The College Investor

Millennial Personal Finance and Investing Blog

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • About
  • Products
  • Free Tools
  • Contact
  • Escape Student Loan Debt
  • Start Investing
  • How To Earn More Money
  • Save More Money
  • Forum
Home » Credit » Best Credit Cards » Cash Back » How You Can Pay Rent With A Credit Card

How You Can Pay Rent With A Credit Card

Last Updated On October 5, 2019 Robert Farrington Leave a Comment

This article contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.

Pay Rent With A Credit Card

If you’ve cashed in on the rewards provided with credit card points, no doubt you look for every way possible to pay for every single expense with a credit card. That's why we're thinking about how you can pay rent with a credit card.

When using your credit card as your debit card, you rack up a lot of points for expenses you have to make anyway. Things such as gas, groceries and dining out could be paid with a credit card and your rewards just pile up!

Well that’s fine and dandy, but what about your larger expenses, such as rent? Being able to pay larger expenses with a credit card would definitely give your points balance a boost!

Most landlords don’t accept credit cards as a form of payment, so that pretty much throws that idea out the window right? Not so fast! There is a workaround to being able to pay bills with a credit card, that normally do not accept credit cards as payment.

Quick Navigation
How To Pay Rent With A Credit Card
What To Consider When Choosing A Credit Card
My Picks For Best Cards To Use To Pay Rent
Final Thoughts

How To Pay Rent With A Credit Card

Many companies have come and gone that allow you to use credit cards to pay bills, but not all have withstood the test of time. Plastiq is a popular site that allows you to pay just about any bill with your credit card, for a fee.

Using Plastiq is easy. Just set up an account, enter your bill recipient’s information and pay them via Plastiq. Plastiq then sends them a check for the amount you requested. This opens up a whole new list of opportunities to earn more points. You’re able to pay bills such as your rent, mortgage, taxes, tuition, utilities, insurance, contractors and the list goes on and on. As you can see, your point earning ability has grown exponentially.

Plastiq accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover for bill payments. There are some restrictions when paying mortgages where you’re not allowed to pay with Visa or American Express. If you’re paying rent though, you should be ok with whatever your preferred card is. 

One downside to be aware of are the fees associated with Plastiq. The standard credit card fee is 2.5% of your total payment. If paying your rent this could be a substantial fee. However, there are a few ways to reduce or eliminate the fees. Plastiq will often times run promotions to lower your fees when paying bills in certain categories. Taking advantage of these promotions can significantly reduce the fees you pay.

Not paying a fee seems more exciting to me and there is a way to achieve this. Plastiq has a generous referral program to where you and the person you refer could earn “Fee Free Dollars”. The amount of Fee Free Dollars you earn has changed over time for each referral, but the more people you refer, the more Fee Free Dollars you earn to pay your bills for “free”.

So, by signing up with Plastiq here, we'll get $1,000 fee free dollars, and you'll get $500 fee free dollars just to start! Check out Plastiq here.

What To Consider When Choosing A Credit Card

Here’s where it gets interesting. The card you choose to pay your bills ultimately depends on you and your future goals with your credit card rewards. Some people prefer travel rewards while others prefer cash back.

Regardless of which points you collect, there are a couple of things to consider. Both of these things go hand in hand when making your decision. One thing to consider is if the points you earn will offset the fees from Plastiq. If you don’t pay fees on your bill payment then it’s a no-brainer, but if you pay a full or reduced fee, make sure to crunch the numbers to make sure that you’re coming out ahead. 

Another thing to think about is how many points will you earn with your rent payment? Depending on your card’s earning structure, you could earn multiple points per dollar spent. Some cards offer a flat rate of points earned on each dollar spent, while other cards offer bonus categories where you could earn more than the base rate per dollar spent. The more points you earn helps offset those fees!

My Picks For Best Cards To Use To Pay Rent

With that said, here are a few cards that I like when paying bills on Plastiq.

First is the Chase Freedom Unlimited. This card earns allows you to earn DOUBLE cash back on your first $20,000 in purchases - which is a fantastic offer for paying rent. That means you get 3% cash back on that first $20,000. Learn more here >>

If cashback is more your thing, then I’d definitely go with the Capital One® Quicksilver®. This is another no annual fee card that has a great earning rate. You earn 1.5% cash back on all of your spending, and you get a one-time $150 cash back bonus when you spend $500 on the card. Imagine getting a $150 rebate on your rent? That's huge! ​Learn more here >>

Final Thoughts

Being responsible with your spending doesn’t have to be such a bore. You can benefit greatly with credit card rewards all while staying within your budget. Making all of your purchases with credit cards, even those bills that traditionally haven’t allowed you to pay with a credit card, allows you to earn many more points than before. So, what are you going to do with your increase in credit card rewards?

