# A "convenience charge" for paying in cash. Really? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 11, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040 "2011-02-11T17:32:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/21 "2011-02-11T19:25:26Z")
What **spark240** said. I wasn’t saying it was fair or not, just how it was justified to us. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/22 "2011-02-11T19:26:11Z")
> [@Lare](#): > > What **spark240** said. I wasn’t saying it was fair or not, just how it was justified to us. And as I said, your getting shaked down by your county as well. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/23 "2011-02-11T19:27:00Z")
Read the snopes article [here](http://www.snopes.com/business/money/pennies.asp), which explains the definition of legal tender, and that merchants do not necessarily have to accept currency or coins for all transactions. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/24 "2011-02-11T19:27:43Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > …there’s no way the incremental cost of online processing is more expensive than in person processing by a person. Thus the point about bottom lines. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/25 "2011-02-11T19:33:06Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > Read the snopes article [here](http://www.snopes.com/business/money/pennies.asp), which explains the definition of legal tender, and that merchants do not necessarily have to accept currency or coins for all transactions. They _do_ accept it in this case. The issue is the assessment of an additional charge. “Legal tender is the default method,” the linked piece says, unless otherwise specified by contract. So if the bill amount is $X, I should be able to pay with exactly $X in cash, unless the contract specifies otherwise–as **Giles** said toward the top. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/26 "2011-02-11T19:36:36Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > They _do_ accept it in this case. The issue is the assessment of an additional charge. > > “Legal tender is the default method,” the linked piece says, unless otherwise specified by contract. So if the bill amount is $X, I should be able to pay with exactly $X in cash, unless the contract specifies otherwise–as **Giles** said toward the top. Right, and no doubt the convenience charge is specified in the contract. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/27 "2011-02-11T19:39:01Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > How does this jibe with “This note is legal tender etc.”? Could AT&T say “Yes, we’ll take your cash but the convenience fee is (pinkie to mouth) one million dollars.”. Here in the UK the concept of “legal tender” is often misunderstood. From the [Royal Mint](http://www.royalmint.com/corporate/policies/legal_tender_guidelines.aspx): > [@](#): > > Legal tender has a very narrow and technical meaning in the settlement of debts. It means that a debtor cannot successfully be sued for non-payment if he pays into court in legal tender. It does not mean that any ordinary transaction has to take place in legal tender or only within the amount denominated by the legislation. Both parties are free to agree to accept any form of payment whether legal tender or otherwise according to their wishes. In order to comply with the very strict rules governing an actual legal tender it is necessary, for example, actually to offer the exact amount due because no change can be demanded. There are also rules about how much you can pay with specific coins - i.e. you can’t roll up to court with a wheelbarrow full of 1p coins to pay off a £5000 debt (in fact you’re limited to 20p if you us 1p coins). ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/28 "2011-02-11T19:40:47Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > They _do_ accept it in this case. The issue is the assessment of an additional charge. > > “Legal tender is the default method,” the linked piece says, unless otherwise specified by contract. So if the bill amount is $X, I should be able to pay with exactly $X in cash, unless the contract specifies otherwise–as **Giles** said toward the top. Which, if you ever read your cell phone contract, mentions convenience fees. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/29 "2011-02-11T19:47:44Z")
IANAL, but what effect does refusal to accept payment have on a debt? I get my cell phone bill for $100. I hie myself to the AT&T store with five twenties. When I offer the money to the clerk and she says, “That will be $5 more as a convenience charge” and I refuse to pay any more than the amount on the bill, does the clerk accepting “partial” payment discharge the debt in full? I wouldn’t pay the extra fiver. I owe the amount on the bill, and unless the contract says they charge extra for cash, I care less than nothing at all what is convenient or cheap for AT&T - if they contracted with me to render me cell phone services at a given amount per month (or whatever) then they don’t get to jack the bill up after the fact. That would be a violation of the good-faith contract. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/30 "2011-02-11T19:47:54Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > Right, and no doubt the convenience charge is specified in the contract. _No_ doubt? You’re very trusting. > [@TravisFromOR](#): > > Which, if you ever read your cell phone contract, mentions convenience fees. Mine mentions some other fees, but not a penalty for paying in cash. So I’d suggest to the OP’s cousin that he read his contract very carefully and see what it does say. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/31 "2011-02-11T20:02:26Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Yeah, it’s stupid, but their goal is to eliminate the breathing body in the store. Actually, they want to eliminate the store altogether. Whew! For a moment there I expected the end of that sentence to read “they want to eliminate the _breathing body_ altogether.” ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/32 "2011-02-11T20:14:13Z")
