Tip for Avoiding Credit Charge Surcharges with Utility Companies

LEaston on 18/11/2017 - 13:51
Last edited 18/11/2017 - 15:14

Hi everyone,

Many utility companies charge a surcharge for paying your bill with a credit card. However, many utilities will allow you to pay with PayPal with no surcharge at all. An extra benefit of this is you can use a higher-point-earning card like an Amex card to pay your bills with no surcharge at all.

Here's a list of some utility companies that normally charge a credit card fee, but have a 0% surcharge for paying with a credit card through PayPal:

  • Sydney Water
  • AGL
  • Telstra
  • Yarra Valley Water

Feel free to post other companies you are aware of that allow you to bypass the surcharge with PayPal.

Financial

Comments

  • jackofspade on 18/11/2017 - 14:12

    Post Billpay with Paypal now charges 1% card fee. Seems strange because how would they know the funds are coming from a credir card.

    • Poolprouk on 18/11/2017 - 14:13

      No way. when did that happen? That sucks

      • jackofspade on 18/11/2017 - 14:19

        Don't know. Noticed the charge when I paid my rates yesterday.

        • Poolprouk on 18/11/2017 - 14:21

          hmm, maybe it's just councils? I just pretended to pay a simply energy bill, got logged into paypal to do the last step and 1% has not been added. will try with my council rates bill now.

        • Poolprouk on 18/11/2017 - 14:26

          I get to the last step in paypal with my rates as well and no 1% has been added. Perhaps it's just your council?

        • bluesky on 18/11/2017 - 14:37

          Was it shown at the payment step (so at least proper disclosure) or was it simply added, and only found out from credit card statement/translist? Thanks. So far, I have not encountered any surcharges, wonder if it is bill-specific.

        • jackofspade on 18/11/2017 - 14:40
          +1

          @bluesky:
          It's on the confirmation screen just before it goes to paypal login.

        • bluesky on 18/11/2017 - 14:48

          @jackofspade: Thanks. In that case, very likely council-specific, because I just did the same, and at confirmation screen, no such charge was shown.

  • Poolprouk on 18/11/2017 - 14:12

    Some providers accept postbillpay at no extra charge. You can use paypal at postbillpay.

    Simply Energy is an example where this can be used. I believe some local councils allow postbillbay for rates payments (e.g. banyule in Melbourne)

  • strawberrybug on 18/11/2017 - 14:34

    postbillpay via paypal for local rates charges 0.495% for amex, this comes up before I even get to paypal login

    but great thread, I didn't realise Sydney Water was available via paypal so thanks!

    • jackofspade on 18/11/2017 - 14:42

      How does it know that you are paying with Amex?

      • strawberrybug on 18/11/2017 - 15:00

        to clarify, as soon as i select paypal as method of payment on postbillpay page it says this:0.495% of Payment amount GST Free applies

  • bluesky on 18/11/2017 - 15:06

    Like to add Yarra Valley Water (for those in Melb) to the list.

    • Easton on 18/11/2017 - 15:15
      +1

      Thanks. I've added that now.

    • antkey on 22/11/2017 - 17:00

      YVW accepts Visa or Mastercard credit card, didn't see PayPal using AMEX

  • Gotchas on 18/11/2017 - 17:02

    NRMA, must be logged in as member

  • o53djz7qTPY4der on 18/11/2017 - 17:58
    +1

    Energy Australia - AMEX Direct Debit, no fee.

  • mysterytal on 18/11/2017 - 18:11
    +2

    I sometimes pay $100.70 buying $106 of discounted WISH e-gift cards on my American Express card then use the WISH card to buy a $100 EFTPOS/VISA gift card at $105.95 then use the EFTPOS/VISA card to pay the bill that charges a fee to use AMEX.

    There is usually an offer of points to buy gift cards so I'm usually in profit.

    • WreckTangle on 26/11/2017 - 11:50

      Where can u use a wish card to buy an eftpos gift card? Will woolies let u?

      • mysterytal on 26/11/2017 - 12:34

        Yes Woolworths accept WISH cards as payment towards physical gift cards.

  • HeWhoKnows on 19/11/2017 - 12:21

    Never any charge for direct debit from bank account

    • Easton on 20/11/2017 - 00:14

      Yes, but you can get points if you pay with credit card. And if you can pay with a points-earning credit card with no surcharge, why wouldn't you?

      • HeWhoKnows on 20/11/2017 - 14:48

        I simply answered your question. Why do you debate the answer?

        • Easton on 20/11/2017 - 16:54
          +1

          I never asked a question in my original post.

          In any case, I'm not debating the validity of your answer. I don't disagree with your claim. I'm merely stating that it could be more financially beneficial to pay with a credit card when there's no surcharge owing to the opportunity to earn reward points.

        • HeWhoKnows on 26/11/2017 - 11:41

          @Easton: I must agree with that

  • rickb on 20/11/2017 - 09:40

    No fee BPAYing your Telstra bill.

    • Poolprouk on 22/11/2017 - 14:00

      No credit card rewards points for BPAYING your telstra bill. The whole point of this thread was to highlight how you can gain credit card rewards points through using paypal. (although admittedly the title didn't directly alude to that).

      • rickb on 22/11/2017 - 15:03

        Okay, my bad for not fully reading the op's message.

        Like other utilities I just direct debit. In the case of Telstra there is no surcharge and I still get the rewards points. PayPal is a good option but DD is less hassle.

        • Poolprouk on 23/11/2017 - 09:58

          I agree that DD is less hassle. It's like most things in life, the greatest rewards require greater effort :-)

          The biggest benefit of the paypal option is that you can use it for some 'government' purchases which might not count towards spending requirements for credit card bonus points if you simply did a direct debit from a credit card. e.g. paying rates. If you're chasing 70K-100K bonus points then meeting the spending requirement for the bonus points could be worth $700-1000 so paypal is definitely worth the effort in that scenario.

      • dandandan on 31/08/2023 - 09:29

        Is there a Telstra Postpay bill code number to pay the Telstra bill this way?

      • Shutterfish on 02/09/2023 - 01:27

        Use zip pay bpay and you will get your point though the credit card.

  • dcep on 20/11/2017 - 12:57

    Anyone know you can get around the CC fees for StrataMax bodycorp fees payment?

    Their online postbillpay biller code seems different and the notice only mention postbillpay in-person at post office which most likely to incur CC charges.

    • kevmev12 on 27/11/2017 - 17:57

      Unless you can BPay using your CC, I don't think there's any way of getting around CC fees for StrataMax.

      I have a Bank Australia Visa card and that's the only CC I have that has a BPay function; and I have paid my StrataMax bill using BPay with that card.

      • dcep on 27/11/2017 - 18:01

        Interesting. Didn't even know you can bpay by CC.

        Nice to know. Thanks!

        • Moo Deng on 03/09/2023 - 20:41

          You can but likely won't earn any points on these transactions

          • vetopower on 03/09/2023 - 20:48
            +1

            @Moo Deng: This post is from 2017 mate. I think they've probably already paid their bill by now.

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