How Long do You Wait to Make Final Payment?

[barbeyg]

4 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

I get 2% minimum back on every purchase I make.  My credit rating is almost perfect.  

 

JC

I could have written your post for the most part, other than I pay the cruise off the day before due date, just in case something comes up that distracts me. And like you, I want to make money off my spending. 👍🏼

[xpcdoojk]

2 hours ago, barbeyg said:

I could have written your post for the most part, other than I pay the cruise off the day before due date, just in case something comes up that distracts me. And like you, I want to make money off my spending. 👍🏼

It is simple economics.  I use credit cards that reflect what I like to spend money on.  The hotel credit cards and airline credit cards are the least used and most often cancelled.  Why, because they have an upfront fee, associated with them.  AA Citi cards for example, give you a free checked bag for everyone traveling with me.  Usually the DW and I, that saves about $100 per trip. The annual cost of the card is (I think $95).  One trip it pays for itself. During covid, I cancelled hers and mine, along with all of our hotel cards.  After Covid, I reopened them taking advantage of offers for 50,000 miles or some number of point nights.  Hotel cards, offer a free night each year, and a large number of points if you make say $3000 worth of purchases in the first three months.  Again, another free night.  I use these cards to make the bonus, and when I book a hotel.  Other than that they are just there in case I need them.  My splurge card is the Amex Centurion card, because I really like their lounges when I travel, there are other perks like OBC for cruises, and paying for Global Entry or TSA Pre check or Clear, etc.  I get a $15 a month UBER credit, and some other perks of declining value.  I was really PO’d this year when they declared you had to use $3000 a month to get others into the Centurion Lounge.  I almost cancelled this extremely costly card, and switched to the new Capital One card or the Admirals lounge version of AA, but I really don’t like their lounges, and I really like the Centurion Lounge.  In February, I will probably pay to get her a personal card in order to continue using their lounge.  Either that or I will have to use the Platinum card more.  

 

It is complicated but simple, if they pass my personal cost benefit analysis I use them if they fail I cancel them.  I never use cash…. Except my favorite Chinese lunch restaurant (operated by a Vietnamese family) where they want us to use cash, because they don’t want to pay 3% to the credit card company.  I help them out , despite my own personal interest, and pay cash.  I am such a humanitarian and all around good guy!🤣

 

jc

 

 

[GGLC]

12 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

Is the 31st on a weekend? If yes, I wouldn't risk it as it may not post until the Monday. I like to do it a day or 2 ahead just so I don't forget on the day of. 

31st is on a monday 

[1interpreter]

We always pay ours either the day before or the day that final payment is due. This allows us the chance to call as often as we want up to that point and check and see if the price has dropped and get it adjusted (something you can't do after final payment). We always book direct so we don't have to deal with any extra fees of having our TA adjust the rate because the price dropped. I know some do that.

[LEMJMcC]

2 minutes ago, 1interpreter said:

We always pay ours either the day before or the day that final payment is due. This allows us the chance to call as often as we want up to that point and check and see if the price has dropped and get it adjusted (something you can't do after final payment). We always book direct so we don't have to deal with any extra fees of having our TA adjust the rate because the price dropped. I know some do that.

Yeah, I called last week to check and the price of our cabin class dramatically increased!  I mean like two-fold!  Though I was able to take advantage of some price drops in the previous months!

[JOHN 57]

Our final payment was due 16 October, which we paid in full for Adventure of the Seas, so we are ready to go

[NoShoes2]

Usually a day or two before due.

 

[RedIguana]

23 hours ago, LEMJMcC said:

Though sometimes I wonder if I ought to have a second as a back up in case my primary quits working...

One piece of advice I give to first time cruisers is to never carry the card you are using for your shipboard account off the ship in ports. Use different cards shoreside vs shipboard in case something happens which may require cancelling a card. Multiple cards also improves your credit scores.

[Cigar King]

There's no downside to paying the final balance off a few days early.

[barbeyg]

23 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

It is simple economics.  I use credit cards that reflect what I like to spend money on.  The hotel credit cards and airline credit cards are the least used and most often cancelled.  Why, because they have an upfront fee, associated with them.  AA Citi cards for example, give you a free checked bag for everyone traveling with me.  Usually the DW and I, that saves about $100 per trip. The annual cost of the card is (I think $95).  One trip it pays for itself. During covid, I cancelled hers and mine, along with all of our hotel cards.  After Covid, I reopened them taking advantage of offers for 50,000 miles or some number of point nights.  Hotel cards, offer a free night each year, and a large number of points if you make say $3000 worth of purchases in the first three months.  Again, another free night.  I use these cards to make the bonus, and when I book a hotel.  Other than that they are just there in case I need them.  My splurge card is the Amex Centurion card, because I really like their lounges when I travel, there are other perks like OBC for cruises, and paying for Global Entry or TSA Pre check or Clear, etc.  I get a $15 a month UBER credit, and some other perks of declining value.  I was really PO’d this year when they declared you had to use $3000 a month to get others into the Centurion Lounge.  I almost cancelled this extremely costly card, and switched to the new Capital One card or the Admirals lounge version of AA, but I really don’t like their lounges, and I really like the Centurion Lounge.  In February, I will probably pay to get her a personal card in order to continue using their lounge.  Either that or I will have to use the Platinum card more.  

