How can I pay my rent with a credit card?

You can get a cash advance on a credit card into your bank account pretty easily. They charge a higher interest rate on it though

I've been paying for everything I can with a cash-back AmEx for 10 years - since I was in 9th grade. It's literally free money if you're not an idiot who has less of handle on their finances than a freshman in high school. It's even better when you start going out of your way to pay for other stuff, like if you're at a restaurant and everyone's splitting a bill with cash, just take all the cash and put it on your card. 5% on a $300 bill is $15, you basically just ate for free. Gas always costs 1-5% less, One time I offered to put a $10,000 clothing order for a club sports team I was on on my card. Made bank.

Also, my credit score is just about as good as it can be without owning a car/house.

Still using that Amex that daddy gave you as an authorized user? You are aware that you are not legally responsible for the charges right? Finally, being an authorized user does put a line of credit on the bureau, it just does not do squat to help your score. If an underwriter (instead of an automated scoring system) looked at your bureau he will dismiss the Amex authorized user line as being irrelevant.

Also, my credit score is just about as good as it can be without owning a car/house.[/quote]

No wonder you are not short of cash if you don't own a car or a house.

random a hole wrote:

Still using that Amex that daddy gave you as an authorized user? You are aware that you are not legally responsible for the charges right? Finally, being an authorized user does put a line of credit on the bureau, it just does not do squat to help your score. If an underwriter (instead of an automated scoring system) looked at your bureau he will dismiss the Amex authorized user line as being irrelevant.

I was unaware of all of those credit-related facts. good thing I was never an authorized user on my dad's card.

Also, being 23 and not owning a house or a car when living it a city seems pretty normal to me.

So you are claiming Amex issued a card to a 13 year old who could not legally sign a contract?

Dave Ramsey says credit cards are evil because his target audience cannot handle them. If you can manage a credit card, his advice is not for you. All of you fit runners are not going to get fat eating the odd donut, but if you are talking to the 350 lbers at work, maybe you don't encourage them to try donuts in moderation since they obviously can't handle moderation.

david horatio ramsey wrote:

Dave Ramsey says credit cards are evil because his target audience cannot handle them. If you can manage a credit card, his advice is not for you. All of you fit runners are not going to get fat eating the odd donut, but if you are talking to the 350 lbers at work, maybe you don't encourage them to try donuts in moderation since they obviously can't handle moderation.

I agree with YOUR analogy. And, even though I appreciate Dave Ramsey, I disagree with him about credit cards. He is definitely of the opinion that NO ONE...not just his target audience...should use them. He says that you feel the pain of a purchase more with cash than with a credit card. I disagree. I feel the pain of money loss no matter how it happens, and it is equal. I use a single credit card (though I have two) and pay it off each month. Just too convenient not to. If you don't have a problem with over spending, a credit card is just a super easy tool to use. For people who can't control themselves, yes, they should cut up those cards until they learn how to.

If you really want to put your rent on your credit card, find someone that typically spends cash and needs to make a large purchase or several purchases throughout the month. You make the purchase and charge it on your card and they hand you the cash. People that are trying to hide cash and work in cash businesses will be most receptive to this idea because they can then dispose of cash and purchase goods that they will resale and have no desire to report to uncle Sam.

For best results deposit the cash in an interest bearing account and don't touch it until the credit card bill is due and ensure you pay the bill in full. Also you will make the most amount if you make the purchase on the first day after your credit card cycles and wait until the very end of the grace period to make your payment.

No successful and "rich" person I know got that way by using their bonus points, airline miles, or whatever. Also your credit score is more myth that reality. A personal balance sheet will show if you can pay back a loan or not.

Granted most of Dave Ramsey's comments are for those individuals with no discipline. I still prefer cash. Good luck!

tycobb wrote:

You won't be able to because it costs the business a percentage of money to accept credit cards that is why apartments won't accept them. They lose more money than you make in bonus.

______________________________

TRUE.

