MilesBuzz! - Any way to earn points when they don't accept a card?

My son will be in college next year. We were hoping to be able to use a credit card to pay the enormous bill so that we could earn some travel rewards. We have just found out that they do not accept credit cards. Does anyone know of a credit card that will allow you to earn rewards if you use the check writing feature that most credit cards offer? Any suggestions?

Great Question!!

I would be interested to know, as well, since my medical school does not accept credit cards, and to the best of my knowledge, all of the card issuers checks' that I heretofore have received, specifically except mileage/point earnings from their use.

Now, if only they had likewise refrained from tacking on those usurious interest charges, as well!

Any one know of any?

I've been able to buy Chase Traveller's Cheques using my AAdvantage card, then use those at places that won't take cards. The only problem is getting enough TCs for some private schools.

Chase's Currency-To-Go service can be reached at https://ctg.chase.com/ctg/ and has been discussed several times in FT.

This is very interesting! Thank-you. I am new to this forum. How can I locate the previous discussions on this? Thank-you very much for the idea!

Does anyone know if Citibank AAdvantage considers purchasing travellers checks with their card as a cash advance?

It would be very important to read previous threads on Chase Currency to Go. When it first hit the boards, so many people started ordering TC frequently that Chase became suspicious and started sending out letters blackballing people. I find now, when I am flying internationally, I order a small amount of foreign currency and get my checks. The max is about $1000 per purchase, with probably a limit of 4 per year. Based on a similar question awhile ago (I brought it to the top) I started buying savings bonds which have a 3 month interest penalty if you cash in before 5 years, and I believe you can't cash in at all before 6 months. II bonds pay 6.49% right now, so you can do the math and see what you would actually get and lose on your money if your plan was to cash them in after 6 months. You can buy $30,000 per year per SS#. Since my daughter is a Freshman in High School, 5 years will work out fine if they won't accept credit cards. If they do, and I have the cash flow, I'll leave those bonds for retirement. Either way I have gotten points for my money.
Citibank just came up with something called C2it in which you can send money from your credit card via "e-mail" It will not charge for the first 90 days and can be charged against any MC or VISA, so if you have a AA citibank card you will get miles. It has a limit of $1000 per 4 days, and after the 90 days has a $2.00 transaction fee for a maximum of $500.00 At that point you are paying too much for your miles. For the first 90 days, you can rack up about 20,000 miles. If you have more than 1 mileage card, and more than 1 e-mail address, you might figure something different. If sent to your son, he can deposit it into a checking account from which the tuition is paid. This is a new thing, so hopefully people won't overdue it and ruin it. Go to www.c2it.com/send20 (http://www.c2it.com/send20)
The Chase Travelers checks charged to AA Advantage Citibank card go through as a purchase. I just bought TC and Lira for my upcoming trip to Rome

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DtG

[This message has been edited by dgordon (edited 01-28-2001).]

Dear DGordon,

You are a financial genius!!

I already knew of the interest that can be used to pay for tuition from savings bonds, but not their purchase with a credit card, but I will now explore the latest info you have provided for next semester's tuition. Unfortunately, I missed this semester's, but that's the way it goes! Thanx!

BTW, when are you going to Rome, and where do you intend to stay? I was there over Thanksgiving, as well as Firenze, and perhaps there are some questions I can answer for you?

Regards,

D2B

I just received my first set of Optima checks, which although unsolicited, may provide for additional opportunities to collect points with my American Express. In reading the cover letter that was sent with the checks, the checks may be used in lieu of a credit card or with merchants who do not accept credit cards.

Since I was familiar with this type of scheme with a previous MasterCard I had a number of years ago, I was aware that the use of these checks was considered a cash advance at a considerably higher APR.

I contacted Amex and asked if the use of these checks was considered a merchant sale or cash advance and the CSR indicated that when used with a merchant, it was a sale, however, if I made the check out to myself of another person, that it was a cash advance. In both cases, the APR was only 8.9%, which was a 7 month introductory rate.

The cover letter did indicate that airline miles could not be earned, however, since this is a Sheraton Starpoints card, it may be possible to earn additional Starpoints in the Starwood program by paying for larger items, such as a car payment or maybe even a mortgage payment with the checks. Since I have just received them and have yet to use them, I was wondering if any other FT’er had had experience with the Optima checks and if earning points was possible when using them. If points can be earned using the checks, than this could be a great point earning opportunity.

