# Renewing Charter Membership WITHOUT Paypal. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 23, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808 "2014-04-23T21:47:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/1 "2014-04-23T21:47:04Z")
I am attempting to renew my charter membership. But I have run into an obstacle. I want to renew using my credit card, as I usually do. But the only option given me is PayPal. How do I renew using a credit/debit card? :)☮🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/2 "2014-04-23T22:37:56Z")
When you run through the Paypal routine, there is an option to pay a one time deal with your card, rather than starting a paypal account. Is this an option for you? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/3 "2014-04-24T16:34:40Z")
PayPal runs the portal that is used to process subscriptions. And of course PayPal would prefer you to use your PayPal account when paying your Straight Dope subscription. But you don’t have to. If you look at the arrival page you will see a BIG link advising you to use PayPal. Under that you will find a much smaller link for your credit card. That’s where you go. You should be able to use most credit cards to make these payments. Please contact me privately if you are having problems with this and we’ll try to work you through it. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/4 "2014-04-24T17:56:51Z")
You could just pay in kind. I sent Marley a brace of hares. ETA: No, wait, I sent him a bag of hair. I ought to check my renewal deadline… ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/5 "2014-04-24T23:05:36Z")
Well, I finally did it. And I just received the statement in my email. So I guess it went thru. Yeah, I guess I panicked when I saw the PayPal notice. But I went thru the entire line of prompts, and it worked. Hopefully others can learn from my experience too. :)☮:)☮:)☮ ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/6 "2014-04-27T17:24:25Z")
Alternate method worked for me too, although it is confusing, and the login for using a credit card looks like they are getting information for a new Paypal account, but it just takes you to the alternate payment screen. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2014, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/7 "2014-05-08T04:00:02Z")
> [@whitetho](#): > > Alternate method worked for me too, although it is confusing, and the login for using a credit card looks like they are getting information for a new Paypal account, but it just takes you to the alternate payment screen. I agree that it is confusing. I re-upped for two years, like I did before; and I hope it’s not quite so confusing two years from now. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2014, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/8 "2014-05-08T12:39:20Z")
I recall from before that if you do already have a PayPal account, then they make you log in and use that. Dunno if that’s changed. But I had an issue with PayPal for a while and did not want to use them. Then once when I reupped, that’s when I encountered the have-to-log-in-and-use-it bit. We’ve resolved our issues now though, and I don’t mind using them again. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2014, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/9 "2014-05-08T13:14:02Z")
If the credit card you want to use is already linked to PayPal, you must use PayPal; that’s PayPal’s rules. If your credit card is not attached to PayPal, you may use the credit card portal. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/10 "2014-05-10T00:34:00Z")
I have a Paypal account that I don’t use. Every time I use Paypal as a credit card processor, it “helpfully” reminds me that I have an account associated with my e-mail address, and suggests that I link my credit card to it. I ignore that, and it let’s me go on with business. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/11 "2014-05-14T16:36:41Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I recall from before that if you do already have a PayPal account, then they make you log in and use that. Dunno if that’s changed. I don’t think it has changed. I tried to re-up without using PayPal, but without luck. Search as I might, I could not find any option anywhere except a large button saying Renew using PayPal and a hyperlink saying renew using Paypal. Both took me to the screen where I had a choice of logging into PayPal, or creating a new account with PayPal. I do have an existing account, and I was forced to use that (and, apparently successfully re-subscribed) but I would have preferred to do a one time payment. Maybe I missed something, but I scrolled and clicked everywhere I could see on the arrival screen **TubaDiva** mentioned above without finding anything except PayPal. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/12 "2014-05-14T23:44:15Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > When you run through the Paypal routine, there is an option to pay a one time deal with your card, rather than starting a paypal account. Is this an option for you? > [@TubaDiva](#): > > If the credit card you want to use is already linked to PayPal, you must use PayPal; that’s PayPal’s rules. > > If your credit card is not attached to PayPal, you may use the credit card portal. > [@Shodan](#): > > I don’t think it has changed. I tried to re-up without using PayPal, but without luck. Search as I might, I could not find any option anywhere except a large button saying Renew using PayPal and a hyperlink saying renew using Paypal. Both took me to the screen where I had a choice of logging into PayPal, or creating a new account with PayPal. > > I do have an existing account, and I was forced to use that (and, apparently successfully re-subscribed) but I would have preferred to do a one time payment. > > Maybe I missed something, but I scrolled and clicked everywhere I could see on the arrival screen **TubaDiva** mentioned above without finding anything except PayPal. > > Regards, > Shodan It could be that I had that option because I don’t have a paypal account. I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/13 "2014-05-15T04:32:11Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I don’t think it has changed. I tried to re-up without using PayPal, but without luck. Search as I might, I could not find any option anywhere except a large button saying Renew using PayPal and a hyperlink saying renew using Paypal. Both took me to the screen where I had a choice of logging into PayPal, or creating a new account with PayPal. > > I do have an existing account, and I was forced to use that (and, apparently successfully re-subscribed) but I would have preferred to do a one time payment. > > Maybe I missed something, but I scrolled and clicked everywhere I could see on the arrival screen **TubaDiva** mentioned above without finding anything except PayPal. > > Regards, > Shodan Click on “Order Using PayPal” on the renewal page. It takes you to the payment page. [This is the payment screen.](http://imgur.com/9KdJkrx) If you click on “Pay with debit or