According to the AT&T website: > [@](#): > > Please note that In Person Payment agents charge a Consumer Convenience Fee of up to $1 for this service. This payment option is available only to AT&T Paper Billed customers. To determine your nearest authorized In Person Payment agent, please call 1-800-xxx-xxxx. $5 charge must be due to inflation. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/33 "2011-02-11T20:27:21Z")
I guess they’d rather pay the 3% charge from the credit card company. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/34 "2011-02-11T20:28:04Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > According to the AT&T website: > > > [@](#): > > > > Please note that In Person Payment agents charge a Consumer Convenience Fee of up to $1 for this service. This payment option is available only to AT&T Paper Billed customers. To determine your nearest authorized In Person Payment agent, please call 1-800-xxx-xxxx. The fact that they refer to it as “In Person Payment” underscores that this is not about paying via cash (versus check or credit card), but about paying in person, thereby requiring the services of a living, breathing human being who requires a paycheck. If you want to pay in person, you get to help cover that agent’s paycheck. Moreover, in-person payments are typically conducted at a retail store in a strip mall sitting on a high-dollar piece of real estate, as opposed to some mail-receiving center in a pole barn on the outskirts of Zap, North Dakota. If you want to pay in person at the strip mall down the road from your house, , you get to help pay the property tax on that real estate, and the upkeep on that nice-looking retail store. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/35 "2011-02-11T20:32:42Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > The fact that they refer to it as “In Person Payment” underscores that this is not about paying via cash (versus check or credit card), but about paying in person, thereby requiring the services of a living, breathing human being who requires a paycheck. If you want to pay in person, you get to help cover that agent’s paycheck. The $1 fee might be for any in person payment. I don’t understand the additional $4 for cash but it is there (according to him). ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/36 "2011-02-11T21:07:46Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I guess they’d rather pay the 3% charge from the credit card company. They very well might. Handling cash carries its own costs, and while they’re less explicit than a fee paid to the credit card company they’re no less real. It would not surprise me to discover that credit cards cost AT&T less in the long run, and that they would in fact prefer their customers to pay that way. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/37 "2011-02-11T21:57:32Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > According to the AT&T website: > $5 charge must be due to inflation. I wonder if the friend in the OP didn’t visit an actual AT&T-owned and -operated store but instead one of the ones that resells AT&T phones. Perhaps they charge more than the one-dollar fee that AT&T stores do? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/38 "2011-02-11T22:13:39Z")
> [@brad\_d](#): > > They very well might. > > Handling cash carries its own costs, and while they’re less explicit than a fee paid to the credit card company they’re no less real. It would not surprise me to discover that credit cards cost AT&T less in the long run, and that they would in fact prefer their customers to pay that way. Good point, one that is often forgotten. Cash has costs too, just like CC. Wallenstein also brings up a good (altho UK centric ) point about what “legal tender” is. The idea, in the USA, is to prevent Financial inst or other levels of government from insisting upon gold bars, Euros or something other than dollars/USD. However, the Treasury has never had to write laws or regs on this, as other than the odd wierdo wanting to pay in a dump-truck of pennies, there’s few dudes refusing USD. In this case, they are not _refusing_ USD, just tacking on a few buck to cover the cost of real-live person taking your $, it being counted, deposited, etc, etc. Annoying as all hell, but not illegal. Of course, AT&T is known for pretty terrible cust service anyway, and now that they no longer have the iPhone monopoly, I expect customers to leave in droves. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/39 "2011-02-12T05:51:44Z")
I work for AT&T in a call center. The way I understand it, the $5 fee is not for paying cash; it is an administration fee if you pay a rep in the store or a rep on the phone. There are self-pay kiosks in the stores and self-service options (\*PAY, the automated voice system, [att.com](http://att.com)) that are free. This seems to be the trend, unfortunately. I have a couple credit card accounts (Fashion Bug & Blair) that charge me \*\*\*$10 \*\*\*if I make a payment with a phone rep!!! Do I agree with it? Hell no, I think the customer deserves interaction with a live person at no extra charge if they want it. But they didn’t ask my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040/40 "2011-02-12T21:22:55Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I wonder if the friend in the OP didn’t visit an actual AT&T-owned and -operated store but instead one of the ones that resells AT&T phones. Perhaps they charge more than the one-dollar fee that AT&T stores do? This would be my guess. There are corporate stores, franchise stores and resellers. Franchises are not outwardly distinguishable from corporate stores. They say AT&T on the door and sell nothing but AT&T products and services. Resellers are places like Radio Shack and Best Buy, who offer phones and service plans from multiple providers. I know for a fact that I can pay my Sprint bill at a corporate store with no additional charge and that a franchise will charge me $5 to do so. I’m not sure if any or all resellers are capable of accepting monthly bill payments, but I’m willing to bet that they charge for the service if they provide it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-convenience-charge-for-paying-in-cash-really/571040.md?page=3)