I don't quite understand the bond thing - do you mean you can buy them and charge to a credit card? Is this at Chase - I just called them and after telling me the charge for travelers checks was 10%?! (to which I replied "that must be a mistake" - after a few minutes of checked with someone she realized that is was 1% - or free on the web) she didn't know anything about buying bonds with cc - but then I wouldn't have believed her anyway! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

DGordon did a separate post concerning US Savings bonds. Do a search and you should be able to find it.

just tried to use the c2it to send cash and discovered that you can only charge cash to a visa or mc DEBIT card - therefore I cannot use it with my CREDIT card - is there a way around this that I don't see?

You can send cash from a credit card. In the list of accounts it will say citibank visa, citibank mc, or other banks as a choice. They will send a packet allowing you to add checking accounts which then could be used to deposit cash. At this point I am depositing cash into a credit card so it acts as a payment.
RE: Savings Bonds. go to www.savingsbonds.gov. (http://www.savingsbonds.gov.)
This is purchased from the us government - dept of public debt, NOT from Chase. Chase is the one with Travelers checks or foreign currency. Savings bonds can be purchased as II bonds which are at face value - you pay $1000 for a $1000 bond. You can only buy $1000 at a time, but you can immediately go back and buy more. If you think you Might be eligible for the benefits for education (your income has to be below a certain amount) make sure your child is the beneficiary, NOT a joint owner. I believe it is explained at the web-site. By charging to your credit card - it is viewed as a purchase and you get miles.Remember there is a $30,000 per year limit per SS#. Yours can be used, your child's (then you would want those to be jointly with you), or a spouse or a grandparent, if you need to get a really large sum bought in one year.
Happy bonding.
Thanks doc2be for the compliment.

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DtG

Doc2b
I am going to Rome on Feb 13th and will be in Italy 6 nights. Still searching for a hotel in Rome.Will probably go south for the next 3 days. Any recommnedations? Looking for a 3 star - between $70-$90 for a twin room. You can e-mail directly if you wish.
Thanks for your offer.

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DtG

Dear DGordon,

Question -- Is the C2it program limited to ONLY Citibank credit cards? That would present no problem, as I now have their NO FEE HHonors Card, but would another bank's card work, as well?

As for Rome, I unfortunately, do not know of any hotels in that price range, as I lived a little "higher on the hog" on that trip. Rome is a very expensive city re accommodations.


Another suggestion is that you can go to the Italiatour website and see what hotels they have chosen as part of their packages for the budget traveler. I would then do a search of the selected hotels on the net and see what you come up with re comments and costs.



[This message has been edited by DOC 2 BE (edited 03-13-2001).]

Doc2B,

As vocal as you are (and I enjoy your posts) I am surprised you don't have an email address registered. I wouldn't have posted this here had I been able to email you directly. I have a question:

When I went to Entertainment.com I could only find US hotels. How do you get to international offerings?

Thanks for any help!

Sorry!

[This message has been edited by DOC 2 BE (edited 03-13-2001).]

The c2it DOES NOT have to be citibank credit card holder or checking account. It is opened to anyone. They will call you after you set it up to verify that it is legitimate and not fraud.

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DtG

dgordon,

Thanks for the info on the bonds - I had found it by doing a search as D2B had suggested, but you post a lot so it took a while and I wish I had seen your post before I spent all that time!
As for c2it when I try to register my cc it has this message:

Please note Mastercard and Visa debit cards
may only be used to send cash at this time.

Maybe I am misunderstanding - I thought it meant that you can only use debit cards to send, but on rereading maybe it means you can't use it to RECEIVE funds - anyway I'm thoroughly confused http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif I may just forge ahead and see what happens. Thanks for all your help and GREAT suggestions.

[This message has been edited by estnet (edited 01-30-2001).]

I just checked out www.moneyzap.com. (http://www.moneyzap.com.) It looks as if you can transfer funds into your moneyzap account from your charge card, and then transfer it to your checking account. I wonder if the transfer of funds is billed to your card as a purchase or a debit. Has anyone used this? Can Paypal be used for this purpose?

estnet
It probably would have been faster to search "savings bonds" rather than all my posts. Also I brought this to the top so they aren't so embedded in history. I don't know why you are having trouble at c2it. I just signed up my father.

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DtG

CAROL B , Ive used moneyzap for the past few months.they allow up to 2 accts as long as its 2 DIFFERENT CC #s. The only draw backs are unlike c2it the receiver cant order a check,so make sure that their bank doesnt charge for wire transfers in. also the max is 2000 a month(2 accts = 4000). paydirect.yahoo is good for another 1000 per month.

