Category: Lifestyle

Carscoops 

While automakers have made great progress in terms of safety and ADAS over the past decade, the dream of a fully autonomous production car has yet to be achieved. A new video from the snowy roads of the Detroit area proves that the latest update of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system can’t function properly in bad weather, with its performance deemed dangerous to say the least.

The video was uploaded on YouTube by the Detroit Tesla channel and is a real-life test of the FSD Beta 10.69.25 update. From the start it is clear that this is not going to be a smooth ride, as the driver says: “I don’t think this will be a very long drive, because I am just out here risking my life and the car’s life to make content”.

Watch: Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Struggles In Snow-Covered Edmonton

The Full Self-Driving mode is activated and the system does its best to keep track of the curb. It obviously takes input from the navigation map since the sensors can’t really see when the road is covered in snow. While the FSD does a pretty good job in detecting incoming traffic, it often steers to the right being unable to follow its lane and stay in course.

Even at very low speeds of 15-20 mph (24-32 km/h) the Tesla is unable to follow the selected route without input from the driver that steps in to save the day when the car changes direction with no apparent reason. The situation is so bad that the driver says “I don’t know how are they going to achieve full autonomy when half the world has these conditions of snow, rain, and ice”, adding that Tesla’s system “is definitely still not ready for horrible weather like this”. In areas where the roads are not entirely covered with snow, the Tesla performs a lot better, but still not good enough for the driver and passengers to feel safe.

It is not all bad though as the driver suggest there are some improvements compared to older versions of the Tesla FSD Beta. When the tail of the vehicle slips during a turn, the system now has the ability to stabilize it instead of automatically disengaging and asking the human to take over which was often the case in the past. Still, its performance can’t justify the “Full Self-Driving” part of the title, even with the Beta attached to it.

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The Points Guy 

JetBlue’s Mint business-class seat launched in 2014, and the product is definitely showing its age.

From heavy wear and tear to an outdated inflight entertainment system, the original Mint product isn’t nearly as competitive as it was when it first launched.

Thankfully, however, JetBlue is addressing perhaps the biggest issue with the original seat by installing new Tuft & Needle-branded seat cushions on its legacy Mint-equipped Airbus A321 jets.

These new seat covers offer a built-in mattress pad that first debuted on the airline’s Airbus A321neo, or new engine option, jets. These planes feature the next-generation Mint product, which offers direct access aisle from each seat in a 1-1 configuration.

In my experience, these new seat cushions are quite comfortable. Also, the built-in adaptive mattress foam is designed to offer a “consistent sleep experience, regardless of aircraft configuration,” according to a JetBlue spokesperson.

While JetBlue may be touting the benefits of the new seat cushion, the real improvement for frequent flyers will be the elimination of the inflatable airbag-style cushioning system, which has been prone to deflating as it ages.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

When you sit in a deflated Mint seat, it feels like you’re sitting on an incredibly uncomfortable park bench. It’s significantly more unpleasant than the economy seats in the last row of the plane.

I’ve experienced the deflated-seat issue on multiple occasions on recent Mint flights, and each time, the crew tried resetting the system to no avail. Finally, they brought out a replacement seat cover to help make the seat more comfortable.

In fact, the issue got so bad that JetBlue began stocking replacement seat covers on most Mint flights — a costly move considering the additional weight and space that these large items occupy.

Fortunately, JetBlue is finally addressing this issue by eliminating the airbag system entirely. While the airline will no longer dole out $200 credits for deflated seats, frequent JetBlue flyers will undoubtedly appreciate that the seats will be consistently more comfortable.

To date, the airline has retrofitted five out of 35 Mint-equipped Airbus A321s, with plans to complete the project by the end of February, a spokesperson confirmed to TPG.

Although JetBlue is addressing perhaps the biggest issue with the classic Mint seat, the product could still use some TLC.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

To start, the aging inflight entertainment system is one of the buggiest and most outdated systems in the domestic skies. There are limited on-demand options, and the interface feels straight out of the early 2000s.

