Please, can I just pay my bill?

It was a little thing that got me to this. A small issue that pushed me over the edge. My frustration level....



And all because I was just trying to follow the rules! To abide by the conditions of an agreement between me and my credit card company, to do the right thing...but they won't let me. Or are making it extremely difficult to do so. And I wonder as to why..

I have two cards that are a hassle to pay. Both were acquired using online resources. So, you would think online payment would be available. All I want to do is give them money. I want to pay what I owe..to satisfy my debt with them.

They don't want my money...this has been proven by how complex they make the procedure for paying them. I have just spent an hour trying to do so with one. Online payment option..nope. I call the customer service number..not open. I check out the paper bill to see if there is a debit card option to pay...nope. Checks, paper checks...this is the option I have available to me. Who uses paper checks anymore?

Also, with this card, I never meant to use it anyways. It is an online card , and the site it is used for makes their card the first option for payment. Even though I never have ever used it for any online purchases. So you literally have to click off of it and select your preferred method of payment.

One of the cards allow you to pay over the phone with your debit card..for a processing fee of $20. No thank you, Sir. I will not be charged for trying to give you money. I will not be giving you more money, pay a penalty (which is what it is) for trying to pay my bill on time. The reason I pay the bill on time is to not incur penalties. And it is not my concern that your company isn't technologically keeping up with the times. Plus, I could not imagine that processing a debit card over the phone would cost $20. But the kicker is... they can get the advertisements and promotion fliers delivered to my home address..but I never get a monthly credit card statement, after calling and changing the address several times.



I believe that some credit card companies purposely make it difficult for you to pay on time so they can charge you late fees and interest fees. Which is how they actually make their money. They don't want you to pay them off..they don't want you to find the magic "pay bill now" button. (anyone know where they hide it at..please tell me..I wish to know.)

Both cards will be canceled today..Shady companies don't get my business. And I feel like these two credit card companies are shady. Because..why would you make it so difficult if you really wanted me to pay?



Sorry for ranting...now I'm gonna go clean something and do a hard core workout...work off this negative energy. Thanks for listening!

Thanks,
blend57

a reply to: blend57

In my limited dealings with collectors of debt i have had nothing but grief! The ONLY thing that ever helped me was to mention the financial ombudsman , if you drop that name you see a side to 'collectors' you never knew!

The fun part is, they will charge you a fee to cancel their card. I don't know which card it is, but I'm willing to bet they will.
And then, next month, you will get a statement telling you that you owe them another fee. Wait and see. It Will happen. When I was getting rid of ALL my cards, I ran in to the same thing. Even when the balance was paid in full and I made sure to ask the customer rep to make sure there were no other charges or fee they were going to tack on, they sent me another bill the next month. It won't be much, maybe around $35, but they will.
I've had people tell me it's better for my credit rating if I keep at least one. I tell them it's better for my piece of mind, self image and bank account if I don't let someone I don't even know keep screwing me once a month.

Do you receive a monthly bill? I pay our bills with paper checks, once a month. It's not that big of a deal
I also buy a book of 20 postage stamps every other month or so, so I always have them.
Then just walk up the driveway to the mail box and off they go

The Op mentions that they do no use checks so it is not quite so simple for everyone as you put it. Checks are so last millennium and credit companies absolutely do want you to be late on your payment so they can tack on more interest and fees. When dealing with any giant mega company (finance companies being the worst) you have to realize that they are going to do anything and everything within their legal albeit questionable means to save themselves a penny while aggressively trying to suck every last dollar out of your pocket.

a reply to: maybee

originally posted by: RainbowPhoenix
The Op mentions that they do no use checks so it is not quite so simple for everyone as you put it. Checks are so last millennium and credit companies absolutely do want you to be late on your payment so they can tack on more interest and fees. When dealing with any giant mega company (finance companies being the worst) you have to realize that they are going to do anything and everything within their legal albeit questionable means to save themselves a penny while aggressively trying to suck every last dollar out of your pocket.

a reply to: maybee

Why the hate for checks? My business gets paid in checks. I want to move over to credit/debit, but giving a credit card company some money for nothing doesn't quite seem right. I'll be taking cash and checks for as long as it exists.

I've had some horrible dealings with credit agencies, this is why I don't have any credit cards. Like another poster said, even if you pay the fee, or cancel your card, they will still send you "one last bill". Credit cards are a scam, it is best to just keep a basic secured credit card around for emergencies. I use my debit card for most transactions, because it keeps me out of trouble.

I know with a debit card that I can't just rack up debt like its going out of style, because that is actual tangible assets I use instead of something created out of thin air. Good luck with your battle of attrition @ OP. I replied to the wrong person, but oh well you get the point.

a reply to: blend57

This is a cautionary tale. Always have rainy day savings.

