[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

We have a Dicks sporting goods Credit Card through Synchrony Bank. I have it set up to automatically pay the balance each month by debiting our Bank of America checking account, but they still send me a monthly statement in the mail free of charge. I would dump them if they refused to send me a free monthly statement as I like to go through all the charges each month and file the statement for my records. I’m not interested in logging into yet another account each month and have to print out the statement for my records.

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Agreed saves me the trouble from printing out the statement.

Print???? Just save it to an external hard drive, disconnect that drive when not in use.

[Mrmean58]

Originally Posted by LuvtheVillages

I recently received a similar notice for my Bealls store card. They will impose a $3 fee for each statement unless I sign up for paperless billing.

The only reason I have the card is because it is linked to their rewards program. With the statement I sometimes get a credit for my next purchase, the amount based upon how much I have spent recently.

So I signed up for paperless. Not happy about it as it is too easy to miss the email announcement that the statement is ready among the onslaught of emails I receive. However I refuse to set up automatic payments. I want to see and verify the accuracy of the bill before I pay it.

We will see how this goes.

You will get an E statement earlier than a statement sent via snail mail. You actually get more days to verify the accuracy of the charges before the auto payment comes out of your account.

[nn0wheremann]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Over the last several months several stores we deal with have been using or changed to using Synchrony Bank, which has in turn imposed a $2 per statement fee unless you use paperless banking.
Here is my question: if your account has a zero balance and you have not signed up for the paperless banking do you still get a $2/monthly charge?
My analysis is that I can use my money back credit card instead of the store card and come out ahead on most accounts and most months. Based on this I am planning on dropping most if not all of the store credit cards and just use the money back card.

Thank you for your info and thoughts.

You are right. We use the Synchrony/Sams Club card for gasoline purchases, and restaurant purchases because of the 5% rebate. That has been better than 15 cents a gallon. Using the Loves truck stop app or Walmart+ appgets an additional 10 cents a gallon off the price. The rebate is only usefil at Sam’s Club, but we have no trouble spending that much there, and it more than pays the membership fee. So far, no fees from Synchrony, but I download a PDF statement.
Otherwise, we use the cash back card. We reserve a third card for online purchases, too.

[dcianciolo]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Over the last several months several stores we deal with have been using or changed to using Synchrony Bank, which has in turn imposed a $2 per statement fee unless you use paperless banking.
Here is my question: if your account has a zero balance and you have not signed up for the paperless banking do you still get a $2/monthly charge?
My analysis is that I can use my money back credit card instead of the store card and come out ahead on most accounts and most months. Based on this I am planning on dropping most if not all of the store credit cards and just use the money back card.

Thank you for your info and thoughts.

Unfortunately that paper reminder is going to be history. Anytime I miss the "going paperless" notification from a company and receive that $2 charge, I call them and have them waive the fee.

[nn0wheremann]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Wait till you see the hoops to go through to pay by check, and the fact that if you setup a password through Bealls to get to Synchrony, you will also get any other linked accounts, and if you accidently setup a password through say Lowes, your Bealls password will no longer work. Then we found an additional account linked that neither me or my wife have ever heard of. Called Synchrony and they said ' Oh yeah there is a problem, we are working on this!!!!!'

Not good. When we got the Sam’s account through Synchrony, we discovered an old long forgotten Bealls account. We just closed it.
AMEX is offering an affinity card with Marriott Bonvoy that might be worthwhile, no fees and enough sign-up points for about 5 nights free lodging.

[dtennent]

Since we are now paperless for all of our bills, we have 2 ways to remind us to pay credit cards online.
1) Put a recurring reminder on your electronic calendar to pay the bills.
2) We have a white board calendar which we have all of our appointments, meetings, tee times, etc for the month. Along side that, I have the monthly due date for the credit cards.

On the average month, I check each account twice. Given the amount of fraud, it is a small layer of protection.

[meachemjs]

I just make a note on my ToDo list to pay the bill a couple of days after I use the card. It takes 1-2 days to post. I don’t wait for the email. Works great.