Additionally, as airlines go all-in on direct aisle access in business class, the alternating 2-2 and 1-1 configuration in the legacy Mint product isn’t as competitive as it once was.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Other issues include significant wear and tear on the seats and loose power ports.

It’d be great if JetBlue decided to simply retrofit its existing aircraft with the impressive new Mint product, but that’s a costly endeavor that the airline likely isn’t ready to undergo, especially considering the Spirit takeover that’s due to close in the coming months.

While JetBlue may not yet be ready to share the long-term strategy for its legacy Mint product, at least it’s taking a big step in the right direction with the replacement of the seat covers.

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Well+Good 

From shorter days to fewer hours of sunlight, winter solstice signals a period of darkness and frigid temperatures (brrr). Thanks to the shorter days and dimmer conditions, our circadian rhythms are thrown off balance, making us feel more sluggish than usual (that’s right—it’s not just you). That’s because “when it’s dark, the body produces more melatonin, making us feel sleepy and tired,” says Alyssa Wilson, RDN, MS, LS, a registered dietitian and metabolic health coach for Signos based in Memphis, Tennessee. Whether you’re feeling slumped, or your stomach is growling, energy-boosting snacks are the perfect mood and energy pick-me-up.

When making your way to the snack aisles, Rachel Engelhart, RD, LPC, a registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor based in Washington, DC, recommends munchies rich in protein, fat, and fiber—which tend to have more staying power (meaning your appetite will be satisfied for longer) and prevent your glucose levels from spiraling. “This means that you avoid the sugar spike and subsequent crash that can lead to feeling lethargic and cranky shortly after eating,” she says. Instead of sugary snacks, opt for fresh fruits and veggies. For healthy fats, Alli Magier, MS, RDN, LDN, a registered dietitian, says to go for nuts and seeds.

From no-frills dry roasted almond packs to chicken sriracha bars for on-the-go eats, keep reading to find the best energy-boosting snacks that’ll help you overcome the winter sleepies.

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Carscoops 

Aston Martin has had a few goes at relaunching the Lagonda brand since the two became bedfellows in 1948, most famously with the wedgy, William Towns-designed Aston Martin Lagonda of the late 1970s and 1980s, and most recently with the 2015 Lagonda Taraf and an aborted electric luxury sedan project axed in 2021.

But less well-known is the Lagonda Rapide built in tiny numbers between 1961 and 1964. Only 55 cars were constructed, each built to order and loosely based on the contemporary DB4 coupe, but incorporating mechanical features that would appear on the DB5 and DBS models later that same decade. They included a 4.0-liter engine in place of the 3.7-liter inline six fitted to the DB4, and a de-Dion rear axle instead of the low-tech live rear axle 007 had to make do with.

Like the DB4, the Rapide was built around a Superleggera tubular steel frame and clothed in lightweight aluminum panels, but the 114-in (2,896-mm) wheelbase (versus 98-in / 2,489 mm for the DB4) meant the back seats were no longer torture devices. And they didn’t need to be because the front end had the torture thing covered.

Related: Ford’s Edsel Project Wins a Place in Forbes Top 10 Business Blunders Ever

To be fair, most cars would come off worst in a beauty contest when sharing the catwalk with a DB4 or DB5. And I actually like the then-fashionable sloping quad-light setup, a design later seen on the Ferrari 330 GT, Gordon-Keeble coupe, and some Mulliner Park Ward Rolls Royce Silver Clouds. There’s no doubt the Rapide has a mean look and some serious presence. But then we get to the grille, which reminds most people of the 1958 Ford Edsel, though with its central fin, a pair of headlights on either side, and another air intake below each of those, it also looks more than a little like a BMW M4, had such a thing existed 60 years ago.

Whatever your thoughts on the styling, it’s certainly an interesting and very cool car, and this one, currently being auctioned on Bonhams’ The Market website has covered only 75,006 miles if the odometer is to be believed. Originally Caribbean Blue Pearl, it’s now metallic gold and is in need of recommissioning after spending the last 15 years as a static exhibit in the Middle East. Would you take a Rapide over a Mercedes SEL 6.3?

