Paying for postage on 0% purchases card

puk999

Quick question: I just paid for postage on a new credit card I have then had a thought that it might be classed as a cash advance because of some vague idea in my head that stamps were a form of currency! Based on searches it would seem that this might apply if it were a postal order, but not postage. Does anyone here know for sure? It's a Tesco card.

Herbalus

What exactly do you mean? You paid for a parcel/letter to be sent at a post office? That's almost certainly a purchase.

CLAPTON

how much did you spend?

if it is treated as cash how much will it cost you?

Mr_F_Dorsetty

puk999 wrote: »

Quick question: I just paid for postage on a new credit card I have then had a thought that it might be classed as a cash advance because of some vague idea in my head that stamps were a form of currency! Based on searches it would seem that this might apply if it were a postal order, but not postage. Does anyone here know for sure? It's a Tesco card.

You're getting yourself very confused.

Stamps can only be used as a form of currency only if the recipient agrees they will accept postage stamps rather than cash. They at best then can be seen as a bartering tool. Often if someone owed you a tiny sum, say 50p, then sometimes they'd send you a couple of stamps but you'd never buy a McDonalds with stamps.

Postal orders are very different and akin in many ways to a cheque - yet I would still be stunned if any credit card company worked out that a payment request from a Post Office counter for a postal order was somehow a cash advance - you have still only purchased a service at the end of the day. though to be fair it'd be a cheap way to get cash out of a credit card for sure.

So a definite no imo - using your card to pay for postage is a very definite purchase of a service. Even if you had bought £100 worth of stamps, that is still a purchase of a service as a mail stamp is merely a promise of action for a fee.

safestored4

I sell things occasionally on ebay and as I have a cashback credit card with Nat West always pay for the postage with this. This has never been treated as a cash purchase

puk999

Herbalus wrote: »

What exactly do you mean? You paid for a parcel/letter to be sent at a post office? That's almost certainly a purchase.

Yes, I paid for two packages to be sent.

CLAPTON wrote: »

how much did you spend?

if it is treated as cash how much will it cost you?

I spent about £15. Not sure what it would cost me. I just wanted to keep things simple and avoid having to ensure/remember this part of the balance needed to be cleared fully.

Mr_F_Dorsetty wrote: »

You're getting yourself very confused.

Stamps can only be used as a form of currency only if the recipient agrees they will accept postage stamps rather than cash. They at best then can be seen as a bartering tool. Often if someone owed you a tiny sum, say 50p, then sometimes they'd send you a couple of stamps but you'd never buy a McDonalds with stamps.

Postal orders are very different and akin in many ways to a cheque - yet I would still be stunned if any credit card company worked out that a payment request from a Post Office counter for a postal order was somehow a cash advance - you have still only purchased a service at the end of the day. though to be fair it'd be a cheap way to get cash out of a credit card for sure.

So a definite no imo - using your card to pay for postage is a very definite purchase of a service. Even if you had bought £100 worth of stamps, that is still a purchase of a service as a mail stamp is merely a promise of action for a fee.

Thanks for the detailed reply. I think I was worrying about nothing now. My paranoia is based upon previous experience when NatWest used to charge people for purchasing currency on their debit card. Sometimes these charges are pretty unexpected.

Fingerbobs

This thread intrigues me because I wasn't aware that the Post Office accepted credit cards, or I assumed they would levy a surcharge for credit card payments. If you could buy postal orders using a credit card without incurring any additional fees, I'd be in there every day buying postal orders!

reclusive46

Fingerbobs wrote: »

This thread intrigues me because I wasn't aware that the Post Office accepted credit cards, or I assumed they would levy a surcharge for credit card payments. If you could buy postal orders using a credit card without incurring any additional fees, I'd be in there every day buying postal orders!

It depends on the post office. Two of the three near me take credit cards. They don't charge any fees for paying with one unless its something for the DVLA.

JacksterD

Paying for postage (either labelled parcels or basic stamps) in the Post Office does not count as a cash advance and can be paid for, without surcharge, by either debit or credit card.

Postal Orders can only be purchased with cash or a debit card at the Post Office. I think it's only Postal Orders and bill payments which can't be paid for with a credit card.

The only thing which carries an extra fee for paying by credit card at the Post Office is road tax.

puk999

Fingerbobs wrote: »

This thread intrigues me because I wasn't aware that the Post Office accepted credit cards, or I assumed they would levy a surcharge for credit card payments.

I was doing a lot of eBaying a few years back and seem to remember them saying they would charge a fee if I paid by credit card. I was surprised when I asked on Monday and the guy said it was fine. Possibly they changed policy on this.

reclusive46

puk999 wrote: »

I was doing a lot of eBaying a few years back and seem to remember them saying they would charge a fee if I paid by credit card. I was surprised when I asked on Monday and the guy said it was fine. Possibly they changed policy on this.

You've got to remember most post offices are owned privately and some of them don't want to pay the extra fee so some will say "oh I might have to charge extra, do you have a debit card?" or even say they don't accept credit cards when they do. There system doesn't allow any extra charge other than for DVLA related items.