US Funding Summary

[cbloom]

Arg, I wrote a long post in the "new" forums and now it's gone.

Anyway, I wanted to try to assemble a thread that summarizes current US funding options, primarily regarding Stars & Tilt.

Please add to or correct this.

--- Cashouts :

Checks : generally the cleanest way to cash out, no fees, 7-20 days.

Visa debit card : you can cash out to payTru or ePassporte and use a visa debit card to make purchases or withdraw from an ATM. There are large fees associated with this but some people may like the convenience.

Wire Transfers : reportedly very slow at the moment

--- Deposits :

ePassporte : it takes 7-20 days to set up a connection to your bank, but once it's set up transfers are very fast. The fee is 5% . If you get a debit card there's an additional $30 plus other fees.

payTru visa debit : this is the new option Stars is pushing. You can cash in instantly and transfer to stars. Loading is a 4% fee. WARNING : loading from your credit card may also cause a cash advance fee on your credit card depending on your card. If you keep any balance or use it for withdrawals there are lots of other fees; Stars recommends using them only for loading.

MoneyGram : fast option for stars once you go to a MoneyGram location in person. $9.95 flat fee up to $2500 makes this a low-cost option for big loads.

Visa Gift Cards : apparently the "Gift2Go" (aka "IDT") visa gift card available at Walgreens works for loading. The fee is $6 for a $250 card which is 2.4% ; WARNING : purchasing with your credit card may count as a cash advance.

Other VISA/debit cards : some ordinary visa check or debit cards will also work, it's up to the visa issuer whether they refuse or not. Calling your issuer may help. Apparently people have good luck with this using cards from small local banks. Cards tied to a checking account are available for a 0% fee which makes this the very best option if you have it.