[greenhillsgirl]

I’ve canceled my 3 store cards, Synchrony being one of them. I’m over the store rewards…they are not really rewards anyway.

[Ken D.]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

We have a Dicks sporting goods Credit Card through Synchrony Bank. I have it set up to automatically pay the balance each month by debiting our Bank of America checking account, but they still send me a monthly statement in the mail free of charge. I would dump them if they refused to send me a free monthly statement as I like to go through all the charges each month and file the statement for my records. I’m not interested in logging into yet another account each month and have to print out the statement for my records.

Try viewing only, why print the statement?

[larrycrilley@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Over the last several months several stores we deal with have been using or changed to using Synchrony Bank, which has in turn imposed a $2 per statement fee unless you use paperless banking.
Here is my question: if your account has a zero balance and you have not signed up for the paperless banking do you still get a $2/monthly charge?
My analysis is that I can use my money back credit card instead of the store card and come out ahead on most accounts and most months. Based on this I am planning on dropping most if not all of the store credit cards and just use the money back card.

Thank you for your info and thoughts.

An actuary once told me use my Amex for everything I possibly can. “If you have to pay for something why not get something in return” were her words. She said she had enough points to cover two round-trip first class airfares anywhere on earth. I have been following her advice, and now I am redeeming my points for a fly/drive trip from San Francisco to San Diego and onto the Grand Canyon…all on points I have accumulated. The fights, the hotels, and the car rental inclusive. I even received a few upgrades and perks just for being a member.

The best advice is to use the card then go into your online checking and send them the payment right away. No big surprises at the end of the month and no interest charge.

We even has some left over points and points from other cards that can be used if need be.

California here we come!

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Over the last several months several stores we deal with have been using or changed to using Synchrony Bank, which has in turn imposed a $2 per statement fee unless you use paperless banking.
Here is my question: if your account has a zero balance and you have not signed up for the paperless banking do you still get a $2/monthly charge?
My analysis is that I can use my money back credit card instead of the store card and come out ahead on most accounts and most months. Based on this I am planning on dropping most if not all of the store credit cards and just use the money back card.

Thank you for your info and thoughts.

I'm confused. Why not just sign up for paperless banking?

I don't have any store cards, but I do have a second credit card that I occasionally use for risky online purchases. When I do, I make an immediate online bill payment for that amount from my checking account, so my balance goes to zero. I never need to deal with a monthly statement for that card. Credit card companies will accept a payment at any time or multiple payments, regardless of the statement date.

[cphubbell@aol.com]

[B]Here is my question: if your account has a zero balance and you have not signed up for the paperless banking do you still get a $2/monthly charge?

Lowe’s notified us a few months ago that they would charge for paper statements. We have had a zero a balance with them since then and have not received any statements.

I haven’t cancelled the card but I certainly would if I got a zero balance statement with a printing charge and I doubt I’d be alone in that action.

[Justputt]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Over the last several months several stores we deal with have been using or changed to using Synchrony Bank, which has in turn imposed a $2 per statement fee unless you use paperless banking.
Here is my question: if your account has a zero balance and you have not signed up for the paperless banking do you still get a $2/monthly charge?
My analysis is that I can use my money back credit card instead of the store card and come out ahead on most accounts and most months. Based on this I am planning on dropping most if not all of the store credit cards and just use the money back card.

Thank you for your info and thoughts.

I'd be curious how dropping them all impacts your credit rating. I was always told credit, length of credit, and balance impact the rating, as well as too many credit cards impact it too.

[Lea N]

Originally Posted by LuvtheVillages

I recently received a similar notice for my Bealls store card. They will impose a $3 fee for each statement unless I sign up for paperless billing.

The only reason I have the card is because it is linked to their rewards program. With the statement I sometimes get a credit for my next purchase, the amount based upon how much I have spent recently.

So I signed up for paperless. Not happy about it as it is too easy to miss the email announcement that the statement is ready among the onslaught of emails I receive. However I refuse to set up automatic payments. I want to see and verify the accuracy of the bill before I pay it.

We will see how this goes.

If it doesn't work out well maybe setting up an email for this account only and just check it around the time they send statements out.

[RoseyRed]

great advice!