 

It is complicated but simple, if they pass my personal cost benefit analysis I use them if they fail I cancel them.  I never use cash…. Except my favorite Chinese lunch restaurant (operated by a Vietnamese family) where they want us to use cash, because they don’t want to pay 3% to the credit card company.  I help them out , despite my own personal interest, and pay cash.  I am such a humanitarian and all around good guy!🤣

 

jc

 

 

Yeah, I’m not happy about the spend needed on the Platinum either to bring a guest into the Centurion starting next year.  Like you, that’s my splurge card, and I love the bennies, but it doesn’t offer the points I want, except for flights.  I told Ken I would get him an AU card when I’m offered 20k or 30k points to add him. 😂 He didn’t think that was funny for some reason.  

[ihate2cruise]

A few weeks before it's due. For our peace of mind.

[Sunshine3601]

On 10/26/2022 at 1:29 PM, BND said:

We have a couple of back up cards.  Our primary one is our Amtrak Rewards MC.  Just on Sunday, Amtrak moved banks for their cards.  Our new one was declined yesterday when I got my hair done.  DH called and was sent to the fraud dept.  The explanation:  algorithms haven't figured out spending patterns so it was seeing small purchases as evidence of fraud.  DH decided Sun/Mon would be a good time to buy about 15   $.99 books for his Kindle so they shut the card off.  I was pissed as we lost out on over 250 Amtrak reward points from my hair appt.  I had to use another card.  They turned it back on and it worked for the $75 groceries I bought today.  I just hope it doesn't give us problems on our upcoming trip.  We leave on Halloween for 5 days in FL and then a b2b on Jewel.  No way the algorithm can know spending patterns it's never seen, sigh...

 

Anyway, in my experience most people pay off their cruise at least a couple of days before like we do, just in case something happens.  

You may want to call your credit card company and have noted on acct you will be traveling.

Prior to chip cards I would do this to make sure charges were not flagged or declined.

 

I usually make final payment 1 or 2 days in advance if a week day.  If final falls on a weekend then I may pay 3 days in advance.

Edited October 28, 2022 by Sunshine3601

[BND]

18 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

You may want to call your credit card company and have noted on acct you will be traveling.

Prior to chip cards I would do this to make sure charges were not flagged or declined.

 

I usually make final payment 1 or 2 days in advance if a week day.  If final falls on a weekend then I may pay 3 days in advance.

Um, we know that.  Not like we're new.  DH told them when he talked to them, but that didn't seem to be an issue.  Everything is working fine now.  My point was about the algorithm.  It's not like we haven't traveled many times and know the process.  

[Engineroom Snipe]

Just a small little note: RCI had an outage that caused extreme stress for many customers today.

 

Some were checking in, some where trying to do their final payments on the last day available.

 

Food for thought, is it worth the stress of waiting for the final day for payment when some computer outages seem to be rather random and unpredictable? I for one would not want to risk my vacation for trying to save 2/365ths of an interest payment. Think about all of the money that one waste on so many things.  This subject is a moot point to anyone who studies economics.

 

How much money is lost by paying a bill two days early? I want a spreadsheet of a year's worth of bills showing me the efficiency of waiting until the very last minute to pay their bills and how much money was saved.  0.7% maybe? I want to see how the meager savings by waiting until the last minute is invested wisely and yields such significant results against knowing that the ultimate goal was achieved: my vacation is finalized and I am less stressed about the outcome.

[Sunshine3601]

8 minutes ago, BND said:

Um, we know that.  Not like we're new.  DH told them when he talked to them, but that didn't seem to be an issue.  Everything is working fine now.  My point was about the algorithm.  It's not like we haven't traveled many times and know the process.  

You would be surprised not everyone knows that.   I was simply making a suggestion.

[xpcdoojk]

So, here is a funny story… about credit card declines.  I opened a Marriott card recently to take advantage of their points offer (the last of our hotel cards I have restarted now that Covid is not dominating travel), in my wife’s name since it is on our Marriott account.  So in order to hit the $3000 in 3 months threshold to get the points, I booked tickets on StubHub to go back to my grad school for basketball games over the Xmas break at UNC.  They were not cheap tickets, so after booking the first game I tried to buy more tickets for the next game.  Card declined.  Fine, switched to my Amex Platinum card tickets secured.  Tried to buy something else, declined, a week went buy.  I call the 800 number.  Yes, you keep declining my charges. (During this time I paid the bill, paid the total balance including the Stubhub purchases figured this would resolve the problem). Wrong!!!  The person on the other end will only communicate with my wife who doesn’t pay the bills or create the accounts.  So, this morning I pulled out the card and tell her to call the 800 number on the back to talk to them about the holds.  they recount all of my failed attempts to use the card.  They asked her about each attempted transaction.  She said, we have paid for all of the transactions that went thru, why would you not reopen the card?  They continued down the list. 

