Pay Your PPL Electric Bill with a Credit Card

Paying your PPL electric bill with a credit card is a convenient option that allows you to earn rewards on your payments. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when using a credit card to pay your electric bill. In this article, we’ll cover the benefits and potential drawbacks of putting your PPL electric payments on a credit card.

Overview of Paying PPL Bills with a Credit Card

PPL Electric Utilities serves over 1.4 million customers in Pennsylvania. If you’re one of those customers, you have the option to pay your PPL electric bill online, by phone, by mail or in person. One of the payment methods accepted by PPL is credit cards.

You can use your Visa Mastercard American Express or Discover credit card to pay your residential or business PPL electric bill. This includes one-time payments as well as setting up recurring automatic monthly payments.

When you pay your electric bill with a credit card, you can get rewards points, miles, or cash back. If you have a rewards credit card, this can be a nice perk. You should know about the fees and interest rates, though.

Benefits of Paying Your PPL Bill with a Credit Card

Here are some of the potential benefits of using a credit card to pay your PPL electric bill:

• Earn rewards: The main advantage of paying your PPL bill with a credit card is the opportunity to earn rewards. This includes cash back, points, miles or other perks offered by your credit card rewards program.

• Convenience: Paying your bill online with a credit card is quick and easy. You can pay from anywhere without having to mail in a check or drop off a payment in person.

• Delay the due date: Since credit card payments process faster than mailed checks, you can wait until closer to the due date to pay your PPL bill online by credit card.

• Build your credit Making consistent on-time payments to your PPL electric bill can help establish a positive payment history which helps build your credit score.

• Track expenses: When you pay your PPL bill with a credit card, the payments will appear on your credit card statement, helping you easily track your utility expenses.

Potential Drawbacks of Paying with a Credit Card

There are some good reasons to use a credit card to pay your PPL electric bill. there are also a few drawbacks to be aware of .

• Credit card processing fees: PPL charges a convenience fee for credit card payments. This fee is 2.45% of the payment amount, with a $2.95 minimum fee.

• There are interest charges if you keep a balance on your credit card from month to month. You’ll pay interest on your PPL payment at the APR rate for your card. This can greatly reduce any rewards earned.

• Fees for being late: If you forget to pay your credit card bill and the PPL payment, you may have to pay late fees to both the credit card company and the PPL.

• Credit utilization: A high balance on your card from putting PPL payments on it can negatively impact your credit score by increasing your credit utilization rate.

• Missed rewards opportunities: Using a credit card for PPL bills means you won’t earn rewards for that spending on other cards that may offer higher rates.

How to Pay Your PPL Electric Bill with a Credit Card

If you decide the benefits outweigh the potential drawbacks, here is how to pay your PPL bill with a credit card:

• Online payments – On PPL’s website, login to your account and select “Pay Now.” Choose “Credit/Debit Card” as the payment method and enter your card details.

• Phone payments – Call PPL at 1-800-DIAL-PPL and select the “Pay by Phone” option. You’ll need to provide your credit/debit card information.

• Mobile app – Download the PPL Electric Utilities app on your smartphone. Log in to your account and tap “Pay Bill.” Select credit/debit card and input the payment details.

• One-time or recurring – When paying online or via the mobile app, you can choose to make a one-time payment or set up recurring automatic monthly payments using your credit card.

• Processing time – Online and phone credit card payments process quickly, usually posting to your PPL account the same day or within 1 business day.

No matter how you pay by credit card, be sure to note the convenience fee that will be applied so the full balance gets paid. You’ll need to pay this fee in addition to the total due.

Tips for Paying Your PPL Bill with a Credit Card

If you want to maximize rewards and points while minimizing fees, here are some tips for paying your PPL electric bill with a credit card:

• Use a rewards credit card that offers the best rate on utility payments, such as 5% cash back or 5x points.

• Pay your credit card balance in full each month to avoid interest charges.

• Set a reminder to pay your bill a few days before the due date so the payment processes on time.

• Compare the value of the rewards to the credit card convenience fee to ensure it makes financial sense.

• Consider making large, lump sum PPL payments annually to minimize the number of convenience fees.

• Don’t put more on your credit card than you can afford to pay off. High balances can hurt your credit score.

• Review statements closely to ensure PPL properly applied the credit card payment and that no late fees were incurred.

The Bottom Line

Paying your PPL electric bill with a credit card has advantages, like rewards earnings and convenience. But there are also fees and potential drawbacks to factor in. Take the time to evaluate if it makes sense for your financial situation. If you do use a credit card for PPL payments, be strategic to maximize value while avoiding pitfalls like interest and late charges. Careful monitoring of due dates and account balances is essential.