You can now pay your Telstra bill via paypal.
You can use this method to pay via credit card to get your reward points, without paying the usual 1% credit card surcharge that Telstra charge.
When paying by Paypal choose the fund source as credit card then continue to pay your bill and you are done.
A good way of saving 1% of every bill you need to pay.
Did it yesterday without a problem, worked well :)
https://exchange.telstra.com.au/2013/02/28/telstra-partners-…
Thank
God.
That 1% surcharge was just adding salt to the wound for me. It doesn't sound like much, but the extra $1.60 a month over the course of my time with Telstra had equated to around $75+.
Thanks for pointing this out, OP.
Now…what can I spend $1.60 a month on?
a pack of jelly beans
Make a 10 second phone call.
0.05MB data roaming oversea
I thought that was $10,000 these days. You must be with Optus.
2 whoppers
may I point your attention towards http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/94872
Should give you approximately 17 or 18 kilos of pears that would be optimistically described now as over-ripe
nice would be good if they could direct debit the bill from paypal
Hmmm I didn't realise there was a 1% charge for credit card payments - is this waived for direct debits?
It must be because I pay by direct debit from my credit card and do not pay a surcharge.
You might, I don't. One of the advantages of being a little longer in the tooth than your good self maybe.
Doesn't seem to be waived for direct debit: https://onlinebilling.telstra.com.au/billing/action/payment/…
Best to check your bill.
I definitely don't pay a surcharge for my direct debit from my credit card for my Bigpond account. Maybe it's different depending on when you signed up.
I have been with telstra for more than a decade if not 2. They definitely charge for Direct Debit with a credit card. They even used to defend all that on the news / current affair programs whenever the gripe about credit card surcharges used to come up.
Been paying direct debit on an Amex card for over a year, no surcharge. See this link: https://www.telstra.com.au/support/account-payment/fees-on-p…
Just wait till Telstra realise "OH SHIT we are losing money….." and start to charge a 1% fee for paypal payments.
you technically cant charge a fee for using PayPal, however they will have a 'Admin Charge' to cover it
you technically cant charge a fee for using PayPal,
Are you sure that doesn't just apply to Ebay?
Like everyone else Telstra is charged for CC payments. The CC provider/bank is the one who may be hit.
I just wish PayPal would take American Express here in Australia.
it doesn't?
Paypal only accepts Visa/Mastercard unfortunately.
It also accepts Diner's Club, but you can't specify AUD as the currency, so when buying goods with AUD, paypal autoconverts it from AUD -> USD, then your diners gets hit with another USD -> AUD conversion fee.
I've been using an American Express card with my PayPal account for years. Recently, I lost my wallet and was given a replacement card (new number / expiry date) and I can no longer add an Amex to my PayPal account.
Update! As per previous comment, PayPal now accepting American Express as of 2 days ago! Great news and means we can now pay our Telstra bills through PayPal funded by Amex without any fee :)
Nope! Wrong. They DO accept American Express Cards.
I had never thought of it but, I have just added my AE card and made it my Primary Card.
That's because they only started accepting Amex since late March.
I always use my AMEX with Paypal, never had an issue yet.
Doesn't PayPal charge you when you use a credit card though?
2.4% if I am reading this right..
https://cms.paypal.com/au/cgi-bin/marketingweb?cmd=_render-c…
Nope, that fee list is for personal payments, which these aren't, even if they were, then the receiver would receive the fee not the sender.
When paying for goods or services like this or ebay purchases, the receiver gets a fee regardless of the payment method.
Thanks for the clarification
I think that fee is generally paid by the recipient (Telstra).
For payments $150,000.00 AUD+ It's 1.1% + $0.30 AUD
Im sure Telstra have some sort of deal with PayPal to make it much lower. There is even a paypal banner saying you can pay Telstra bills on payapl if you login.
Yep for sure.
They have my 49 cents for the convenience of direct debit from my card and me not having even think about paying the bill.
You don't wanna save 49c? Are you sure you're on the right website?
C'mon, think of all the chupa chups you could've had by now!
you can already do that without paying by paypal and automatically via your bank account rather than cc, save 49c and don't have to worry about it.
But then again, some of us would rather have the money earning interest/offsetting a mortgage so CC would be the way to go (plus you get the points) and with lamepal, it's even better!
I keep a balance of $0.00 in my account that receives no charges for having a direct debit form it as it earn no interest. All funds sit in one of two accounts that earn interest and transferred out on the day that funds are required. Not a day sooner, and sure as hell not a day later. If I was to go down this route then the PayPal options makes more sense as you at least still earn points and have a delayed payment via interest free days.