I own my own business. I do home inspections, and charge people on the spot. Anyone paying with a credit card automatically pays an extra $10 per $100. I get charged %3 by the cc company, and THEN %1 by my bank. I round it up, and that makes life easier for me. I could prbably charge $6.95 or $7.30, depending etc. But I just add $10 bucks to every $100 I charge to make it easy.

I'm sure there is a trikle-down affect tot he consumer - you!

random a hole wrote:

So you are claiming Amex issued a card to a 13 year old who could not legally sign a contract?

there are lots of things you can do as an emancipated minor with a few phone calls, some paperwork, and half a brain.

BEST POST: the guy that mentioned that you should keep your credit card balance below 30% of your limit (thought i believe it is 20%) and pay it off automatically each month. going above 20% on multiple months can hurt (or keep from helping) your credit score.

SECOND BEST POST: the guy that mentioned he has 2 cards and only uses 1, as having multiple (but not too many!) revolving accounts is a credit score plus as well.

WORST POST: the guy stating that credit card companies could charge you interest AS SOON AS YOU MADE A PURCHASE. false.

REASON I USED MASCULINE TERMINOLOGY: women don't understand that credit cards are an "electronic representation" of present funds... it's some neurological blocker they're all born with

RELEVANT: 13 year olds go to junior high.

good day, gentlemen.

Cash is also has transaction costs. You need to count it, track it, bring it to the bank and so forth. You might also lose customers (i.e. I don't go to a couple of gas stations because of this) if the standard in your business is to accept them. Of course the best part of accepting cash only is it makes it easier to cheat on your taxes:) Customers need to go to ATMs, carry around (losing your wallet with 40 bucks of cash and a credit card is a lot cheaper than losing a wallet with 200 dollars).I might spent less using cash than a credit card if I didn't have an atm card. As it is it is trivial to get cash whenever your running low.And yeah you don't get rich saving 5% on gas and groceries. But a thousand bucks a year for doing nothing more than paying your bill ~30days after you bought something (and with the bonus of not having to lug around cash) is easy money.

Small business owner wrote:

tycobb wrote:

You won't be able to because it costs the business a percentage of money to accept credit cards that is why apartments won't accept them. They lose more money than you make in bonus.

______________________________

TRUE.

I own my own business. I do home inspections, and charge people on the spot. Anyone paying with a credit card automatically pays an extra $10 per $100. I get charged %3 by the cc company, and THEN %1 by my bank. I round it up, and that makes life easier for me. I could prbably charge $6.95 or $7.30, depending etc. But I just add $10 bucks to every $100 I charge to make it easy.

I'm sure there is a trikle-down affect tot he consumer - you!

credit card companies charge interchange to retailers, yet most stores don't pass-on the interchange directly to customers who use plastic, instead the raise their prices across the board. Therefore when I use a credit card and you use cash, you are subsidizing the interchange passed on to the prices.thank you!

Dave Ramseys response wrote:

You are playing with fire when you use plastic. I know all about the rewards, points, cash back, etc. Those are all ploys. Don't think you're going to come out on top. It's risky because credit card companies are slick and the can change what they want when they want and you have to take it. Studies have proven that you also spend more when you use a credit card vs. cash or check.

Take my advice for what it's worth, but I would suggest not to use a credit card.

AmEx used to send me personal checks in the mail that charged my card. Do you ever get those? I'm pretty sure you can pay rent like that.

To the original OP's question. I am surprised no one has mentioned PAYPAL. If you can set up your credit card as your default account, then just ask your landlord to set up paypal. Tell him/her the money will be automatically set into his account.

If the transaction fee is less than the cash reward of the rent then you are set.

I've been looking for the same thing...so far the only thing I can find is USPS money order. But it looks like you may have to buy serveral depending on how much your rent is.

Financial institutions, retailers and government are presently embroiled in a showdown. The big battle on Capitol Hill is over a thing called interchange charges on debit cards and debit cards. Interchange charges are charged to retailers by banks when customers use cards, and many businesses are getting fed up with paying individuals to get money they are owed. Here is the proof: Merchants moving away from debit and credit cards