credit card or Bill Me Later” you can pay without using a PayPal account. You get[this form](http://imgur.com/Ed9ic8w) which is a plain old credit card form that you submit using the “Pay” button and you’re done. No PayPal account needed. PayPal is the SDMB’s payment processor, and the only payment processor they use. You have to pay a monthly fee to have a payment processor so most places only have one. If PayPal is your payment processor, they (PayPal) offer PayPal users the ability to pay via their PayPal account. They do kind of put it in your face because it’s their brand. And they encourage their clients to use PayPal branding a lot because people know it/trust it (or they don’t, but hey). You always have the ability to pay via credit card without an account, because PayPal is going to collect fees either way. They are not going to collect fees if their processing clients’ customers back out of a sale because they don’t have a PayPal account. Sounds like you’re just getting tripped up by the “Order Using PayPal” button but if you would just click that button and look around, you will find what you are looking for. How to pay the PayPal payment processor without having a PayPal account. Clicking “Order Using PayPal” is not going to do anything bad. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/14 "2014-05-15T07:12:07Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Click on “Order Using PayPal” on the renewal page. It takes you to the payment page. [This is the payment screen.](http://imgur.com/9KdJkrx) If you click on “Pay with debit or credit card or Bill Me Later” you can pay without using a PayPal account. You get[this form](http://imgur.com/Ed9ic8w) which is a plain old credit card form that you submit using the “Pay” button and you’re done. No PayPal account needed. > > PayPal is the SDMB’s payment processor, and the only payment processor they use. You have to pay a monthly fee to have a payment processor so most places only have one. If PayPal is your payment processor, they (PayPal) offer PayPal users the ability to pay via their PayPal account. They do kind of put it in your face because it’s their brand. And they encourage their clients to use PayPal branding a lot because people know it/trust it (or they don’t, but hey). You always have the ability to pay via credit card without an account, because PayPal is going to collect fees either way. They are not going to collect fees if their processing clients’ customers back out of a sale because they don’t have a PayPal account. > > Sounds like you’re just getting tripped up by the “Order Using PayPal” button but if you would just click that button and look around, you will find what you are looking for. How to pay the PayPal payment processor without having a PayPal account. > > Clicking “Order Using PayPal” is not going to do anything bad. The problem is PayPal for some reason is refusing to accept my credit card. Which makes no sense - it’s a valid credit card that PayPal has accepted in the past. But it still leaves me with the fact that I can’t pay for my renewal through PayPal. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/15 "2014-05-15T12:54:15Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Click on “Order Using PayPal” on the renewal page. It takes you to the payment page. [This is the payment screen.](http://imgur.com/9KdJkrx) If you click on “Pay with debit or credit card or Bill Me Later” you can pay without using a PayPal account. You get[this form](http://imgur.com/Ed9ic8w) which is a plain old credit card form that you submit using the “Pay” button and you’re done. No PayPal account needed. I’m having the same problem. There is no link to pay with debit or credit on that screen. Just an option to use an existing paypal account or ‘agree and create’ a paypal account. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/16 "2014-05-15T13:57:10Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > it’s a valid credit card that PayPal has accepted in the past. If that card is tied to an account with them, you can only use it if you sign in with that account. ---
**Author:** ![Shadez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Shadez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadez)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/17 "2014-05-15T16:03:21Z")
Also keep in mind if you are not in the US you might not have an option to pay without making an account. That happened to me last year and it was the same yesterday when I renewed - I only saw two options: make a new account or log in. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/18 "2014-05-15T16:04:54Z")
I’m not in the US, but I’ve paid for the Dope every other year with a credit card, no problem. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/19 "2014-05-15T16:40:26Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Click on “Order Using PayPal” on the renewal page. It takes you to the payment page. [This is the payment screen.](http://imgur.com/9KdJkrx) If you click on “Pay with debit or credit card or Bill Me Later” you can pay without using a PayPal account. You get[this form](http://imgur.com/Ed9ic8w) which is a plain old credit card form that you submit using the “Pay” button and you’re done. No PayPal account needed. Thanks, but I don’t have that option on the payment page.It offers me the option to log into my PayPal account, or to create a PayPal account. > [@](#): > > Clicking “Order Using PayPal” is not going to do anything bad. It didn’t do anything bad beyond forcing me to use PayPal. I was able to renew my subscription, but I had to use PayPal to do so. Perhaps this is because I used the same credit card previously associated with PayPal, and perhaps because I paid my SDMB subscription previously with my PayPal account. I would rather not have done it that way, but it did work. Anyway, I was able to re-up, so I will be around to complain for the next two years. God and the mods willing, that is. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808/20 "2014-05-15T17:21:44Z")
> [@LionelHutz405](#): > > I’m having the same problem. > There is no link to pay with debit or credit on that screen. Just an option to use an existing paypal account or ‘agree and create’ a paypal account. You may be pushed to PayPal for a couple of reasons. 1. Because the credit card you want to use is linked to PayPal. If this is the case, you can either use another credit card not linked to PayPal, try unlinking the credit card to your PayPal account and then using the credit card portal, or go through PayPal for this transaction. 2. Because you or the credit card you wish to use are not in the United States. There are currency exchange transaction fees involved with processing out-of-the-US credit cards; unless the vendor chooses to accept those fees (which Sun-Times Media does not) PayPal automatically disallows that card on the credit card processing side. We apologize for this inconvenience but there’s no way to fix this. Jenny [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/renewing-charter-membership-without-paypal/686808.md?page=2)