 

At the end the card has been reopened.  This is Chase, whom when we had a mortgage they were it.  Such a Collossal pain.  

 

JC

[xpcdoojk]

2 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Just a small little note: RCI had an outage that caused extreme stress for many customers today.

 

Some were checking in, some where trying to do their final payments on the last day available.

 

Food for thought, is it worth the stress of waiting for the final day for payment when some computer outages seem to be rather random and unpredictable? I for one would not want to risk my vacation for trying to save 2/365ths of an interest payment. Think about all of the money that one waste on so many things.  This subject is a moot point to anyone who studies economics.

 

How much money is lost by paying a bill two days early? I want a spreadsheet of a year's worth of bills showing me the efficiency of waiting until the very last minute to pay their bills and how much money was saved.  0.7% maybe? I want to see how the meager savings by waiting until the last minute is invested wisely and yields such significant results against knowing that the ultimate goal was achieved: my vacation is finalized and I am less stressed about the outcome.

None, but it was their issue, somehow I am guessing it will mostly all work out.  Contracts are set up to protect each party if I show I have done my part of the bargain, I am pretty sure the courts will agree with me, that any action on their part to my detriment will turn out in my favor.

 

Yesterday a train in a theme park that I rode when I was 5 (I am 63) crashed and sent 7 people to a hospital.  Should I plan my life around something that happens 1 time in 58 years?  

 

I am just going to continue to follow the terms of the contract, and let the chips fall where they may.

 

jc

[Engineroom Snipe]

2 minutes ago, xpcdoojk said:

None, but it was their issue, somehow I am guessing it will mostly all work out.  Contracts are set up to protect each party if I show I have done my part of the bargain, I am pretty sure the courts will agree with me, that any action on their part to my detriment will turn out in my favor.

 

Yesterday a train in a theme park that I rode when I was 5 (I am 63) crashed and sent 7 people to a hospital.  Should I plan my life around something that happens 1 time in 58 years?  

 

I am just going to continue to follow the terms of the contract, and let the chips fall where they may.

 

 

JC, my post was not in response to you or your post. Please accept my apologies if you thought such. It was a general comment about some posters who think those who do not wait until the last day to pay bills are fools.

[Missusdubbya]

On 10/27/2022 at 12:55 AM, LEMJMcC said:

and I only have the one

nightmare fuel

[Tin can]

Just in case anyone is wondering what happens if you don’t pay by the date this is our experience.
 

 Our plans changed with a cruise and  booking in the UK we knew we would lose our deposit so thought that would be it, the cruise would be automatically cancelled for us.

 

I was amazed to get a call two weeks after final payment date from Miami (bearing in mind we are UK based) asking if we had forgotten to pay it and would we like to do it now.

 

I explained our plans had changed, we would like to cancel and that was that. 

 

I’m not sure if this happens all the time or whether it’s a UK thing as we have different booking terms.

 

 

[LEMJMcC]

I made the final payment yesterday, even though it wasn't due until 11/7; now it's done and I have nothing to worry about except losing the weight I will likely gain on the seven-night cruise with the UDP!😁

 

I do appreciate the comments about having a secondary, back-up credit card.  I think I'll dig around for a good cashback card.

 

Thanks all!

[BecciBoo]

Gotta be careful though.  My cruise bud usually waits until she gets that email notice from RCCL, but this last cruise, the day we were supposed to print up the luggage tags, there was no cruise on her account!  She said she never got the email so she forgot to pay it...yep, they DO cancel those!  She was able to get an ocean view on deck 3 at the last minute, but not the JS she originally had...what an unhappy camper...caveat emptor!.  Lesson learned, put that final payment date on your phone reminder.

 

I am so ACD, I would never forget that date.  Usually pay it off the week before so I can get adjustments as others have said.

[cruiselvr04]

I put a reminder to pay about 5 days before it’s due in my phone.  I do also pay attention to the billing cycle on the CC when possible.  
 

 

[Cruise a holic]

On 10/26/2022 at 9:00 AM, LEMJMcC said:

My final payment due date is just around the corner.  I normally pay the remaining balance a few days ahead of the deadline.  How long do you folks wait?

Same as you- we typically wait for the charge cycle on our credit card if possible.

[Max and Ruby]

I waited longer this time to pay final payment because of a bunch of charges on my travel credit card and I decided to book a lot of traveling recently.

 

Well, I paid online with a big box store.  My cabin was fine. Kids (17 and 15)- ERROR! The booking agent never made a comment that our cabin was right next door to theirs.   Couldn't pay online.  After 3 phone calls with big box store and Royal, it got all straightened out, but Royal said they could not do anything until the charge cleared. Well of course this time it took 7 days for the charge to be posted to my credit card.  Normally only 2-3 days.  No more online payments and I'm paying earlier too!