I purchased a ton of Chupa Chups on special a while ago (credit card) so I should be right for some time.
then again, other phone providers are already providing no fees for credit card payments so while it is good for telstra customers you can already avoid the fee by other means of payment.
But then again, some of us would rather have the money earning interest/offsetting a mortgage so CC would be the way to go (plus you get the points) and with lamepal, it's even better!
If you do the calculations, you will not get 49c benefit (in saved interest and accumulated points). If you have a choice of fee free (non credit card) and fee (credit card), you are better off going the fee free option.
However now you can pay with paypal, i totally agree, put it on the card and let the money sit in your mortgage offset account until the credit card bill falls due (and then make sure you pay it off in full).
Great,paypal.
Huh. I wonder how Paypal swung this deal. After all, they surely charge the merchant more than what the bank is likely to charge Telstra for receiving CC payments… that's a pretty big coup.
sorry, what is the deal? Good to know that no fee using paypal and may be convenient to some, but you can already pay by other means with no fees. Now if it was a discount using paypal, that would get my attention.
Being able to use (fund the payment with) a credit card and not paying a penalty/surcharge is a plus for some people.
There are a few benefits…
yeah, that is the deal with your credit card company. I could easily say that I don't get charged with my telephone provider for paying by credit card so actually they have just met the deal, the only difference being that they are offering paypal as a means of avoiding the credit card charge. Like I said, good that they are offering this, but not a deal in my eyes as it is the same as what I am being offered anyway from who I am with.
Yeah, but the deal with the credit card company is of no use if Telstra don't accept it as a payment method.
Like I said, good that they are offering this, but not a deal in my eyes as it is the same as what I am being offered anyway from who I am with.
Who are you with?
iinet
oh and I forgot to say that they don't charge a surcharge when I use my credit card, that is for the home phone and internet and I use TPG for mobile and there is no surcharge either. Some people are forced to use Telstra because they cover more of Australia especially mobile wise, but if you are using Telstra chances are there is probably a better deal out there. I know that my deal is better for what I use. This is ozbargain isn't it?
Optus have a 1% CC fee, too, as do Spintel.
For many years I was on Optus Mobile until a couple of weeks ago. I was never charged a CC surcharge.
IIRC when Optus charged the fee, so too did Telstra shortly after (or vice versa)
BPay as well
This is good if you've got something in your paypal balance from selling, otherwaise bpay all the way for me
BPay isnt always free as well. Some are, some arent (not sure about telstra). I remember being slugged with a fee for paying a water bill.
Bpay is free with T, but only supports bank account funded payments (no credit card funded bpay payments that some allow).
Can't wait till this contract is over so I can ditch Telstra for a Naked service :)
naked is always better… except in winter
Just used it. Simple process. Does anyone know if you can schedule a payment for a certain date with PayPal?
OzBarginers pay Telstra rates?!?! 0_o
I don't like paying Tel$tra rates, but I can't get a signal near my home or office if I go with Optus/Virgin. When I was with Virgin I used to be able to stand 40m from my local telephone exchange - line of sight to the mobile tower - and get no signal. From what I've heard, Vodafone in my area are just as bad.
You can probably still get a better rate from a wholesaler that uses telstra service.
Which wholesalers use Telstra mobile?
I believe that Aldi has just or is about to become a wholesaler of Telstra Mobile. Sorry, I don't know any more than that. They were flogging mobile phones in the current or last weeks catalogue. They could not fail to be cheaper than big T.
internet and telephone a lot of different ones, mobile there are limited but don't expect 3g or 4g although I hear 3g might be sometime soon with resellers. (edited, found a list for mobile) Here is a list.
Provider Network
Boost Mobile Telstra / Optus
GTMobile Telstra (2G only)
Kogan Mobile Telstra
Lycamobile Telstra (2G only)
Think Mobile Vodafone / Telstra
Ugly Bill Telstra (2G only)
Thanks. After a bit of research, Boost looks the best for 3G access - http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/01/boost-mobiles-unlimited-pr…
Kogan's Telstra 3G is throttled. Not sure about Think's Telstra (Classic 3G plans)
Some OzBargainers got really good Telstra deals (thanks to OzBargain, of course), and are happily paying those 'Telstra rates' cos it's cheaper than anybody else's. Maybe you weren't around when it all went down ;)
Using paypal doesnt mean 1% cheaper compare with VISA card.
for example, earning VISA card points + delay payment (eg: average 30+ days + 30 days (cos telstra charge you the fee 1 month later) = 60 days of 5.40% home load interest rate
= save $0.14 compare with paypal save $0 for my $23.1 bill. which is a 0.63% saving :D
But if you do not have a high interest rate for your cash, and a 55+ days credit card. Then Paypal should save you the 1%!