Pay Rent With A Credit Card

Filed Under: Cash Back Tagged With: Credit Card
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

About Robert Farrington

Robert Farrington is America's Millennial Money Expert, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him here.

One of his favorite tools is Personal Capital, which enables him to manage his finances in just 15-minutes each month. Best of all - it's free!

He is also diversifying his investment portfolio by adding a little bit of real estate. But not rental homes, because he doesn't want a second job, it's diversified small investments in a mix of properties through Fundrise. Worth a look if you're looking for a low dollar way to invest in real estate.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


  • Popular Posts

    • 3 Ways To Make $50,000 Per Year Without Working With Passive Income
    • Side Hustle Ideas: 50+ Ways To Make Money Fast
    • 30 Passive Income Ideas You Can Use to Build Real Wealth
    • Secret Ways To Get Student Loan Forgiveness
    • Top Student Loan Scams
    • The Best Investing Blogs Of 2019 (and more great reads)
    • The Top Ways To Get Student Loan Forgiveness
    • 5 Personal Finance Habits That Will Make You Rich
    • The Full List Of Student Loan Forgiveness Programs By State
    • FedLoan Servicing – The Worst Student Loan Servicer
  • Fun Resources

    • The College Investor Audio Show Podcast
    • Student Loan Debt Movement
    • 2019 Side Hustlin’ Student Scholarship Finalists
    • Online Brokerage Comparison Tool – Find The Best Stock Broker For You
    • The Full List Of Student Loan Refinancing Companies
    • Tax Help Center
    • Daily Investing Tips
  • Ultimate Guides

    • The Definitive Guide To Student Loan Debt: Everything To Know About Your Loans
    • The Full List Of Student Loan Forgiveness Programs By State
    • Student Loan And Financial Aid Programs By State
    • The Ultimate IRA Contribution Guide
    • The Ultimate Guide to Saving For Retirement
    • The Ultimate College Internship Guide

Search

Credit Cards

  • The Top 10 Best Rewards Credit Cards
  • The Top 10 Cash Back Credit Cards
  • The Best Credit Cards To Maximize Travel Rewards
  • The Best Travel Credit Card Reward Strategy
  • Top Small Business Credit Cards
  • Best Balance Transfer Cards
  • Best Student Credit Cards

Banking

  • The Best Free Checking Accounts For December 2019
  • The Best Online Banks For Your Money In 2019
  • The Best Bank CD Rates Of December 2019 (updated daily)
  • Top 10 Best Money Market Accounts For December 2019 (Updated!)
  • 10 Best High Yield Savings Accounts Of December 2019 (Rates Updated Daily)
  • The Best Checking and Saving Account Bank Bonus Offers

Student Loans

  • The 10 Best Places To Refinance Student Loans In December 2019
  • Best Private Student Loans To Pay For College In December 2019
  • How To Find The Best Student Loans And Rates In 2019

Investing

  • Best Online Stock Brokers In 2019 (According To Readers)
  • The Best Places To Open An HSA (Health Savings Account)
  • The Top Five Best Investing Apps That Let You Invest For Free In 2019
  • How To Buy Stocks Online For Free

Insurance

  • The Top 10 Online Life Insurance Companies
  • The Ultimate Guide To Renters Insurance – Everything You Need To Know
  • The Cheapest Car Insurance For College Students
The College Investor

At The College Investor, we are deeply committed to helping you make more money by getting out of student loan debt and starting to invest to build wealth.

 

COPYRIGHT © 2009 – 2019 THE COLLEGE INVESTOR

Guides And Resources

  • The Definitive Guide To Student Loan Debt: Everything To Know About Your Loans
  • Student Loan Forgiveness Programs By State
  • Best Student Loan Refinancing Companies
  • 30 Passive Income Ideas You Can Use to Build Real Wealth
  • 80 Different Ways To Get Student Loan Forgiveness
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

  • How We Make Money
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Archives
  • Advertise
  • Press Page