Avoiding credit card surcharge

[Waspy1]

I need a new garage roof (£1500)

I want to use my credit card to pay for it.

The roofer charges a 2% surcharge on credit cards.

How can I avoid this?

[Stevenj214]

Pay by Debit Card, Cheque or Cash. HTH

[Waspy1]

Thanks for the reply, but I don't have the cash.

I have 3 credit cards with zero balance ontstanding, I'm just trying to figure out some way to pay without incurring this 2% extra.

[PugwasHDJ80]

Don't see how you can

he's passing on his credit card charge to you- otherwise it comes off his bottom line, and if he doesn't do many card transactions then he won't have costed these charges into his quote.

In this case, sounds fair that he would pass these charges on (car dealers tend to do the same thing!)

You could offer to pay half the charges in cash....

[scotal]

Waspy1 said:

£1500

2%

£30, errmmmmmmm "get over it"?

[Waspy1]

scotal said:

£30, errmmmmmmm "get over it"?

yeah, fair enough but it feels like throwing 30 quid away, oh well.

[scotal]

Waspy1 said:

yeah, fair enough but it feels like throwing 30 quid away, oh well.

Think of it as part of the cost of the roof. If the guy had quoted you £1530 all in, no credit card surchage, it wouldnt be bothering you.

[Wings]

Can you not transfer monies from 0% credit card to current account, then use debit card to pay for garage roof.

[cs174]

Wings said:

Can you not transfer monies from 0% credit card to current account, then use debit card to pay for garage roof.

That would be a cash advance on the credit card and will cost alot more than 30 quid.

[Wings]

cs174 said:

That would be a cash advance on the credit card and will cost alot more than 30 quid.

Not so, one of the main Uk banks has a credit card where the transfer fee is only 1.5%.

[wattsm666]

So 1.5% of £1,500 is £22.50 rather than £30.00......I don't think we are talking about amounts that will save the Greek economy.

[northandy]

Pay for the work in cash, then use credit card for normal shopping up to £1500.

[sinizter]

northandy said:

Pay for the work in cash, then use credit card for normal shopping up to £1500.

This.

Put your regular spending on your card, effectively transferring money to your account - It's slower than a straight transfer or spending the large amount on your card.

Or talk roofer into knocking £30.00 off.

[Wings]

wattsm666 said:

So 1.5% of £1,500 is £22.50 rather than £30.00......I don't think we are talking about amounts that will save the Greek economy.

Absolutely correct, for me it is not about the amount, but the principle of the retailer/trader wanting to pass on these charges to their customers. In these times of difficult trading, as a trader/retailer 3% credit card charges, i could absorb, carry just to get a sale.

[cs174]

Wings said:

Not so, one of the main Uk banks has a credit card where the transfer fee is only 1.5%.

Isn't that transferring TO the credit card rather than from?

[AndyT77]

scotal said:

£30, errmmmmmmm "get over it"?

This.