. (I don't know if this is possible, but I hope so!)

Me too!

I don't like service fees and make every effort to avoid them whenever possible. For rent, it's much harder, unless you're willing to use Bluebird and go through some inconvenience.

Is there a Walmart in close proximity to you?

Re: Chargesmart.com

jenn_bar — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:22:02 GMT

@Open123 wrote:
@jenn_bar wrote:
My point of this is to avoid service fees. (I don't know if this is possible, but I hope so!)
Me too!

I don't like service fees and make every effort to avoid them whenever possible. For rent, it's much harder, unless you're willing to use Bluebird and go through some inconvenience.

Is there a Walmart in close proximity to you?

yes!!!

Re: Chargesmart.com

Open123 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:44:33 GMT

@jenn_bar wrote:
@Open123 wrote:
@jenn_bar wrote:
My point of this is to avoid service fees. (I don't know if this is possible, but I hope so!)
Me too!

I don't like service fees and make every effort to avoid them whenever possible. For rent, it's much harder, unless you're willing to use Bluebird and go through some inconvenience.

Is there a Walmart in close proximity to you?
yes!!!

In that case, you can use Bluebird to pay your rent free and whatever bills free of charge. You'd have to physically to to a Walmart to load your account, but if it's convenient, it should be an issue.

There are countless creative and legal ways to load a Bluebird with a CC at a physical Walmart. This is what I would do for my bills if a Walmart were close to me.

Re: Chargesmart.com

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:46:16 GMT

@jenn_bar wrote:
@Open123 wrote:
@jenn_bar wrote:
My point of this is to avoid service fees. (I don't know if this is possible, but I hope so!)
Me too!

I don't like service fees and make every effort to avoid them whenever possible. For rent, it's much harder, unless you're willing to use Bluebird and go through some inconvenience.

Is there a Walmart in close proximity to you?
yes!!!

Not quite sure what Open123 has mind as usually there will still be small fees, but there are some exceptions.

Basically, you need to by Visa/MC Gift Cards (usually there is a fee of $4.95 for $500, but through Chase for example you can sometimes get them with no fee.)

Then you can load them onto your Bluebird at no charge at Walmart (you can do it on line, but there is a very small limit and a $2 fee). Then bluebird can be used to pay your rent.

Re: Chargesmart.com

Open123 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:48:51 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Not quite sure what Open123 has mind as usually there will still be small fees, but there are some exceptions.

Basically, you need to by Visa/MC Gift Cards (usually there is a fee of $4.95 for $500, but through Chase for example you can sometimes get them with no fee.)
Then you can load them onto your Bluebird at no charge at Walmart (you can do it on line, but there is a very small limit and a $2 fee). Then bluebird can be used to pay your rent.

Yeah, prepaid debits with a pin#; or, even...er...VRs. Buy them at supermarkets with your BCP for the 6%.

Don't want to advocate this or anything, but is the 5X Citi drugstore card still around?

Re: Chargesmart.com

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:51:10 GMT

Open123, the 5X offer is still around. It is for the thank you card, instead of the thank you preferred, and the application has to be done in a branch. Longtimelurker posted a thread about this before

Re: Chargesmart.com

jenn_bar — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:52:56 GMT

Ah my rent is 1340 so those fees would basically add up to the $20 that they want to charge me period! Guess I'm out of luck. I'll have to check out chase but I hope that means I could use my cc to purchase and not debit.

I can't use any kind of plastic for rent unless I want to incur the fee. So it would have to be a physical check or money order.

Re: Chargesmart.com

Open123 — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:54:01 GMT

@jenn_bar wrote:
Ah my rent is 1340 so those fees would basically add up to the $20 that they want to charge me period! Guess I'm out of luck. I'll have to check out chase but I hope that means I could use my cc to purchase and not debit.

Not if you could buy $500 GCs at 5% return.

Re: Chargesmart.com

jenn_bar — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:55:50 GMT

@Open123 wrote:
@jenn_bar wrote:
Ah my rent is 1340 so those fees would basically add up to the $20 that they want to charge me period! Guess I'm out of luck. I'll have to check out chase but I hope that means I could use my cc to purchase and not debit.
Not if you could buy $500 GCs at 5% return.

Very true, but I need to get it as a check....

Can you get a money order with a gift card since it's considered cash?

Re: Chargesmart.com

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:56:55 GMT

@jenn_bar wrote:
Ah my rent is 1340 so those fees would basically add up to the $20 that they want to charge me period! Guess I'm out of luck. I'll have to check out chase but I hope that means I could use my cc to purchase and not debit.

I can't use any kind of plastic for rent unless I want to incur the fee. So it would have to be a physical check or money order.

Chase had/has an offer where you can buy the cards at cost, charged as purchase, not cash advance. As open123 suggests, with the right cards the fee doesn't matter, if you buy a $500 card at a supermarket with a BCP, you pay $4.95 but get $30 back.