Mary,
As for suggestions, have you looked at a cash-back card? You can then buy your ticket (without capacity controls.)
As to your Bill Pay experience, read the diclosure by your Bank or Bill Payment service. Many of them guarantee the payment will be made by when they say. If not, they contact the receiver and work it out... including late fees. I had some problems early on with my local phone service, and my BP service worked it out.
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On the other hand, Banks make tons of money with the "electronic bill pay" they offer to their customers (besides charging them fee for that). Banks take money out of your account immediately but credit to payye's accounts days later.
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Actually, the *reputable* institutions pull the money overnight on day-1 and mail the check/transmit the funds on day-2. Some will even pay the bill *before* they pull the $$ from your account. Also, not all banks charge for bill pay services.
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Bob
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> You only live once -- but if you work it right, once is enough.
Joe E. Lewis
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