I think all the SoCal counties charge 2.3% for CC payment. I too can make money by paying with Alliant, but it’s only 0.2%. I’d make way more if there’s no fee with PP billpay (and the charge is treated as a regular charge and earns regular rewards). Lately I’ve been using property tax payments to meet minimum spend requirements for new card bonus, and PP billpay would make that even better.
Looks like debit card counts. I wonder if you could pay your mortgage or credit card with a rewards debit card… hmm…
1 Like
Do rewards debit cards still exist? Oh wait, they do… Discover checking is 1% on the first $3K/mo. It has exclusions though (“loan payments or account funding made with your debit card are not eligible for cash back rewards”) so will need some experimentin’…
1 Like
My first thought was AMEX’s new debit card - 1 MR per $2 spent. However, shutdown risk with AMEX seems huge for something like this and I’d rather not risk being banned by them.
This, however: Rewards Checking Account
1% back on debit card purchases, need a $2500 balance or $2500 in direct deposit. I’d be the data point for this one, but we’re heading out of town this week and I don’t have time to play around with this.
ETA: I could literally funnel through almost every penny I spend this way… anyone know if debit rewards are 1099’ed? Or are these considered rebates a la credit card rewards?
Maybe this should go in its own thread.
1 Like
I would expect debit card rewards to be treated exactly like credit card rewards (i.e., rebates).
I don’t think the Lending Club debit card will give you any rewards on those payments. I found the following in the fine print on their web page…
" Qualified Purchases are defined as: Signature-based purchases made using the debit card tied to an Eligible Account. These are “credit” purchases that can be made in stores and online. To make a signature-based purchase, select “credit” rather than debit at point-of-sale kiosks. The “credit” option is most often pre-selected when making purchases online using a debit card. Online subscription payments may not be considered signature-based purchases. The payment transaction type (signature-based or other) is ultimately decided by the merchant and is based on how the transaction is transmitted at the time of processing. Qualified Purchases do not include: (1) any goods or services purchased that are returned or otherwise credited to your Eligible Account; (2) unlawful purchases; or (3) purchases of currency, cash or cash equivalents (including, without limitation, currency from the U.S. Mint, Travelers Checks, gift cards, cryptocurrency, casino chips, peer to peer payments, prepaid debit cards, account openings, loan payments, or other cash equivalents)."
3 Likes
Heads up, Alliant Visa Signature cardholders:
Your statements have closed. Go collect your money. 
2 Likes
Does anyone know how many linked external accounts Alliant allows?
Its not publicized. I’ve never hit the limit and there’s a ton that I’ve deactivated over the years.
Thanks, @_TJ. Guess I will have to telephone them.
I have roughly forty linked accounts at present. My concern is that, even were I to eradicate four or five, they still might deny me the right to add an account.
I wouldn’t call them. You might be flying under the radar. They might pay more attention to you using it as a hub.
4 Likes
Tomorrow is the 16th which is the date Alliant hiked the savings account rate from 1.4% to 1.6% last month before another hike on the first of this month to 1.7%. Here’s to hoping we get another hike tomorrow - they have really fallen behind!!!
1 Like
Stop hoping and move your money elsewhere! 
1 Like
Have moved much but still using Alliant as a hub and bill payer and keep hoping they redeem themselves at some point.
2 Likes
I’m seeing an increase to 1.80% this morning.
4 Likes
I keep only what’s needed to pay the bills in my bill paying hub account (not Alliant). And my biggest bills are scheduled to be paid at the beginning of the month, and the funds are scheduled to transfer into the bill paying account a few days before that from a better account. The opportunity cost (vs the highest interest account) is measured in pennies and isn’t worth thinking about 
.
1 Like
Whats your hub? Whats your better account? How many accounts do you have linked to your hub?
1 Like
Discover is my “hub,” since that’s what I use for bill pay and it’s a great checking/savings/zelle combo. I have 5 linked accounts, but only one (Alliant) is “used” monthly, plus Zelle for smaller transfers to/from other accounts. The “better account” is whatever pays more than Discover Savings. Right now I don’t have one since they’re all at 2%, but this will change next week. If Wealthfront or SoFi aren’t in the lead real soon, I might open a new one at Bask or UFB. Or I might just stick with 4- or 8-week T-Bills for a while.
1 Like
And that’s where I find myself stuck at the moment, although the Langley 16 month @ 4% will get some of my funds. I’m almost embarrassed to admit my lack of confidence in my expectations for rates and may open a couple of those Bank5connect add on CDs at only 3.x%.
1 Like
I opened my second CD for the better .1% APY and additional $500 credit card funding (and corresponding $10 cash back from the card). I figured it was is a no brainer since I already opened the first one, and the savings and checking, separately to max the credit card funding.