Ah you pay using your credit card through paypal
I don't think you have understood this at all. You still pay from your credit card, you are just using paypal as the payment gateway to avoid paying the 1 percent fee if you just paid directly from your credit card.
If you've got money in the bank, BPay's free and can be automatically scheduled (via your bank).
Some people just don't get the whole credit card points and 55+ days interest free thing do they…
I bet these sort of people will pay their Telstra bill via PayPal and fund from a bank account. Keep up the good work noobs.
Tell me about it! So frustrating a couple of comments in this thread! Think they are on the wrong site! We are all switched on people here and I'm glad 99% of people show that but there's a couple that just can't understand no matter how many ways it's explained.
You can pay via BPay free with a credit card. I wouldn't dare use Telstra in this day an age, but I have several friends through them that have been doing it for years.
Here we go again lol.
If you go to pay by Bpay with a credit card, through Telstra, it will tell you 'Sorry this merchant does not accept this payment type'
It has been like this for years and years, since 2010 at least.
Would appear you're correct… I didn't proceed far enough through my test submission to get to the rejection. Regardless for my monthly bill with my ISP I'd get the equivalent of around 12 cents of FF points (and 25c of interest for the 30-55 days?)… I'd stick with the convenience of scheduled BPAY (which IS from my credit card anyway with my ISP :P)
I'm confused by this. I know for a fact Paypal charges more fees than credit card dealers…
Would seem they have struck some sort of deal :) That would involved discounted rates for Telstra and what not, in order to get the Paypal brand more exposure.
YEE!
I couldn't find option to do paypal in my account ?
:)
I did that, but no option for paypal
It's right there?
The link redirects to https://www.my.telstra.com.au/myaccount/paybill#empty, when it goes to there is a Payment Method column, third column across
Payment method
Credit card
Bank account
PayPal
I understand the Interest thing - get 62 interest free on a fee free credit card while your funds get bank interest, and then pay on the last day so you would get more bank interest in those 62 days that you have the funds.
But I don't get the mortgage offset thing, how does this work?
I don't have one myself but you can get a bank account with your mortgage called your mortgage offset account. It earns the same interest rate on your money as your paying on your mortgage. So if you have a 200k home loan at 6% and 20k in your bank account, you get 6% interest on your funds, the result being you only pay interest on your mortgage of 180k. The interest rate on a mortgage is of course a bit higher than what you earn at an online saver like ubank or whatever, but the money is still on call. There are other advantage tax wise etc but that's the basic of it.
You usually don't have any interest paid on an offset account.
Yeah, it offsets the interest paid on your mortgage. I was trying to explain it like you earn 6% on your bank balance, which offsets the 6% interest charged on your mortgage for that amount. Ie if you have 20k in the bank and a mortage for 200k, the interest rate earnt and received is the same, so you only get charged interest on your mortgage of 180k (200k home loan - 20k bank balance), in essence earning the same interest rate on your money as you are charged on your mortgage.
I see what you're trying to say but it's confusing.
We have an offset account and it 'offsets' the balance of the mortgage. So in your example, if we have 20k in our offset account and our mortgage balance is 200k, we only pay interest on 180k.
Offset accounts don't accumulate interest - they just reduce the balance of the mortgage.
I think what you're trying to say is that if you have just a normal account with 20k accumulating interest, you can place the earned interest onto the mortgage. But in this case, the account isn't technically an offset account. Also, savings accounts interest rates are lower than home loan interest rates so if you take a stack of cash in an account and a mortgage, you're better off using an offset account.
Sorry if I didn't explain it well but that's what I said:
"so you only get charged interest on your mortgage of 180k (200k home loan - 20k bank balance"
"The interest rate on a mortgage is of course a bit higher than what you earn at an online saver like ubank or whatever"
Thanks for explaining it better :)
You gotta love OzBargain - discussing offset accounts in a Telstra deal. :D
Much better and "accurate" explanation. Maybe hamza23 should regurgitate this next time instead. Just remember hamza23, if you actually "earned interest" then you would likely be taxed on it.
Good deal though.
I like how Telstra doing these days. the Prepaid Encore is a very good value and now this. and the mobile network is very very good and they already planning to upgrade it again. i know they can do a lot more for customer but they really moving in a good direction.
Shame PayPal doesn't accept AMEX (at least I couldn't find the option?). I earn 3 for 1 reward points when using AMEX. With CBA rewards that equates to 0.5 to 0.6c (depending on reward chosen) per point, so around 1.5c per $1 spent. This works out slightly better than if I used my Mastercard with this Paypal deal. Otherwise this would have been great.
Yeah no Amex anymore unfortunately. Hoping they support it again one day.
I have been using 2 AMEX cards on paypal for several years now.
how?
yeah heard about this last week but could not find it?