Do you cash up Westpac Earth card into the black and use own money to earn points?

[FFGrey]

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone here on this forum cashes up their Westpac Earth credit card so that it is in the black, and pay for things with their own money? Can you still get points for doing that?

Also, would it be possible to cash up the card and pay bills via bpay?

For example, I have a card with a $2000 limit. I want to cash it up with $500 and then spend that money on groceries, bills etc so I don't use the banks credit (no chance of interest charges).

I did do a search for this topic as I am sure I've seen it here somewhere, but a thorough search proved unfruitful. If this has been covered, could someone paste a link to the thread? (and I'm sorry for wasting your time! )

I'm interested to know about this as I suppose if you could cash it up there'd be nothing stopping people from pulling their pay through the card via cash outs to get points.

Thanks!

[medhead]

I think in general you will earn points for all spend on the card, regardless of whether or not it is cashed up or not. I say in general and I'm sure that people familar with the T&C will point out where my general statement is incorrect. Another general point is that you won't earn points on cash advances

However, I really don't think it is worth the bother of stuffing around, just to avoid paying interest. The way to avoid paying interest is to pay the full balance by the due date. To me that is just at easy as loading up a card with cash before hand. you still going to spend the same amount and you are still going to make a payment to the card. I think it is better to have cash in hand to spend when you need it, for example at places that don't accept cards. On the same line I can't see the point of putting cash onto a card and then getting a cash advance.

The other point to note is that once you do that cash advance your paying interest on all purchases (well i got slugged with this on ANZ visa 10+ years ago, earth might be different). So if you exceed your per loaded cash amount you're paying interest - so you've just blown the reason for loading it up with cash in the first place.

[Hvr]

I pay all my bills on my Earth Gold and then pay it off in full every month. No interest and lots of points. I have only once loaded my card up and that was when I purchased my Circle Asia fare. I loaded it up and then spent it within a few days.


Can't see that it would be worth loading it up and staying in the black for regular use. You don't get any interest on the money and it may look suspicious to bank authorities.

[wxxnxs]

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone here on this forum cashes up their Westpac Earth credit card so that it is in the black, and pay for things with their own money? Can you still get points for doing that?

Also, would it be possible to cash up the card and pay bills via bpay?

For example, I have a card with a $2000 limit. I want to cash it up with $500 and then spend that money on groceries, bills etc so I don't use the banks credit (no chance of interest charges).

I did do a search for this topic as I am sure I've seen it here somewhere, but a thorough search proved unfruitful. If this has been covered, could someone paste a link to the thread? (and I'm sorry for wasting your time! )

I'm interested to know about this as I suppose if you could cash it up there'd be nothing stopping people from pulling their pay through the card via cash outs to get points.

Thanks!

You certainly can cash up your card, I did a few times 2 years ago but not with Westpac, no problems at all. But be careful, you DO NOT earn points when do bpay from your card, this only applys to Westpac credit cards.

[Oneworldplus2]

I just opened up a savings account with Westpac at the same time that l applied for Earth Gold.

As l work away, doing FIFO work here in WA, l can be away and out of contact with civilization for weeks on end (no internet or phone at times), which would result in getting slugged interest penalties. Setting up the automatic sweep guarantees that l will never miss a payment, as long as there is money in the account, which l make sure that there always is before l fly out to the desert.

[lovetravellingoz]

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone here on this forum cashes up their Westpac Earth credit card so that it is in the black, and pay for things with their own money? Can you still get points for doing that?

Well you could, BUT why not keep that money in your own account longer to either earn interest, or as in my case offset loan payments to save interest?


this way I make use of the Bank's money to save me money

[uzza]

Yep! I have an Earth Card and have done this a number of times and still earnt the points no probs. I only do it when the purchase I'm going to make is in excess of my limit (Ie. my limits $3k so If I'm buying something for $4k I'd load up into the black then buy the thing). But I don't do it for everyday purchases, like many I buy almost everything on credit then transfer the cash from my savings account to pay off the balance every few weeks, no interest and plenty of points!

[ComeFlyWithMe]

You can cash up your card - then cash advances are free - as they are not 'advances'. I use it to get cash overseas. Works like a charm.