Is this a legitimate reason to stop payment on a cheque?

Question

I made a credit card payment by mail. Due to inefficient communication, while the mail payment was in transit, my husband made a payment online for the same account, the same amount. The payments were rather large, and I cannot exactly afford to use up that much money in a month for a credit card bill that doesn't require it. I'm thinking of putting a stop payment order on the mailed-in payment (which has not reached its destination yet). Is this a legitimate reason to request stop payment? Is there a better way to keep the credit card issuer from cashing the check? Thanks in advance.

Addendum:

To the person who advised that we "get it together" on who's paying the bills - this is the first time this has happened in 14 years of marriage, and there are special circumstances surrounding the incident, so please refrain from being judgmental. People come here for help and advise, not for snide remarks.

Thanks to everyone else for your helpful comments!

Answer 1

If you put a stop on the check, the credit card company is going to tack extra fees onto your account. They charge hefty fees for checks that are returned for whatever reason. In reading the fine print on my credit card statement, my bank charges $29 plus interest on the payment reversal. Plus you will have to pay the stop-payment fee. My bank charges $35 for a stop, so thats $64 right there. Not worth it. $64 with nothing to show for it.

The credit card company is not going to sift through tens of thousands of payments received on any given day to mail the check back to you either.

Just let it go and use your credit card for grocery shopping or whatever this month if you are short on cash. The interest you will pay for carrying that balance for a month or two will be a lot less that what a stop-payment and a returned check charge will cost.

Answer 2

You can call and advise the company of what happened but the chances that they will discard the cheque even if the rep you speak to says they will is highly unlikely. It will slip through somewhere. Then you will be stuck paying the stop payment fee as well as fees to the company for a 'bounced' cheque.

They may, however, be able to cancel the online request if it has not yet been processed. They may also be willing to reverse the online charge if it has been processed. If they say they will do this though, make sure you wait to spend that money until you are sure they have reversed or cancelled the charge, in case the rep messes up and sends it through anyway and sticks you with overdraft fees.

I agree with the others that you should just let it all go through (if you cannot cancel the online one). Because you made a double payment, the second amount should be applied to the required payment for Next month, meaning you will not have to make a payment next month. Then use the credit card for expenses if you have too since you have paid the extra amount down.

Answer 3

absolutely! You may want to contact the credit card company and tell them about the situation. They may then watch out for the cheque or post something to your account to mail back the cheque to you or destroy it. Still put on that stop payment, but then the credit card company won't charge you. A lot of companies will charge you for NSFs/stop payments -- to them, it's not their problem you submitted 2 payments -- because if they deposit that cheque and it's been stopped by you, they will get charged by their bank -- called a chargeback/returned item. So the credit card company then passes that charge onto you. You could also just let it NSF, but fees are much higher and has a negative impact on your account history.

So long-story short. Yes, put a stop on it; call and advise them to not cash it if possible.

Answer 4

if you cant afford it, you cant afford it.
On a good note, if you allow it to happen- what they SHOULD do, would be to pay that 2nd amount on the principal on the card which will lower your interest and monthly payments.

Your call. If you choose to allow it, call the credit card company, tell them you sent 2 checks- 1 for the minimum payment and an extra to go on the principal.
Good Luck

Answer 5

Check online first and see if you can cancel the online payment.

I would put a stop payment on the check, and call them and ask them to not post the check payment, or you'll be out more charges for the check not clearing.

Answer 6

You can put a stop payment for whatever reason you like.You don't have to explain yourself to the bank,only pay the service charge.

Answer 7

Call the credit card issuer and ask them to return the check.
The stop payment will cost you money!

Answer 8

You got some very good advice here, to get you out of the hole you dug for your self. Do not be so "touchy" when people make a little fun of you. Not only do you clearly deserve it, but also it is part of the game here.

Answer 9

Call the bank.