Credit companies seem like a convenient choice but their interest rates and T&C's are daylight robbery. I payed $1600 dollars for a TV through a creditor that was $1200 retail price-that's more than twenty percent increase.

Contact an ombudsman-they will judge whether the creditors have a case to answer to.

a reply to: Joneselius

Thanks for the advice..I don't have collectors..just wanted to pay my bill as quickly and easily as possible. It was quick and easy to get the credit card..should be as quick and easy to pay the bill..I don't understand why it isn't is all I'm on about.

a reply to: DAVID64

I only have one credit card I use..the other two I applied for were for promotional give away things. The one I use I pay off monthly (when i do use it) and I use it to earn points. I will be posting another rant if they try to charge me a fee for closing my card out..never heard of such a thing.

a reply to: maybee


Just more convenient for me to pay my bills the way I do. I don't like paying for checks (unless this has changed, it used to be you had to buy them) and I don't like to pay for stamps...to pay a bill. These are all added costs that can be alleviated if I do things electronically. With most things I can schedule payments so I am never late as well. My parents still use checks, so, I understand their are some benefits...but they are not for me..

Just don't believe that it should be this much hassle for anyone to pay what they owe.

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

I think this is true..they do not want you to pay..at least not until some interest is tacked on. As I said, easy to sign up, hard to pay/cancel. Not a good thing at all..

a reply to: eXia7

Just my lifestyle and what works for me is why the hate for checks. I understand they were better for some, just never liked them. I guess I just don't understand how they have online applications and you can apply that way..but you can't pay that way? Just weird to me..never even thought it would be an issue.

I will survive...lol. Just was really frustrated with it this morning..needed to vent. Thanks for all the replies, I appreciate the comments.

blend

my mortgage company charges 5 bucks to pay online! I think this should be illegal...A few years back my husband and myself paid off everything..even our cars. We got hassled by 2 companies. The bank that had our car loan were real a$$holes. They kept giving the runaround when we tried to pay off the 8K in debt..I was baffled by this. Then they took FOREVER to send the title to us. The other company Sams Club (we owed 400 bucks) paid it off and not a week later we receive a letter saying that we were a credit risk and they were dropping our limit and reporting to Credit Bureau. Mind you we NEVER made a late payment. I faxed them a copy of every bill and payment statement from our bank showing we had NEVER made a late payment...and that it was totally unjustified to lower our credit score by reporting us....it was because we paid it off..needless to say we closed all accts. Other than our mortgage we owe nothing...and will never...ever get another credit card. I also can see your argument about checks..hardly anywhere will take them anymore...

a reply to: blend57

never use a credit card unless you know you can pay it off. its called credit for a reason. if you can't figure out how to pay it, than its your own fault. why not call a representative and hash things out on the phone? dude you need to talk to these people, or you're just going to end up screwing yourself every time.

First world problem. Pay through your bank. If your credit card company does not have an online payment option, your bank does. Go through them instead. Problem solved.

a reply to: Rekrul

I'm sorry..I thought I made it clear that paying off my bill was not a problem. The only problem is in how difficult they make doing so. Hopefully it didn't sound like I was trying to avoid paying them..cuz, I'm not.


a reply to: schuyler

Yes, I wish I would've thought of that! Thanks for your response!

Actually, problem is solved.. I just paid off and canceled both credit cards..took me about 30 minutes to do each one. With telephone calls and being put on hold and switched from "specialist" to "specialist". There was no mention of fees relating to canceling the two...just an extremely long process to get them canceled. One took longer then the other for some odd reason.

Anyhow, thanks for the responses and allowing to get some frustration out. I appreciate it.

blend57

a reply to: blend57

Same thing happened to me recently.

Got a letter from the Inland Revenue telling me I owe them £90ish unpaid tax for the year. Straightaway I'm on the phone, debit card at the ready.

But no...it's got to be a postal order or check.

I'm like, "Umm...excuse me but, don't you people take about £200 a week in stoppages from my wage as it is? Why not just take the £90 I owe you from my wage too?"

Incredibly, I was told they can't do it!

It's been a few weeks now and I haven't heard anything, but I wont be busting my appendix to settle this.

Of all the organisations you can owe money to, surely the Inland Revenue is best served for recovering the debt by the simple expedient of taking it from your wage.

a reply to: DAVID64

I don't know of any cards that charge a fee to cancel the card but I do know that canceling a card lowers your credit score.

The card company gives an option to send a check. Online banking provides for that if they can't transfer electronically. Wells Fargo will send a check for payment if you tell them to pay an organisation that can't or won't take transfers.
So if you have online banking set up the payment to go automatically each month and your bank will determine what the best option is. No hassles for you. Except to cover the automatic payment that is.
That last paragraph is to the OP not you David

a reply to: Rekrul

Um better go back and read the OP again before you lecture someone.

a reply to: blend57

Write them a check. Where it says memo on the check write....... Paid in full.