@fastalkintn wrote:
The dw and I are starting to do the points thing for a trip later in 2018. She was just approved for an American airline card through Barclay and I did capital one Venture, both choices for the sub. My question is with these cards do you earn points for everything or just retail purchase? Will paying all my bills such as mortgage, utilities, cell phone etc earn points? I’m sorry if this has been asked a million times, I tried searching but couldn’t find any good answers.
If the "merchant" takes a credit card, then it will earn points, the exception being, in some cases, if it is seen as a substitute for a cash advance, in which case you won't get points and will get charged an extra fee and interest. But this is for cases where you (should) know you are doing something a little different.
Of your three listed examples, cell phone is the easiest, most carriers will accept credit card payment with no extra fees, and some cards give extra points on these things.
Utilities vary, most will also accept credit cards but might charge an extra fee, either flat or %. In most cases the % is higher than the reward, so no point. If you are lucky enough to have a flat or no fee, you can certainly come out ahead, including by prepaying a few months for one flat fee.
Mortgages are the hardest. Generally, you won't find a company that will take credit card payment and workarounds, like Plastiq, are also now not allowing payments to mortgage companies.
But in general bills are like purchases, it doesn't matter whether you pay in the store or from home! Just look out for recurring bills where they may be an extra charge for using credit, just as there can be now in certain states at a store.