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Carscoops 

Rivian has been given the go-ahead to continue selling vehicles directly to consumers in Illinois.

Associate Judge David Atkins concluded on December 19, 2022 that the Illinois secretary of state was correct in issuing dealer licenses to both Rivian and Lucid in 2021, dismissing a lawsuit by the Illinois Automobile Dealers Association that was challenging the ruling.

Illinois decided not to follow the lead of some other states in explicitly banning the direct sales of new vehicles. As such, Judge Atkins said it had left the door open for direct sales like those conducted by Rivian, Lucid, and Tesla, to be conducted in the state.

Read: That Sunken And Frozen Rivian R1S Is Finally Free After Multiple Recovery Attempts

“The Illinois legislature has had ample opportunity, and has at least once expressly considered explicitly prohibiting manufacturers of automobiles from being licensed as dealers thereof,” Atkins wrote. “It has declined to do so, and it is thus reasonable to conclude that it had no such intent.”

The judge added that while franchised dealers have become the dominant sales model for new vehicles, he noted that Illinois law has never actually required new vehicles to be sold through franchised dealers.

“The automobile industry may have largely adopted the ‘Established Franchise System’ over many decades, and Illinois law may have even been updated to reflect and better regulate that reality, but that does not mean it ever required such as system,” he said. “It is evident that franchisees are not the sole contemplated form of dealer. This is further supported by various provisions referencing dealers with a ‘franchise or selling agreement,’ apparently contemplating other types of arrangements.”

The Illinois Automobile Dealers Association said it is disappointed in the ruling and will decide on an appeal after the holiday period, Auto News reports.

“Disappointingly, after sitting on all of the parties’ various motions for over a year and after admitting less than a week ago [mid-December] that the matter had slipped through the cracks, the judge issued an order dismissing the lawsuit without providing opportunity for oral argument,” the IADA said.

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Carscoops 

Mercedes-Benz has partnered up with an emerging entertainment brand by the name of Superplastic and collaborated on a number of projects.

The partnership announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has spawned a new character to the Superplastic universe dubbed Superdackle, conceived as a reinterpretation of the Wackeldackel nodding dog ornament often seen on the dashboards of motorists.

An animated short film has been released to celebrate the creation of Superdackle, starring both this new character as well as Janky and Guggimon from the Superplastic universe. The film shows the three characters borrowing a Mercedes-Benz from a dealership late at night and proceeding to embark on a joyride through the streets of New York City.

Superplastic’s presence can be felt at Mercedes-Benz’s CES stand where an 8.2-foot Superdackle figure is featured.

Mercedes-Benz says the collaboration with Superplastic is part of its “strategy to explore new realms in arts and entertainment and give customers memorable brand experiences.”

Read: Mercedes-Benz To Use Nvidia Systems To Create Digital Twins Of Its Factories

“Mercedes-Benz has reinvented and reinterpreted its brand and vehicles for a modern, digital era – so why shouldn’t the iconic Wackeldackel receive an update, too? We warmly welcome Superdackel to the Mercedes Benz family,” Mercedes-Benz vice president of communications and marketing, Bettina Fetzer said in a press release.

Superplastic founder and chief executive Paul Budnitz is similarly excited about the collaboration.

“I’ve been a fanboy of the Wackeldackel forever, and actually had a classic version on the dashboard of my vintage Mercedes 230CE forever. So when Mercedes-Benz approached us about inviting him into the SUPERPLASTIC universe, the answer was an immediate YES.”

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The Points Guy 

In a surprising turn of events, American Airlines is making a big adjustment to its long-haul network.

The Fort Worth-based carrier is pulling out of the Miami to Tel Aviv market effective March 24, 2023, as confirmed by a carrier spokesperson.

The flights will be pulled from American’s schedule this weekend, and the carrier will reach out to affected customers with rebooking options once the schedule change is posted.

The 6,603-mile flight was the airline’s longest route from its Miami hub, and it launched in June 2021. American originally flew the route on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the eastbound direction using a 273-seat Boeing 777-200.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

The service was so successful that the airline upgraded the route to daily service on Oct. 28, 2022, roughly 16 months after it first launched. The route is now flown by a smaller 234-seat Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, but the daily frequency brought a big capacity boost to the market.