DO NOT!!! under any circumstances transfer from your CC to ANY of these sites and then to your bank acct. That is considered giving yourself a cash advance and THEY WILL CLOSE YOUR ACCTS. You can transfer to someone else who ONCE after not getting the money cleared be able to transfer it back to you ,then you can put into your bank acct.More than once they'll close you up. If you take the $$ from your CC(yes its a purchase has been for me)transfer to someone who deposits in their acct thats ok,if that person decides to lend you some more money and sends you THEIR check which YOU put into your acct NO PROB. How to repay once again send via the sites spoken about its legit. BEST thing is to do this the day after your statement closes that way itll appear on the following months statement,or giving you 2 months till you need to pay off the CC which by then all should be back to where it began.

[This message has been edited by craz (edited 01-30-2001).]

http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/sav/sav.htm

c2it seems very good for small purchases but what about big ticket items??

I am planning to buy a Honda Odyssey next month and the dealer refuses to accept CC beyond a paltry 3500 dollars. Any suggestions on how I can route my payment via my credit cards so as not to lose on points.

Thanks in advance.

Originally posted by dgordon:
The c2it DOES NOT have to be citibank credit card holder or checking account. It is opened to anyone. They will call you after you set it up to verify that it is legitimate and not fraud.

Thanks dgordon - I finally got it to work, I think it was just my (mis)reading about the debit card thing in my zeal not to be charged a cash advance. Hopefully I will now have a few bonds, and many more miles from Chase and c2it! Is the limit thing on chase travelers checks printed anywhere or did you just learn from experience?

I want to set myself up as a merchant so I can accept my own credit card as payment, then send a check from this business to my payee. Or I could help my friends do this too. Does anyone know how to set oneself up as a merchant or can give me any more info. I think this would be the way to go for me. Thanks!

Another idea I tried is to pay into my money market account using my credit card and write checks from it. I called them to see if this would be possible and they said NO. Just in case any one else is thinking about it.

Still another failed idea ... using Western Union. You can pay with a credit card and if your vendor will accept this QuickCollect payment, you are there. My mortgage co. told me they would accept Western Union and that it would cost $11.95. Kind of rich but when I called to check, they said, NO, that's just if you pay with cash (duh, then I will just send a check) but if you use a credit card, the maximum amount is $2,000 and it costs $75 to do this! I checked a few other online banks too with the idea of transferring money in using a credit card, and found none that would allow this but I am not giving up! Somehow there is a way to do this easily.

Hip Hip hooray!!! My Med School now accepts Visa and Mastercard for tuition payments!! Just scored 12,000 HHonors points! Thanx for the suggestions, but at least for this issue, I won't need to use the alternatives. Thanx anyway!!!

D2B

d2b
Then these other ways of getting miles, can be just that. You can still buy bonds (if you have cash sitting around as savings anyway). c2it has a limit of $1000 every 4 days, and $500 per transaction. Once they start charing the $2.00 fee, I don't think it will be worth it. I don't think I would actually use c2it as a way of paying for something. You don't get a good record of your transaction the way you do if you pay by check, or CC. So, let's say for tuition, you could send cash to your son from YOUR credit card, from your husband's credit card to your son's e-mail address. He can deposit it in a checking account which is joint with you, but has his name, then he can pay by check. The money got miles from the original transfer, but you actually pay the school with a check and have that record. I would do that with any of the kinds of charges you guys are talking about.

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DtG

Dear DGordon,

Thanx for the additional advice! However, one thing, I have no son! At least, as yet! One thing that these additiional way could be helpful is on the purchase of a big ticket item -- a car.

In the Amex thread, is just such a discussion. When we are looking to do so, this will come in handy!

You know, I just thought of something. I guess one could do this type of transfer for one's auto lease payments!

BTW, any other questions re Italy? I am sorry that I guess I could not have been more helpful.

dgordon, you said above that one could earn 20,000 miles during the free time. Dont know if you know that a person can have 3 accts as long as u use 3 different email addresses and 3 different CC cards. This is legal according to c2it what I did wasnt so kosher so Im out of their game,after 4500.

I opened one for me, one for my husband, and one for my father. I have gotten calls for all from the fraud dept to make sure accounts are legit, and mail to set up checking accounts. So far all is fine.
Thanks

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DtG

[This message has been edited by dgordon (edited 02-03-2001).]