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Best Way to Pay rent with a Credit Card

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TheSpeculator
Regular Contributor

Re: Best Way to Pay rent with a Credit Card

Purchase OneVanilla at gas station. Some cards offer 5% (i.e. Freedom). Use that prepaid card at a walmart to purchase a money order. Only costs 70ish cents. Money order goes to rent, rewards go to you.
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Freedom, Sapphire, Slate - HHonors, PRG, BCE - Cap1 Platinum - Discover IT - Tiffany & Co - Jared - Best Buy Citi -
Message 21 of 45
vayub4
Regular Contributor

Re: Best Way to Pay rent with a Credit Card

I am not sure you can purchase a money order with one Vanilla card... Haven't tried before but if this is possible this would be the perfect solution. My apartment takes money orders and I can purchase one vanilla from Kroger... A $500 onevanilla card gives me $1 discount on each gallon of gas on one full tank at Kroger! After that I'd still get my rewards on my credit card. This is a win win for me if it works out!!! And they said credit cards are evil, I laugh at them!
Discover IT $25,500 Chase Freedom $14,500 CapOne QuickSilver $10,000 Walmart Mastercard $10,000 PayPal Xtras Mastercard $10,000 JCP $7,500 BOA Cash Rewards $6,900 OldNavy Visa $5,000 BarclayCard $3,700 Macys $3,500 HH Gregg $3,500 BestBuy $2,000 Last APP June/2016(useless rental apartment)Inquiries: Trans/7 Exp/16 Eqi/27
(1 Car Loan @2.74%)
Message 22 of 45
Jerryf08
New Contributor

Re: Best Way to Pay rent with a Credit Card

I just paid my rent using my CSP before logging on here ha. Fortunately for me my apartment only has a $15 convenience fee per credit card transaction. Because of this what I did was that I paid for my last four months of my lease with the CSP at about $4500 and only paid the $15 convenience fee once. So I'll get 4500 UR points, and I also completed the initial spending needed for the 40,000 UR Bonus. May not be the best route for all though.

Chase Freedom: $5000, CSP: $12800 Chase Hyatt: $5000, Amazon Visa: $500, Amex BCE: $23200, Discover IT: $3600, Walmart Disc: $7500, BOA Cash $5000, Best Buy: $3500
Message 23 of 45
B335is
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Best Way to Pay rent with a Credit Card


@Stralem wrote:

Just reading about how you guys game the system is both inspiring and exhausting.

 

I'm quite the lazy SOB, so I just plunk down cash for rent. No muss, no fuss.

 

But of course, no rewards either.

 

I think I'll live. Smiley Happy


Oh this is mild compared to some people.  I don't think going to CVS is exhausting, it's basically on my way anywhere around where I live and I have an actual reason to pick something up (besides VR).  I'm fortunate, I can pay rent for a $10 fee online with Visa or MC.

 

Message 24 of 45
yudeology101
Senior Contributor

Re: Best Way to Pay rent with a Credit Card


@B335is wrote:

@Stralem wrote:

Just reading about how you guys game the system is both inspiring and exhausting.

 

I'm quite the lazy SOB, so I just plunk down cash for rent. No muss, no fuss.

 

But of course, no rewards either.

 

I think I'll live. Smiley Happy


Oh this is mild compared to some people.  I don't think going to CVS is exhausting, it's basically on my way anywhere around where I live and I have an actual reason to pick something up (besides VR).  I'm fortunate, I can pay rent for a $10 fee online with Visa or MC.

 


Nice~ My place charges $56 fee if i want to charge it w/ my CC. 

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Message 25 of 45
enharu
Super Contributor

Re: Best Way to Pay rent with a Credit Card


@Jlu wrote:

The cheapest way I've found to turn credit into cash is as follows:

 

1. Go to squareup.com and get a free credit card reader that plugs into the mic jack on your phone.

2. Link your bank account to the Square account.

3. Charge your card rent + 2.75% (Square's flat rate merchant fee).

4. Collect 1 to 2% cash back from CC.

5. You now have rent money, no cash advance fees and no extra interest since CC thinks it's a point of sale purchase.

 

Not something you should get in the habit of doing but I'll admit to doing it once or twice when cash flow was especially tight.


Wouldn't recommend trying this with Square or Paypal. They may freeze your account and hold onto the money for quite a while. Secondly, your credit card company may close all your accounts, and potentially blacklisting you, if they ever detect this. This is a workaround for a cash advance, and credit card companies do not like this at all. To be fair most credit card companies don't even like it when customers take a cash advance.

 

If you need those funds to pay your bills and can't have them frozen indefinitely, then don't do it. Just stick to bluebird / vanilla reloads. They are generally much 'safer' compared to square.

 

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Message 26 of 45
longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

Re: Best Way to Pay rent with a Credit Card


@vayub4 wrote:
I am not sure you can purchase a money order with one Vanilla card...

You can at many Walmarts (and elsewhere) as it is just a debit card with a pin.  In some areas, individual Walmarts (or individual cashiers) aren't allowing the use of gift cards as debit card for this, so not guaranteed.  You can try it with a small amount (or else get the $500 and use it for purchases if you can't buy the money order).

Message 27 of 45
vayub4
Regular Contributor

Re: Best Way to Pay rent with a Credit Card

Aside walmart, Any other place I can buy? Like cvs, walgreens or Kroger? I have a Walmart discover card but I hate their business methods. I would prefer doing business else where if I could.. 

 

Didn't Know Vanila cards come with pins. I thought you could only swipe them as credit cards at the register... I guess I need to try it!! I am not about to spend over 30k in rent for three years and not get some of that back in rewards!

Discover IT $25,500 Chase Freedom $14,500 CapOne QuickSilver $10,000 Walmart Mastercard $10,000 PayPal Xtras Mastercard $10,000 JCP $7,500 BOA Cash Rewards $6,900 OldNavy Visa $5,000 BarclayCard $3,700 Macys $3,500 HH Gregg $3,500 BestBuy $2,000 Last APP June/2016(useless rental apartment)Inquiries: Trans/7 Exp/16 Eqi/27
(1 Car Loan @2.74%)
Message 28 of 45
longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

Re: Best Way to Pay rent with a Credit Card


@vayub4 wrote:

Aside walmart, Any other place I can buy? Like cvs, walgreens or Kroger? I have a Walmart discover card but I hate their business methods. I would prefer doing business else where if I could.. 

 

Didn't Know Vanila cards come with pins. I thought you could only swipe them as credit cards at the register... I guess I need to try it!! I am not about to spend over 30k in rent for three years and not get some of that back in rewards!


Check the card you buy, most Vanilla you just set the pin on first use, some cards you set on line or call.

 

Re where else:  just have to try.   A lot of stores, like my local Stop & Shop, are cash only for money orders.  I think people have had success at Kroger.   Haven't tried CVS or Walgreens.

Message 29 of 45
TRC2k13
Regular Contributor

Re: Best Way to Pay rent with a Credit Card

Interesting idea...

 

My BECU card is my first rewards card.  I could pay my $1800 rent with it and then PIF whenever since they are also my local CU... will have to check with the property and see what the fees are.  I pay through my checking account and when I choose the credit card option it says to call for the fee.... that can't be good.  LOL

 

Honestly though... why bother.  I mean, if I want to accumulate the 876,000 points necessary to get a nice 75" 1080p HDTV I would have to pay my rent online every month...

 

... for the next 41 years.

 

 

 

 

Message 30 of 45
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