Announcement

**Boris Godunov** · January 16, 2003, 20:52

I think some companies require the envelope be postmarked by a certain date, not arrive by one. You'd have to look at your bill to see what it says about when the payment is due.

You should call and *****. The squeaky wheel gets the grease in the world of customer relations. If you're a longtime customer with good credit and no other problems, I think they will likely want to engender good will and will remove the charge.

**Ming** · January 16, 2003, 20:54

Send them a letter explaining the situation, and tell them if they don't remove the charge, you will close your account and deal with another company. In most cases, this works like a charm here in the US

**Sten Sture** · January 16, 2003, 21:06

Agree with the above... though I would exhaust other options before using the close my account thing. If your account isn't very large they may just say "fine".

I would also look into paying it on-line through your bank - that way there is a paper trail that can prove when the payment went out. Also you should be able to check your balance on-line and send payment before you actually get the paper copy of your statement - that would eliminate one direction of the mail.

The bank can look at your payment record and see that you always pay it around x date, and will most likely waive the interest for the holiday period. If you ask them about the above options they will also know that you are serious about making the payment and you are a good customer.

**SlowwHand** · January 16, 2003, 21:06

Yeah, if you wait they'll charge interest on the interest, and I know you have no interest in that.

**Skanky Burns** · January 16, 2003, 21:17

Complaining is always good.

I would have though you would pay your credit via internet though.

**Asher** · January 16, 2003, 21:29

I would also look into paying it on-line through your bank - that way there is a paper trail that can prove when the payment went out. Also you should be able to check your balance on-line and send payment before you actually get the paper copy of your statement - that would eliminate one direction of the mail.

I don't have a bank account with the bank that I have the credit card.

The bank I have my chequing and savings account with refuses to give me a credit card (something about being an unemployed college student

), so I got one at a different bank. So there's no way for me to pay them online.

I'm going to just give them a call and see if I can get them to take it off.

**Boris Godunov** · January 16, 2003, 21:35

Originally posted by Asher

I don't have a bank account with the bank that I have the credit card.

That doesn't make a difference. Most major credit companies allow you to sign up to pay your balance online via a transfer from your checking account to the credit card company.

My card has my minimum monthly balance deducted automatically every month from my bank account, so I don't have to worry about late fees anymore at all. And yes, the card and my account are at separate banks.

**Skanky Burns** · January 16, 2003, 21:36

Maybe carry through with moving your account to the bank you have the credit card with. The convenience of being able to pay online more than offsets the effort needed to change accounts - assuming the accounts both banks offer are similar.

**Sten Sture** · January 16, 2003, 21:38

Originally posted by Asher

I don't have a bank account with the bank that I have the credit card.

I don't either, but my bank has an online payment function for any payee. It is fairly new to banking, but might be worth checking your bank's website to see if they offer the feature. I am assuming your bank has a website...

Good luck!

**Kontiki** · January 16, 2003, 21:42

Asher, which banks are the ones in question (ie: the one that issued the credit card and the one where you do your personal banking)? All of the big 5 banks in Canada allow you to pay just about any credit card imaginable online - it doesn't have to be issued from that institution. For example, my main account is at TD, and I pay my TD Visa, three other credit card companies, cable, hydo, phone, cel, even my Vancouver property taxes online. If you are using a smaller credit union, though, they may not offer the service. If you are using the Alberta Treasury Branches, I would be surprised if they don't offer the service.

**Kontiki** · January 16, 2003, 21:46

The US banking system is a little different, because it is so diverse. In Canada, our big 5 banks account for almost all the banking activity in the country, so the technology levels are way higher (economies of scale). I always find it odd when I go to the US and it's rare to find a place that has Interac (the system where you can pay for something using your ATM card). In Canada, it's getting hard to find a place that doesn't have that option.

**Nivek** · January 16, 2003, 21:49

I don't understand this. I have a UK credit card, got the bill today and have till fourth of February to pay.

So I can either pay in at my bank (not my card issuer) or mail a cheque in the next week or so.

I never have a problem. Are there tighter time-scales in North America?

**Asher** · January 16, 2003, 21:49

Originally posted by Skanky Burns
Maybe carry through with moving your account to the bank you have the credit card with. The convenience of being able to pay online more than offsets the effort needed to change accounts - assuming the accounts both banks offer are similar.

They're anything but similar.
My current chequing bank (President's Choice Financial [CIBC])is no-fee. Even the cheques they send me are free.

The credit card bank is the Bank of Montreal (BMO) and they charge me fees for even simple things like using a debit card anywhere as long as my balance is below $1000 (which it usually is).

I've just looked at the bill payment section of my chequing account, and it does list Bank of Montreal Master Card as a possible bill.

Hmm, I didn't know they could do that.

**Boris Godunov** · January 16, 2003, 21:49

I can pay for things with my ATM card at any store in the US which takes credit cards.

Announcement

Credit Card Question

Credit Card Question

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment