Convenience fee? What the crap is this? (1 Viewer)

[Spin]

So my wife calls me this morning and asks me to make the car payment because she forgot and it's due tomorrow. Sure no problem. Call the number up and when she goes to process my payment she adds on the end, there will also be a $10.95 convenience fee associated with this payment.. Huh? My payment is $215.29 a month, it's cheaper to send them a payment through ebay, what is this? So I told her I'm not paying that, well if you pay online or through the IVR it's $19.95!! What the ####?

How can I avoid this fee? Well sir you can request your bill be sent to your address and mail us a check each month. Done, but this payment will be late if I do that, which would be a $21 late fee. So I get stuck paying the $11 fee anyhow.

This has to be illegal, right? Charging a "Convenience fee" to not have to pay via check, now I have to go order checks

 

[mr roboto]

Well you could just pay your bill on time.

 

[Spin]

Well you could just pay your bill on time.

I did pay it ontime. I just used the phone system and they charged me a $11 fee for the convenience of using my card.

 

[doowain]

Your anger is misplaced.

 

[Treynwreck3]

With interest rates as low as they are, the biggest revenue generator for lenders in some cases is fees. Really sucks, but you are going to pay one way or the other.

 

[NCCommish]

Pretty standard practice. You are already costing them money by using a card online since they pay a processing fee. In this case you also had an employee on the phone which isn't free for them. So you pay. Don't like the fee? Mail your check on time.

 

[Wooderson]

I have no problem with them making money off your lack of planning. After all it's a business. They gave you an option that had no fees but your wife forgot to send it in.

 

[mr roboto]

Pretty standard practice. You are already costing them money by using a card online since they pay a processing fee. In this case you also had an employee on the phone which isn't free for them. So you pay. Don't like the fee? Mail your check on time.

This. Or auto pay.

 

[[icon]]

Well you could just pay your bill on time.

I did pay it ontime. I just used the phone system and they charged me a $11 fee for the convenience of using my card.

The credit card companies charge ~2 to 3% to the merchants... they're passing that (and some change) on to you.

 

[NutterButter]

So my wife calls me this morning and asks me to make the car payment because she forgot and it's due tomorrow. Sure no problem. Call the number up and when she goes to process my payment she adds on the end, there will also be a $10.95 convenience fee associated with this payment.. Huh? My payment is $215.29 a month, it's cheaper to send them a payment through ebay, what is this? So I told her I'm not paying that, well if you pay online or through the IVR it's $19.95!! What the ####?

How can I avoid this fee? Well sir you can request your bill be sent to your address and mail us a check each month. Done, but this payment will be late if I do that, which would be a $21 late fee. So I get stuck paying the $11 fee anyhow.

This has to be illegal, right? Charging a "Convenience fee" to not have to pay via check, now I have to go order checks

You actually talked to a real person when making a payment? Good god, you'd have to pay me to do that.

 

[Spin]

Your anger is misplaced.

Perhaps, my wife should have told me we've been paying this ridiculous "fee" the whole time which we could have avoided by using a paper bill and checks, but that's just so damn inconvenient...

Regardless this has to be a form of extortion.

 

[fantasycurse42]

I agree with the OP... Con Ed has this unless you link up a bank account, which I did to avoid a $10 monthly fee, but still bull####.

 

[KCitons]

So my wife calls me this morning and asks me to make the car payment because she forgot and it's due tomorrow. Sure no problem. Call the number up and when she goes to process my payment she adds on the end, there will also be a $10.95 convenience fee associated with this payment.. Huh? My payment is $215.29 a month, it's cheaper to send them a payment through ebay, what is this? So I told her I'm not paying that, well if you pay online or through the IVR it's $19.95!! What the ####?

How can I avoid this fee? Well sir you can request your bill be sent to your address and mail us a check each month. Done, but this payment will be late if I do that, which would be a $21 late fee. So I get stuck paying the $11 fee anyhow.

This has to be illegal, right? Charging a "Convenience fee" to not have to pay via check, now I have to go order checks

The Postal Service is finally going to rebound.

 

[NutterButter]

I agree with the OP... Con Ed has this unless you link up a bank account, which I did to avoid a $10 monthly fee, but still bull####.

I thought linking up accounts was standard practice. I do that for 2 credit cards and mortgage. Not sure what the big deal is.

 

[Cjw_55106]

Your anger is misplaced.

Perhaps, my wife should have told me we've been paying this ridiculous "fee" the whole time which we could have avoided by using a paper bill and checks, but that's just so damn inconvenient...

Regardless this has to be a form of extortion.

So it seems you at least agree that the service you are paying for is appropriate.

 

[NCCommish]

I pay 1.50 to pay my power bill online. My apt complex charges a nominal online fee as well. A couple of buck IIRC. They originally had some service that was a 25.00 fee. They got a different provider now after nobody would pay that fee.

 

[Spin]

I'm gonna start a car mortgage company, sure you can pay online or over the phone, for the low price of $37.95 per transaction! You can avoid this by simply paying your bill in wheat pennies each month.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Pretty standard practice. You are already costing them money by using a card online since they pay a processing fee. In this case you also had an employee on the phone which isn't free for them. So you pay. Don't like the fee? Mail your check on time.

This. Or auto pay.

Why would you not have a routine, monthly transaction that never varies on auto-pay?

 

[Spin]

Your anger is misplaced.

Perhaps, my wife should have told me we've been paying this ridiculous "fee" the whole time which we could have avoided by using a paper bill and checks, but that's just so damn inconvenient...

Regardless this has to be a form of extortion.

So it seems you at least agree that the service you are paying for is appropriate.

My sarcasm was lost I suppose.

 

[Spin]

Pretty standard practice. You are already costing them money by using a card online since they pay a processing fee. In this case you also had an employee on the phone which isn't free for them. So you pay. Don't like the fee? Mail your check on time.

This. Or auto pay.

Why would you not have a routine, monthly transaction that never varies on auto-pay?

Don't bring logic into this, I'd rather complain about paying a ridiculous fee.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Pretty standard practice. You are already costing them money by using a card online since they pay a processing fee. In this case you also had an employee on the phone which isn't free for them. So you pay. Don't like the fee? Mail your check on time.

This. Or auto pay.

Why would you not have a routine, monthly transaction that never varies on auto-pay?

Don't bring logic into this, I'd rather complain about paying a ridiculous fee.

OK, that point conceded, yeah those ####ers are out of line. I hate fees like this.

 

[eoMMan]

Pay online?

 

[Spin]

Pay online?

Sure, for the low price of $29.95!

 

[glumpy]

I thought linking up accounts was standard practice. I do that for 2 credit cards and mortgage. Not sure what the big deal is.

I don't link up because I'm an old fart and just don't trust automatic draws from my personal account. Of course--everyone acts like it's such a rarity sending payments via snail mail. While there are some I pay off with that same checking account by phone without penalty--a friend at work is encouraging me to pay all the bills with a CC, whichever carries the best bonus program at any given time--and she makes some serious bonuses planning everything that way.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Your anger is misplaced.

Yes, his anger should be with them calling it a "convenience fee". It sure does not seem convenient to him.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

I'm gonna start a car mortgage company, sure you can pay online or over the phone, for the low price of $37.95 per transaction! You can avoid this by simply paying your bill in wheat pennies each month.

i wish you luck in your new venture.

 

[Spin]

I'm gonna start a car mortgage company, sure you can pay online or over the phone, for the low price of $37.95 per transaction! You can avoid this by simply paying your bill in wheat pennies each month.

i wish you luck in your new venture.

boatloads

 

[The Big Guy]

Do this many of you not use the bill pay feature of online banking? Easiest thing ever.

 

[Peyton Marino]

you sound mad.

 

[rodg12]

Who the heck lets you pay your car payment using a credit card without a fee?! Never seen that before ever. Link it to your bank account and pay it without the fee like everyone else...

 

[[icon]]

Do this many of you not use the bill pay feature of online banking? Easiest thing ever.

Why the hell would anyone manually pay a bill anymore. I don't even know where my checkbook is. Paycheck is direct Deposit and every last bill is auto-paid.

 

[mquinnjr]

Pretty standard practice. You are already costing them money by using a card online since they pay a processing fee. In this case you also had an employee on the phone which isn't free for them. So you pay. Don't like the fee? Mail your check on time.

This. Or auto pay.

Yep, only way I can avoid the fees with Infiniti Finance is to let them direct draw on my checking account on the same date every month. If you're responsible enough to make sure the car payment payment auto-draw is covered in your checking/savings every month on the same date, there are no fees.

If you want to pay ad-hoc, grab your ankles.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Pretty standard practice. You are already costing them money by using a card online since they pay a processing fee. In this case you also had an employee on the phone which isn't free for them. So you pay. Don't like the fee? Mail your check on time.

This. Or auto pay.

Yep, only way I can avoid the fees with Infiniti Finance is to let them direct draw on my checking account on the same date every month. If you're responsible enough to make sure the car payment payment auto-draw is covered in your checking/savings every month on the same date, there are no fees.

If you want to pay ad-hoc, grab your ankles.

you can't make them a payee through your online bill pay with your bank?

 

[Dentist]

Perhaps, my wife should have told me we've been paying this ridiculous "fee" the whole time which we could have avoided by using a paper bill and checks, but that's just so damn inconvenient...

So the fee does buy you convenience.

Car payments are stupid.. don't buy a vehicle you can't purchase with cash

 

[mquinnjr]

Pretty standard practice. You are already costing them money by using a card online since they pay a processing fee. In this case you also had an employee on the phone which isn't free for them. So you pay. Don't like the fee? Mail your check on time.

This. Or auto pay.

Yep, only way I can avoid the fees with Infiniti Finance is to let them direct draw on my checking account on the same date every month. If you're responsible enough to make sure the car payment payment auto-draw is covered in your checking/savings every month on the same date, there are no fees.

If you want to pay ad-hoc, grab your ankles.

you can't make them a payee through your online bill pay with your bank?

I don't use online bill pay. I've got a good enough hold on my bills where it's not necessary. Guess it's worth looking into with your respective bank, I can't speak to it.

 

[Dentist]

Do this many of you not use the bill pay feature of online banking? Easiest thing ever.

Why the hell would anyone manually pay a bill anymore. I don't even know where my checkbook is. Paycheck is direct Deposit and every last bill is auto-paid.

you must not do any business with small or micro businesses.

I get a real paycheck on paper (although i can deposit it with my phone).. and still write probably an average of 1.5-2.5 checks a month

Check in and check out is always how i accept and pay people in FFL as well.

 

[Spin]

Perhaps, my wife should have told me we've been paying this ridiculous "fee" the whole time which we could have avoided by using a paper bill and checks, but that's just so damn inconvenient...

So the fee does buy you convenience.

Car payments are stupid.. don't buy a vehicle you can't purchase with cash

Sure ideally. What can I do? Just graduated, had student loans from school. Saving up my tips from bartending only gets you so far. Had to finance a move to where my job now is, deposit on an apt and ac went out in my main (only) vehicle. Needed a vehicle for wife and kid, for when I went to work. Was it really better back then to buy a $500 beater with the little cash in hand I had? In a much better position now, and plan on paying this off much sooner then the 6 years the loan is.

 

[Tom Servo]

You're paying for Obamacare.

 

[Bogeys]

Do this many of you not use the bill pay feature of online banking? Easiest thing ever.

This is what I do with every bill. Set it up as soon as the bill comes in and done, no checks and no company has access to my checking account.

 

[Dentist]

Perhaps, my wife should have told me we've been paying this ridiculous "fee" the whole time which we could have avoided by using a paper bill and checks, but that's just so damn inconvenient...

So the fee does buy you convenience.

Car payments are stupid.. don't buy a vehicle you can't purchase with cash

Sure ideally. What can I do? Just graduated, had student loans from school. Saving up my tips from bartending only gets you so far. Had to finance a move to where my job now is, deposit on an apt and ac went out in my main (only) vehicle. Needed a vehicle for wife and kid, for when I went to work. Was it really better back then to buy a $500 beater with the little cash in hand I had? In a much better position now, and plan on paying this off much sooner then the 6 years the loan is.

SIX YEARS? Is this what they are doing with car loans these days? SIX ####### YEARS?

If you can't afford a car in 3 years you're buying WAY too much car.

It sounds like you've made a whole slew of mistakes son:

You got married and had a kid before graduating from school

You bought this car

You've been paying "convenience fees" for months which is essentially robbing you of money

You need my 10 step program. BADLY

 

[cst2006]

Perhaps, my wife should have told me we've been paying this ridiculous "fee" the whole time which we could have avoided by using a paper bill and checks, but that's just so damn inconvenient...

So the fee does buy you convenience.

Car payments are stupid.. don't buy a vehicle you can't purchase with cash

Sure ideally. What can I do? Just graduated, had student loans from school. Saving up my tips from bartending only gets you so far. Had to finance a move to where my job now is, deposit on an apt and ac went out in my main (only) vehicle. Needed a vehicle for wife and kid, for when I went to work. Was it really better back then to buy a $500 beater with the little cash in hand I had? In a much better position now, and plan on paying this off much sooner then the 6 years the loan is.

SIX YEARS? Is this what they are doing with car loans these days? SIX ####### YEARS?

If you can't afford a car in 3 years you're buying WAY too much car.

It sounds like you've made a whole slew of mistakes son:

You got married and had a kid before graduating from school

You bought this car

You've been paying "convenience fees" for months which is essentially robbing you of money

You need my 10 step program. BADLY

 

[Spin]

Perhaps, my wife should have told me we've been paying this ridiculous "fee" the whole time which we could have avoided by using a paper bill and checks, but that's just so damn inconvenient...

So the fee does buy you convenience.

Car payments are stupid.. don't buy a vehicle you can't purchase with cash

Sure ideally. What can I do? Just graduated, had student loans from school. Saving up my tips from bartending only gets you so far. Had to finance a move to where my job now is, deposit on an apt and ac went out in my main (only) vehicle. Needed a vehicle for wife and kid, for when I went to work. Was it really better back then to buy a $500 beater with the little cash in hand I had? In a much better position now, and plan on paying this off much sooner then the 6 years the loan is.

SIX YEARS? Is this what they are doing with car loans these days? SIX ####### YEARS?

If you can't afford a car in 3 years you're buying WAY too much car.

It sounds like you've made a whole slew of mistakes son:

You got married and had a kid before graduating from school

You bought this car

You've been paying "convenience fees" for months which is essentially robbing you of money

You need my 10 step program. BADLY

Oh, mistakes I've made plenty of those. We did turn down the 7 year car loan they offered. Got a fancy new job, monthly income went up substantially from bar tending, $215 a month was easily doable, seemed like an easy decision at the time. That being said, we've been paying extra each month (in addition to the awesome $11 a month we've been paying I just found about ) and at our current rate will be paid off in 4 years from loan date. Once we get some student loans down, we'll be focusing on the car and will likely be out from under it in a total of 4 years.

 

[NutterButter]

Perhaps, my wife should have told me we've been paying this ridiculous "fee" the whole time which we could have avoided by using a paper bill and checks, but that's just so damn inconvenient...

So the fee does buy you convenience.

Car payments are stupid.. don't buy a vehicle you can't purchase with cash

Sure ideally. What can I do? Just graduated, had student loans from school. Saving up my tips from bartending only gets you so far. Had to finance a move to where my job now is, deposit on an apt and ac went out in my main (only) vehicle. Needed a vehicle for wife and kid, for when I went to work. Was it really better back then to buy a $500 beater with the little cash in hand I had? In a much better position now, and plan on paying this off much sooner then the 6 years the loan is.

SIX YEARS? Is this what they are doing with car loans these days? SIX ####### YEARS?

If you can't afford a car in 3 years you're buying WAY too much car.

It sounds like you've made a whole slew of mistakes son:

You got married and had a kid before graduating from school

You bought this car

You've been paying "convenience fees" for months which is essentially robbing you of money

You need my 10 step program. BADLY

Oh, mistakes I've made plenty of those. We did turn down the 7 year car loan they offered. Got a fancy new job, monthly income went up substantially from bar tending, $215 a month was easily doable, seemed like an easy decision at the time. That being said, we've been paying extra each month (in addition to the awesome $11 a month we've been paying I just found about ) and at our current rate will be paid off in 4 years from loan date. Once we get some student loans down, we'll be focusing on the car and will likely be out from under it in a total of 4 years.

The correct response is what is step 1.

 

[The Big Guy]

Do this many of you not use the bill pay feature of online banking? Easiest thing ever.

Why the hell would anyone manually pay a bill anymore. I don't even know where my checkbook is. Paycheck is direct Deposit and every last bill is auto-paid.

you must not do any business with small or micro businesses.

I get a real paycheck on paper (although i can deposit it with my phone).. and still write probably an average of 1.5-2.5 checks a month

Check in and check out is always how i accept and pay people in FFL as well.

I know that most banks will allow you to enter any small person or business into bill pay as a bill and the bank will send a physical check to them in the mail. And since I know how you enjoy savings money (not a knock..I am cheaper than dirt) the bank also pays for the stamp and mailing costs for sending your check.

The only issue with this is that the lead time is a little longer than the normal 2-3 days most other bills need for lead time.

 

[NCCommish]

Do this many of you not use the bill pay feature of online banking? Easiest thing ever.

Why the hell would anyone manually pay a bill anymore. I don't even know where my checkbook is. Paycheck is direct Deposit and every last bill is auto-paid.

you must not do any business with small or micro businesses.

I get a real paycheck on paper (although i can deposit it with my phone).. and still write probably an average of 1.5-2.5 checks a month

Check in and check out is always how i accept and pay people in FFL as well.

We are a small business. I get direct deposit. I also have those businesses that make it available paying me electronically. Helps with cash flow.

 

[johnnycakes]

If they're charging you a convenience fee for an online payment from a bank account, they're flat-out hosing you. If you are using a credit card, then I'd look at the convenience fee as an offset to the fee they pay the credit card company.

 

[Mark Davis]

So my wife calls me this morning and asks me to make the car payment because she forgot and it's due tomorrow. Sure no problem. Call the number up and when she goes to process my payment she adds on the end, there will also be a $10.95 convenience fee associated with this payment.. Huh? My payment is $215.29 a month, it's cheaper to send them a payment through ebay, what is this? So I told her I'm not paying that, well if you pay online or through the IVR it's $19.95!! What the ####?

How can I avoid this fee? Well sir you can request your bill be sent to your address and mail us a check each month. Done, but this payment will be late if I do that, which would be a $21 late fee. So I get stuck paying the $11 fee anyhow.

This has to be illegal, right? Charging a "Convenience fee" to not have to pay via check, now I have to go order checks

If you're using Amex they are paying 2.9% plus a transaction fee to accept you paying with Amex. For Visa/MC/Discover it varies based on the type card, rewards or not, you use. Over half the fee is expense they are paying. By the time they pay overhead to answer the phone calls it's hardly a profit center for them.

 

[proninja]

If you don't like the convenience fee, then you might have to do something that's inconvenient.

Would you rather they didn't have a phone payment option? Or should they not pay the employee on the other end of the line? The costs for your lack of planning (or understanding how to set up bill pay in online banking) are being borne by you. That doesn't upset me.

Do not pass go, do not collect $200, go to your online bill pay and set up a recurring bill each month that automatically pays your car payment with no fees, no hassle, and no thought.

 

[MC Gas Money]

These are sad times in america where you have to pay a fee for thr privelage of paying a bill.

 

[The Flying Turtle]

These are sad times in america where you have to pay a fee for thr privelage of paying a bill.

It is not a fee for paying the bill. It is a fee for paying the bill in a quick manner when you forget to send a payment ahead of time. There are many ways to avoid this fee.