Pretty divided between my options to pay my college tuition

[Anonymous]

As the academic year starts soon, my college tuition is due as well, and I am a little bit pretty divided on how to pay it:

My first option would be just paying in full with cash, would save a 2.75% fee on credit card, I have the money and all, but as I do not earn that much and I do not want to ask too much help, I would have some difficulties with my bills some time.

My second option is just putting the tuition on my Paypal Cashback card that has a 0% APR period until January, it would help and I would just pay 0.75% extra (A joke compared with the university plans that are even shorter)

Third option would be putting it on my Amex Everyday card, making some math, the bonus for spending 1000 should cover the fee and more, plus the 20% extra if I get enough transactions, but I do ot know if I want to do so much trouble just for tuition.

And the fourth one would be paying with the Paypal and transferring to the Amex, kind of mixing the later two options. I may still be able to get the bonus, but again, it is messy even though I would receive 2%, paying just a 0.75% real fee and having until November 2020 to pay it.

What do you think about this situation?

[Anonymous]

I would personally just pay cash and not have to worry about that whole credit card fee thing

earlypost

[Anonymous]

If you have the cash, I would pay cash...pay no fees and have it done with.

[SouthJamaica]

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@Anonymous wrote:

As the academic year starts soon, my college tuition is due as well, and I am a little bit pretty divided on how to pay it:

My first option would be just paying in full with cash, would save a 2.75% fee on credit card, I have the money and all, but as I do not earn that much and I do not want to ask too much help, I would have some difficulties with my bills some time.

My second option is just putting the tuition on my Paypal Cashback card that has a 0% APR period until January, it would help and I would just pay 0.75% extra (A joke compared with the university plans that are even shorter)

Third option would be putting it on my Amex Everyday card, making some math, the bonus for spending 1000 should cover the fee and more, plus the 20% extra if I get enough transactions, but I do ot know if I want to do so much trouble just for tuition.

And the fourth one would be paying with the Paypal and transferring to the Amex, kind of mixing the later two options. I may still be able to get the bonus, but again, it is messy even though I would receive 2%, paying just a 0.75% real fee and having until November 2020 to pay it.

What do you think about this situation?

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I can't understand exactly what you're saying about the Amex Everyday card.

If you're saying that the card is new, and you can get the 10k MR point signup bonus when you meet a $1k spend...

I say definitely put $1k of the payment on that.

To my mind that's an easy pickup of a few bucks: $125 minus the $27.50 convenience fee = $97.50, plus the $12.50 in basic points you're getting from the purchase, for a grand total of around $110. Why not?

[Anonymous]

A balance transfer will not earn you MR points.


Edit: if you can hit the SUB organically (normal spending/pre-expected expenses), just pay cash now. Or, give yourself some breathing room by paying like 90% cash & 10% PayPal MC.

If you wouldn't hit the SUB naturally, only pay the amount you would need to (for example: if you think you are only able to spend $563 during the SUB period, place $437 of tuition on the card) on order to minimize the amount you'll be charged the 2.75% on, while hitting your SUB spend retirement.
After that, pay the rest in cash.

[Anonymous]

At the end I just put all the money on the Amex and paid on cash the Amex, at least the bonus covers the fees, and there are no further complications.