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tradesman won't accept credit card

Hi I wanted to take advantage of 15 months interest free credit by paying a tradesman by credit card. I know I should have checked before hand that he takes them, anyway he doesn't. Is there any other way I could get round this without paying a lot of interest? I had thought of a balance transfer to my bank account and then paying him by cheque but would that mean that I would need to pay off the money within a month plus be hit by a balance transfer fee?
I would be grateful for any advice as in a bit of a pickle! :o
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Comments

  • CLAPTON
    CLAPTON Posts: 41,865 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    depending upon how much money you are talking about, you can simply make all your spending on the card and then use the money 'saved' to pay the tradesman
  • warwicktiger
    warwicktiger Posts: 1,106 Forumite
    I'm a tradesman, but do not accept cards, it would cost me £20-30 per month plus around 2% of all transactions to do so!
  • Swans1912
    Swans1912 Posts: 1,658 Forumite
    I'm a tradesman, but do not accept cards, it would cost me £20-30 per month plus around 2% of all transactions to do so!

    Can't you just add a small surcharge on to the amount if that is the case?
  • marvin
    marvin Posts: 2,187 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    The way I did this (only partial I know) was to get the tradesman to put all the bits required on a cash account at the builders merchants which I ring up and settle the account with my card only part being paid in cash is the tradesman's time.

    On the work I was having done the supplies were about 2/3 of the total bill and the time was about 1/3rd. I did it this way to get cashback rather than take advantage of 0% as I paid the full credit card bill in cash at the month end.
    I started with nothing and I am proud to say I still have most of it left.
  • Wrexhamed
    Wrexhamed Posts: 104 Forumite
    CLAPTON wrote: »
    depending upon how much money you are talking about, you can simply make all your spending on the card and then use the money 'saved' to pay the tradesman

    Thanks for the replies, it's just over 2000 so a bit more than what would be coming in but yeah that Might be the best way provided he is willing to wait til the end of the month for payment.
    So stupid that I didn't check with him first
  • YorkshireBoy
    YorkshireBoy Posts: 31,541 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Wrexhamed wrote: »
    Hi I wanted to take advantage of 15 months interest free credit by paying a tradesman by credit card.
    You haven't said which card you've got, but hopefully it's either a Tesco or M&S card?

    If that's the case there's a possible workaround. :)
  • Gromitt
    Gromitt Posts: 5,063 Forumite
    iKennett wrote: »
    Can't you just add a small surcharge on to the amount if that is the case?

    So one person wants to pay by CC in a month, so you charge them £30 surcharge for a credit card as that is what it would cost you to process it. I don't think the customer will accept, and since you don't know when someone else will pay by CC, you can't spread it over multiple people.

    If you got an M&S card, get some travellers cheques and then cash them in at the bank. Last time I checked, that was free, or at the most, 1%.
  • Wrexhamed
    Wrexhamed Posts: 104 Forumite
    You haven't said which card you've got, but hopefully it's either a Tesco or M&S card?

    If that's the case there's a possible workaround. :)

    yep it is an M and S card
  • loopy136
    loopy136 Posts: 85 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    If you got a virgin or Mbna card they could transfer the money into your accound for a fee. But that way you could have months to pay it off, usually interest free periods available too.
    Hopeful optimistic. 
  • InsideInsurance
    InsideInsurance Posts: 22,460 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Of cause you could ask to see if he is willing to accept payment by PayPal and do it that way but expect to be asked to pay the 2.9% transaction fee

    You would then lose your S75 protection etc but on the basis you are talking about interest free and not !!! covering that possibly isnt a concern to you
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