cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

It never hurts to ask

tag
orl22
New Contributor

It never hurts to ask

 

I normally make a couple payments a month on any card with a high balance and then pay it down to zero the last week before the due date. Last month, because I was on vacation the week payment was due, I ended up missing the due date. As a result they charged me $25 on interest charge. At first, I was just going to let it go and wasn't sure if there was anything that could be done. I decided to give them a call to see if they would throw me a bone and remove that interest charge. To my surprise, they were able to remove it. This was on my CSP that I opened April of this year and was the first time I was charged interest on this card.

 

Also last month, I paid late on my wife's Capital One card. She has a $750 limit. It was her builder card. She's been getting this no fee balance transfer offer. I normally make the transaction after her statement cuts. That way I can float and not have to pay them for 2 months. For some reason, I guess I did the transaction before the statement cut without realizing it. I thought I had 2 months to pay but in reality it was due the following month. I ended up being charge $15 late payment and $15 interest. I did the online chat and ask them if they could make an exception and remove those fees. After checking my wife's file they were able to remove those charges. 

 

So I saved $50 in charges last month just by asking. Just thought I'd share that experience in case people didn't know. 

Message 1 of 9
8 REPLIES 8
youngandcreditwrthy
Senior Contributor

Re: It never hurts to ask

Often times they will allow you one or two messups like this a year, but beware.... they will not allow it to occur again.. LOL

Marriott PR$25k | BCE $24.5K |BankAmericard Visa $25k| BOA Better Bal $17.5k |Wmt Discover $12.5k | BR Visa $17.5k | Amex Delta Gold $10k | Discover IT $10k | Paypal Extras MC $15k | Amazon Store $10k|Smile Gen $7.25k | Dillard's $10k | West Elm $4k| Express $3.05K | Mypoints.com Visa $4.5k | Freedom Visa $1k| Amex Surpass $1k
Message 2 of 9
LS2982
Mega Contributor

Re: It never hurts to ask

It's nice that they helped with fees but the lesson learned should be making sure you pay on time. Make reminders for yourself.



EQ FICO 548 3/3/16
Message 3 of 9
injustifiiable
Valued Contributor

Re: It never hurts to ask

Chase is usually very understanding and accomodating...

Scores 5/15/2016 (clean reports!): TU Walmart FICO: 696 | EQ FICO: 679 | EX AMEX FICO: 680

In my new wallet: American Express Green EMV: PSL $2000 | BankAmericard Cash Rewards Visa EMV: $2500 | Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World MasterCard: $6400 | Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard: $1000 | Discover IT: $2500 | Amazon Rewards Visa Signature: $1500 | Chase Freedom: $1500 | Capital One QuicksilverOne MasterCard: $2100 | Target: $2800 | J.Crew $21,550 | Marvel (Captain America) MasterCard: $6000
Message 4 of 9
navigatethis12
Valued Contributor

Re: It never hurts to ask

I am terrified that I will miss a payment, even though I log in everyday to the accounts. Mint.com helps a lot with this but I still put every card that I can on automatic payment.

Message 5 of 9
injustifiiable
Valued Contributor

Re: It never hurts to ask


@navigatethis12 wrote:

I am terrified that I will miss a payment, even though I log in everyday to the accounts. Mint.com helps a lot with this but I still put every card that I can on automatic payment.


I love mint.com! The payment reminders are great.

 

I pay my cards twice a month on the 1st and the 15th...this Really ensures I'm never late...:-)

 

Scores 5/15/2016 (clean reports!): TU Walmart FICO: 696 | EQ FICO: 679 | EX AMEX FICO: 680

In my new wallet: American Express Green EMV: PSL $2000 | BankAmericard Cash Rewards Visa EMV: $2500 | Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World MasterCard: $6400 | Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard: $1000 | Discover IT: $2500 | Amazon Rewards Visa Signature: $1500 | Chase Freedom: $1500 | Capital One QuicksilverOne MasterCard: $2100 | Target: $2800 | J.Crew $21,550 | Marvel (Captain America) MasterCard: $6000
Message 6 of 9
youngandcreditwrthy
Senior Contributor

Re: It never hurts to ask

I'm OCD with my on time payments LOL... one slip up can RUIN a 0% offer haha.

 

make no mistake, credit risk is 100% about limiting default...

 

I have emergency alerts set so that if I haven't made my pmts 5 days before it is due, I will get texted LOL...

 

multiple alerts=GOOD, esp. text alerts!

Marriott PR$25k | BCE $24.5K |BankAmericard Visa $25k| BOA Better Bal $17.5k |Wmt Discover $12.5k | BR Visa $17.5k | Amex Delta Gold $10k | Discover IT $10k | Paypal Extras MC $15k | Amazon Store $10k|Smile Gen $7.25k | Dillard's $10k | West Elm $4k| Express $3.05K | Mypoints.com Visa $4.5k | Freedom Visa $1k| Amex Surpass $1k
Message 7 of 9
Creditaddict
Legendary Contributor

Re: It never hurts to ask


@orl22 wrote:

 

I normally make a couple payments a month on any card with a high balance and then pay it down to zero the last week before the due date. Last month, because I was on vacation the week payment was due, I ended up missing the due date. As a result they charged me $25 on interest charge. At first, I was just going to let it go and wasn't sure if there was anything that could be done. I decided to give them a call to see if they would throw me a bone and remove that interest charge. To my surprise, they were able to remove it. This was on my CSP that I opened April of this year and was the first time I was charged interest on this card.

 

Also last month, I paid late on my wife's Capital One card. She has a $750 limit. It was her builder card. She's been getting this no fee balance transfer offer. I normally make the transaction after her statement cuts. That way I can float and not have to pay them for 2 months. For some reason, I guess I did the transaction before the statement cut without realizing it. I thought I had 2 months to pay but in reality it was due the following month. I ended up being charge $15 late payment and $15 interest. I did the online chat and ask them if they could make an exception and remove those fees. After checking my wife's file they were able to remove those charges. 

 

So I saved $50 in charges last month just by asking. Just thought I'd share that experience in case people didn't know. 


Im confused on if you make a couple payments and then to $0 after statement how you ended up missinga  payment at all to go late but beside the fact now... Like others said.. Many banks will even straight out tell you now (you can have 1 or 2 with GE I think refunded late charges) but they won't tell you that under the new credit law after 2 missed payments they can also increase your interest rate to default rate if they wish.

Im confused when you say you had $25 in interest charge not $25 in late fee... is it because the late fee is calculated within the "fees" of the account for the year looking like interest?

and then capital one with $15 late and $15 interest? how would you have $15 in interest if you paid the account off the month before and then just missed this payment or is it a cash advance you took so didn't have grace period of not paying the 20% or so on $700+ dollars?

also is this $750 line after the credit steps or did you just get her canned on that credit steps program missing the payment?

Message 8 of 9
maiden_girl
Valued Contributor

Re: It never hurts to ask

The moral of this story is to pay your bills on-time to avoid making unnecessary phone calls to CSRs and to avoid ruining your credit.

As of 2017, rebuilding...
Message 9 of 9
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.