American Express Membership Rewards - Almost Canceled my Starwood Card

I noticed on my bill this month that I had been charged almost $50 in interest charges even though my payment was credited during the billing cycle. I was billed a similar amount the previous month though I hadn't noticed it.

When I called they said that the grace period is only 20 days, and that is more than sufficient. Well, I looked at this month's bill that they said was mailed on February 29th. It was postmarked in Florida on March 6! By the time that it made its way to California I was on a five day business trip. There is NO WAY even if I paid the bill the day that I got it would it make it within the 20 days. I threatened to cancel my account (over $150 in interest charges in just three months? This alone would take me back to Visa) but they said that for ONE TIME ONLY they would credit one month's of interest. Oh boy.

I asked if they could charge my bank account account automatically, like Visa does, but they say that they would not know what to charge (Visa takes the entire bill).

So while this is a great credit card, you need to be very careful to pay the bill as soon as it is received. Hurrumph.

While they won't automatically debit your checking account, you can sign up at http://www.americanexpress.com/expressnet/register/ to view your bills on-line, and pay your bills from your checking account by clicking on "pay bill". They also have a service where you can dial an 800 number and pay your bill through an automated system, with the payment deducted from your checking account. With the on-line service you don't have to wait for the paper bill to come to see charges - you can view them as they post before a bill ever is generated.

Beantown,

THanks for your note. They recommended the web payment site.

Do you think that I could use PayPal to pay the Amex bill? Just kidding.

You are better off signing up for pay by phone. If you sign up for pay by phone, you can pay over the phone or over the web. If you sign up for payment over the web, you can only pay over the web, and not over the phone (though I suppose you could sign up seperately for pay by phone, but you get the idea, it's more work).

How do you go about signing up to pay over the phone?

Just call 'em up. They'll need you to read the routing number and your account number off the bottom of a check.

This wouldn't help if you really want to have an American Express card, but I avoid this by having my card at a bank with local branches (Bank of America's US Airways card). They will take a walk-in payment as on time one business day before the due date.

You can set up Pay-By-Phone Service. 1-800-472-9297. It's easier than pay online and they wil post it within 24 hours.