How do I use up the funds on my prepaid credit card and then use another payment method in one transaction via Paypal?

November 7, 2009 10:33 PM

How do I pay a retailer via Paypal using more than one option? I want to use the funds in my Paypal account, a prepaid credit card, and then cover the rest with a debit card.

I'm trying to purchase something from a retailer online with Paypal. The problem is, I want to use the funds in the account (it'll automatically do that anyway), use up the funds in a prepaid American Express gift credit card, and then cover the rest using a debit card. Paypal won't let me pay with the funds in the account and the prepaid card first, because the purchase costs more than what I have on the card. I already emailed the owner and he said they could only accept one form of payment.

Any idea on how I can get around this? I'm wondering if I can transfer what's on my prepaid credit card to the Paypal account, but I'm not sure how to go about doing this. I need to use my debit card as well, because the money in the account plus the prepaid credit card still doesn't add up to the total I need to pay.

Thanks, MeFi.

posted by hotdiggitydog to work & money (3 comments total)

Clarification in the third sentence: Paypal won't let me pay PART of the total amount with the funds in the account and prepaid card first.
posted by hotdiggitydog at 10:35 PM on November 7

I was going to suggest trying to add funds to your gift card but according to their FAQ you can't do that. Based on the other conditions you mentioned, you might only be able to do this if you can find someone who trusts you and has enough money to purchase the remaining balance of the gift card from you. Then you use that to fund your bank account linked to Paypal. Otherwise, I'm not seeing how this will be possible using just one Paypal transaction.
posted by Burhanistan at 11:06 PM on November 7

Why don't you add those extra funds to paypal from that debit account first? This bit will take a couple of days. Then you can pay with paypal balance + gift card which now equals the total amount.
Give the seller a heads up so he knows that it will take a few extra days.
posted by special-k at 11:27 PM on November 7