“The initial reception was very strong, but it has actually grown that much more. That is the principal driver of us going to daily service,” explained Juan Carlos Liscano, American’s vice president of the Miami hub, in an interview with ABC10 News about the upgraded service.

Yet now, just three months later, American is doing a 180 and canceling the route entirely. When asked for an explanation, a carrier spokesperson shared the following statement.

“As part of the continuous evaluation of our network, American Airlines has made the difficult decision to discontinue its Miami (MIA) – Tel Aviv (TLV) service effective March 24, 2023. We will continue to operate daily service to Tel Aviv from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK). We’re proactively reaching out to customers affected by these changes to offer alternate travel arrangements.”

Unfortunately, American isn’t providing much of an explanation for this cut, aside from its usual “continuous evaluation of our network” talking point.

That’s likely to irk some travelers who booked this flight with the confidence that it would continue to operate on a daily basis — especially when an executive was so publicly bullish about its prospects.

When American cuts Miami to Tel Aviv, it’ll cede all nonstop traffic to Israeli flag carrier El Al, which operates between three and four weekly frequencies in the market using Boeing 787 Dreamliners, Cirium schedules show.

That said, American isn’t exiting the Tel Aviv station entirely. As mentioned above, the carrier will continue to fly there on a daily basis from the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Before the JFK flight launched, American hadn’t flown to Tel Aviv since January 2016 when it last flew there from Philadelphia. In addition to the JFK service, the airline was planning to connect Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami with Israel.

Going from no flights to service from three hubs might seem extreme, but Brian Znotins, American’s vice president of network planning, explained the rationale behind each one to TPG back in February 2021.

While there was lots of talk, American never moved forward to launching the Dallas/Fort Worth flight, canceling it in May 2022 before it even launched.

And now, with the elimination of the Miami service, American will be left with just one flight from the U.S. to Israel.

That contrasts pretty starkly against the recent moves from American’s big domestic competitors. Delta plans to relaunch flights from Atlanta to Tel Aviv earlier than planned on March 26, 2023, and it launched new service from Boston last summer. Delta continues to fly to Tel Aviv from New York, too.

Meanwhile, United continues to boost service to Israel, with expanded connectivity from Chicago (four weekly flights) and San Francisco (upgraded to a Boeing 777-300ER) filed in last weekend’s schedule update.

United also flies to Tel Aviv from Newark and Washington, D.C.

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Well+Good 

Indoor rowers used to be some of the loneliest machines at the gym. The treadmills and ellipticals might quickly fill up, while the rowing ergometers would sit empty, gathering dust. But over the past decade, indoor rowing has grown far more popular, with gym-goers hopping into classes at boutique studios like Row House, and homebodies enjoying gamified rows on smart machines in their living rooms.

It’s no surprise: Rowing is a great total-body workout, engaging 86 percent of your muscles, and challenging your heart to an intense cardio session without putting much impact on your joints.

The only problem? The rowing machine can be super intimidating for beginners—and all too easy to use incorrectly. Many people don’t have much familiarity with rowing, so it’s easier to hop on a treadmill or exercise bike, and do a more intuitive movement. But if you’re intrigued by the machine and want to see what all the buzz is about, Liam Power, a six-time New York state champion rowing coach whose rowers have broken over 10 world records, shares his top tips for beginner rowers here.

3 common rowing machine mistakes

“The majority of mistakes I see have to do with improper form, whether it be from poor posture or a lack of understanding in regards to the biomechanics of taking a rowing stroke,” says Power. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much time or money to learn proper rowing technique. Most of the resources you need are already at your fingertips (well, that is, if your fingers are holding a smartphone).

Mistake 1: Improper form

Before you hop on an ergometer, it’s essential to learn the fundamentals of proper rowing technique. For starters, slouching or hunching over on the rowing machine won’t properly engage your core muscles. This not only makes your stroke less efficient, but it can also injure your back and shoulder muscles.

Another common form issue Power sees among beginners is not pushing hard enough on the drive portion (when you’re pressing back away from the machine). Many people think of rowing as an upper-body exercise, so they place too much emphasis on pulling on the handlebar, but most of your power will really come from pushing with your legs.

Even if you can’t afford coaching, Power says there are lots of great resources for beginner rowers online, such as videos on YouTube that can help you learn the basics, as well as advanced techniques once you get the hang of the machine. “Watch some videos that detail the intricacies of the rowing technique and try to commit as much of it to memory as possible,” he says.

The next thing to watch? Videos of yourself. “I would encourage beginners to film themselves rowing so they can go back and compare their form to the correct form. This is something even elite rowers do quite regularly,” says Power. “Even after you have mastered the stroke, it’s still possible to form bad habits.” Ask a friend to capture some footage for a minute, or prop your phone up nearby and hit record.

Mistake 2: Rowing at the wrong pace for you

Many beginners hop on an indoor rowing machine and simply go for it, only to tire out in just a few minutes. Instead, Power recommends reading up on pacing so you can get a feel for what would be a standard pace for someone your height, age, weight, and experience level.

“It would also be good to read up on the different cardio training zones and to get an understanding of how to train within each on a weekly basis, and why it’s important to do so,” he suggests.

Mistake 3: Not going in with a game plan

Power says another common mistake he sees beginners make is starting their session without a clear workout plan or goal in mind. “As a result, they don’t pace themselves correctly, which leads to poor technique and quitting early,” he says.

If you’re not sure where to start, look into some of the many free online training plans. “There are a ton of free plans that can be used by anyone in their own training,” says Power.

“The best coaches spend a lot more time coaching mindset rather than technique; again that’s something that can be found online for free,” he says. “Many of the popular rowing machine suppliers have whole sections of their websites dedicated to education—take advantage of it.”

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Carscoops 

Local arms of automakers are usually limited to marketing material from the parent company but sometimes they get really creative with their own publicity stunts. This is what happened in the case of Volkswagen Sweden which made a furry VW ID.4 GTX that resembles an oversized zero-emission cat.

The one-off was presented on the official Instagram account of Volkswagen Sverige (Sweden) during the holidays. The highlight is the fur that covers every inch of the bodywork, combined with whiskers at the front and a tail attached to the rear windshield wiper.

Read: Volkswagen Celebrates 500,000 Deliveries Of All-Electric ID. Models Around The World

If the costume wasn’t weird enough, Volkswagen washed their pet cat(r), recording the entire process in an Instagram video. A woman can be seen applying shampoo on the fur, washing it off with a hose, and using a hair dryer to dry it off before she combs it. As a finishing touch, she brushes the bumper intake that looks like teeth, combs the whiskers, gives the ID.4 GTX a nice massage, and adds hair clips on the furry mirror caps.

The company asked its nearly 40k followers for nickname suggestions so we guess they are planning to keep the cat-like ID.4 X in their inventory for a while. In another post, VW mentioned that a new law put into force in Sweden this year requires all indoor and outdoor cats to be registered with the Swedish Board of Agriculture, asking themselves if this applies to their EV.

The vehicle of choice wasn’t random, as the VW ID.4 was the best-selling EV in Sweden for 2022, and the fourth best-seller overall with 8,874 units, repeating the success of 2021. Volkswagen sold a total of 12,628 EVs in Sweden last year, translating to a 13.3% market share.

Notably, this is not the first time we see a vehicle wrapped in fur. Skoda made a similar April’s Fools joke with a furry Yeti back in 2014, Kim Kardashian replicated it in real life with her white Lamborghini Urus in 2021, while other vehicles have been spotted in the wild with a similar treatment. Maintaining the fur on a car sounds like a challenging task, especially when it is driven in rainy, snowy, or icy conditions, and requires regular washing.

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The Points Guy 

Editor’s note: TPG founder Brian Kelly is a Bilt advisor and investor.

This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

Your rent or mortgage is likely one of your biggest recurring expenses. Unfortunately, you almost always need to use a bank account to pay these monthly balances without additional fees. Due to bank interchange fees, accepting credit cards without a surcharge would lead most landlords and banks to lose 2%-3% of the mortgage payment or rent due each month.

However, one option that emerged last year is Bilt Rewards and the Bilt Mastercard®, which allows cardholders to pay rent with no fees at any apartment or rental unit. It even offers World Elite Mastercard benefits and carries no annual fee (see rates and fees).

However, beyond this one card, there are several other ways to pay your rent or mortgage with a credit card and earn thousands of points and miles. In this guide, we’ll review the different methods and determine when it makes sense to pay your rent or mortgage with a credit card.

Pay rent with a credit card and without fees

There are few apartment complexes and landlords who will accept a credit card via an online system or through their own small business with no added fee. Consider yourself very lucky if this applies to you.

Anytime you go apartment hunting, this should be a question on your checklist because of the potential reward value in a year’s lease.

For example, let’s assume your rent is $1,200 per month and you pay with a Chase Freedom Unlimited card. This card earns 1.5 % cash back (which you can turn into 1.5 Ultimate Rewards points). After 12 payments, you will have earned $216 cash back or 21,600 Ultimate Rewards points, which are worth $432 based on TPG’s valuations.

Related: The power of the Chase Trifecta: Sapphire Reserve, Ink Preferred and Freedom Unlimited

Another option is paying with the Bilt Mastercard. This no-annual-fee card is currently the only card allowing renters to pay rent with a credit card and not pay any fees in the process.

THE POINTS GUY

Renters can earn 1 point per dollar on rent payments, up to a maximum of 50,000 points throughout the year. However, you need to make at least five total transactions on your card each month in order to earn points. Just making a rent payment using the card isn’t sufficient.

It’s also worth noting that the card works to pay your rent even if your landlord or apartment management company doesn’t take credit cards. Simply pay your rent using the Bilt Mastercard through the Bilt Rewards app. Then, Bilt will mail a check on your behalf each month. You earn points, and your landlord gets paid.

With the Bilt Mastercard, you can also earn 3 points per dollar on dining, 2 points per dollar on travel and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. That’s on top of earning 1 point per dollar on rent payments.

It’s also possible to earn up to 10,000 additional points each year from purchases made on the first day of the month. Through Bilt’s “Rent Day” promotion, you’ll earn double points on non-rent transactions on the first of the month — the day rent is due for most people.

Bilt points can be used toward a variety of redemptions, including transferring points to the following travel partners at a 1:1 ratio:

Aer Lingus AerClub.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
Air Canada Aeroplan.
American Airlines AAdvantage.
British Airways Executive Club.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.
Emirates Skywards.
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles.
Iberia Plus.
Turkish Miles&Smiles.
United Airlines MileagePlus.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club/Virgin Points.
IHG Rewards.
World of Hyatt.

Related: Should you use the Bilt Mastercard? Why it’s a game changer for renters

You may occasionally find a landlord or even a bank willing to accept a debit card for payment with no added fee. Debit card interchange fees have been limited by the Durbin Amendment in 2010, making it more tolerable as a form of payment, since your landlord will pay fewer fees for accepting a debit card when compared to a credit card.

Related: Why a credit card is a smarter choice than a debit card

Options for paying rent with a credit card

Some third-party service providers will allow you to pay your rent, mortgage and almost any other bill with a wide range of credit cards and debit cards. However, fees range from 2%-3% per credit card payment. Payments made with a debit card often incur a flat fee.

Here’s a chart of third-party payment providers that accept credit cards, along with the respective fees.

Some providers, including Venmo, require both landlords and tenants to register before using the service. Plastiq is by far the most popular service and has the lowest fees. It also runs occasional promotions that further reduce the fees.

That said, the fee to pay your rent with a credit card via Plastiq has increased multiple times in recent years.

Related: Plastiq review: How to earn more points and pay lower fees

When does it make sense to pay a fee?

The easiest time to justify adding an additional fee to your rent is when you need to meet a minimum spending requirement to trigger a sign-up bonus — especially with cards requiring $5,000 or more within a limited time period. Some cards, such as the British Airways Visa Signature Card, require you to spend $20,000 in the first 12 months from account opening to lock in the full-fledged 100,000 bonus Avios. However, that bonus is worth $1,500, according to TPG’s latest valuations. If your fees are less than this amount (and if you don’t have other methods for meeting this spending requirement), it can make sense to incur these fees.

Related: Should I pay with a rewards credit card even if it incurs fees?

Otherwise, calculate the value of the points or miles you’ll earn to determine if they are worth more than the fee you’ll pay. If the fees for paying with a credit card are greater than the value of the rewards you’ll earn, it’s likely a losing proposition to pay your rent or mortgage with a credit card.

However, when Plastiq has promos, or if you get enough friends and family to sign up through your promo code (which gives you fee-free dollars), you can come out ahead.

Related: You may have to pay a surcharge to use your credit card — here’s what to know

Online bill payment site Plastiq has the lowest fees for credit card payments for those not using Bilt. It often runs promotions for lower fees. PLASTIQ.COM

Paying your mortgage with a credit card

The same general rule holds true for paying your monthly mortgage payment with a credit card. This is almost always impossible or comes with high fees. However, there’s a card that can make it worthwhile during a promo or when you have fee-free dollars: the Citi® Double Cash Card. This card earns 2% cash back — 1% when you make the purchase and 1% when you pay your bill — but if you also have a card like the Citi Premier® Card, those rewards convert into 2 Citi ThankYou points per dollar. This provides a 3.6% return on spending, according to TPG’s latest valuations.

Using this option to pay a $2,000 mortgage through Plastiq during a 2% promo, you’d pay $40 in fees and earn $72 worth of points. If you aren’t on the Plastiq email list to receive alerts for promotions like this, you should sign up.

Related: These are the best credit cards for everyday spending

Unfortunately, there are limited options for paying your mortgage with a credit card through Plastiq. American Express cards and Visa credit cards are not accepted for these payments. You can use Visa debit cards, however, in addition to cards from Discover, Diners Club and Mastercard.

What to know before you pay rent or mortgage with a credit card

In addition to ensuring that the rewards you earn are worth more than the fees you pay, there are additional considerations when paying your bills through these providers.

First, ensure these payments don’t code as cash advance charges, which earn no rewards on credit cards and have high interest rates. The services listed above claim they won’t appear on your credit card statement as a cash advance, but you should run small test payments first to be sure. To prevent accidental cash advances on these payments, ask your card issuer to reduce the cash advance limit to $0 or as close to it as possible. This will prevent you from accidentally initiating a cash advance.

Second, you should be mindful of the length of time it can take for these payments to be completed. If the service will mail a physical check to your bank or landlord, you can’t request the payment the day before it’s due. Give yourself plenty of lead time, and monitor the payment closely until you have confirmation it was received. Allow at least a full week from the day you submit the payment for your landlord or mortgage provider to receive your check.

And, most importantly, you should never charge your rent or mortgage to your credit card to finance a payment you can’t afford. As always, you only come out ahead on rewards credit cards when you avoid interest charges by paying your bills in full and on time.

Related: TPG’s 10 commandments of credit cards

SOUTH_AGENCY/GETTY IMAGES

Bottom line

Unless you’re one of the lucky few who can pay your rent or mortgage with a credit card and not incur fees along the way, you’ll want to decide if using a third-party payment provider makes sense when factoring in the fees involved. For those wanting to earn points on their monthly rent payments, the Bilt Mastercard makes sense for many people.

If you have access to a rewards-earning debit card, check whether Venmo payments count for your debit card rewards program and ask your landlord to accept payment via the app.

Otherwise, as a last resort, you can use a service that assesses a fee when you pay your rent or mortgage with a credit card. Only do this if it makes financial sense and if you’re earning a significant number of rewards to justify the fee you’ll pay for using this service. In most cases, this will only make sense when it helps you earn a shiny new sign-up bonus or welcome offer.

Additional reporting by Jason Steele, Stella Shon and Chris Dong.

For rates and fees of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
For the full Bilt Mastercard rewards and benefits, click here.

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