What Is a PayPal External Account?

Definition
A PayPal external account generally refers to any bank, credit union or escrow account you link to a PayPal account. It is called external because the external account is not operated primarily by PayPal.
Purpose and Advantages
It is possible to create a PayPal account and use that account without linking it to an external account. However, using an external account with your PayPal account has three major advantages. The first is that you can transfer money between your PayPal account and the external account. The second is that the external account may act as a secondary funding source, should you make a purchase via Paypal that exceeds the amount of funds in the PayPal account. You also can use the external account to pay a vendor or send money via PayPal, even if your primary PayPal account balance is zero.
Setting Up the Account
Setting up a PayPal external account takes just a few minutes, as the process has only five major steps. First, sign in to your PayPal account. Under the 'My Account' tab, click 'Profile.' Then select 'Add or Edit Bank Account.' Enter the information requested for your external account of choice. Although it doesn't take long to give PayPal the data necessary to link your PayPal and external account, PayPal may take two to three days to confirm the information you've provided. PayPal sometimes confirms the data in as little as a few minutes if you already bank online with your external account, however. During this verification period, you will not be able to use the services PayPal offers for external accounts, such as transferring money from PayPal to your bank. You can check the verification process by logging in to your PayPal account and looking for a deposit into your external account --- the deposit is just a few cents, just enough to confirm the existence of the account and check that everything works. Once you see this activity when you log in to PayPal, you'll need to confirm the external account using the value of the deposits --- this is the last step in the setup process.
Considerations
Most financial institutions have limitations on who can open a financial account. For instance, you typically must be a resident of the country where you'd like to open the account; and because of contract laws, you may have to get a joint account if you want an account as a minor. PayPal, as a financial company, follows these regulations. The user agreement specifically states that, in the United States, 'you must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the United States or one of the countries listed on the PayPal WorldWide page' to have a PayPal account. Additionally, although you can open, accept and send money from a PayPal account in many countries, due to banking regulation variances, you typically cannot open a PayPal account in one country and link it to an external account from another nation.

How to Accept Credit Cards as Contractors

1. Visit PayPal.com to set up an account if you do not already have one. Having a PayPal account means that you can accept credit cards that offers seller and buyer protection. If you already have an account with PayPal, you can send invoices via email to your customer's email address. They do not have to have an account to pay.
2. Select the 'Business' tab on the PayPal website. Then click on 'Recommendation Wizard.' Answer the question by selecting the preferred payment method. Then enter whether your salary is more or less than $100,000. Depending on your answer, PayPal will direct you to open a Virtual Terminal (if you want to accept credit cards by mail, phone or fax) or a standard or business account (if you want to accept payments by email). A virtual terminal will cost you $30 per month plus a percentage (up to 3.1% + $0.30) of each transaction. With a standard account, you will pay up to 2.9% + $0.30 on each transaction. PayPal offers additional services if you have a website.
3. Select 'Request Money' on Paypal's website to create an invoice to send to your customer via email. For the Virtual Terminal, follow the instructions for creating an invoice. Your customer then enters their credit card information (if they do not already have a PayPal account) and submits payment. Payment is sent to your account within minutes.
4. Visit GoogleCheckout.com to set up a Google Checkout account. Google charges up to 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. Once you have set up your account, click 'Tools' then select 'Email invoices.' Fill out the invoice and email it to your customer. Once your customer pays with their credit card, the money is in your account within minutes.
5. Visit MerchantExpress.com to set up an account that allows you to physically accept credit cards via a swipe machine. Sign up for their 30-day trial or purchase a basic point-of-sale (POS) system that allows you to accept credit cards by swiping the customer's card. POS systems start at $99, plus a monthly fee for using their services.

How to Use a Visa Giftcard With PayPal

1. Activate your Visa gift card. Check the information that came with your gift card for detailed information on activating your card. Typically, the card is activated at the time of purchase, by telephone or Internet.
2. Open a web browser on your computer and go to the PayPal home-page. Enter your PayPal e-mail address and password and click the Yellow 'Log On' button.
3. Click the 'Profile' link and select the 'Credit Card' option under the 'Financial Information' subsection.
4. Click the yellow 'Add a Card' button.
5. Enter the name that appears on the Visa gift card. If no name appears on the card, leave this section blank. Select 'Visa' from the card type drop-down menu. Enter the card number, expiration date and three-digit verification code from the back of the card in the appropriate fields. If an address is associated with the Visa gift card enter that address in the 'Billing Address' subsection. Click the 'Add Card' button.
6. Make a purchase using your PayPal account as normal. When prompted to select the payment method from the PayPal purchase screen, select the Visa Gift card. PayPal will complete the transaction and deduct the prepaid funds automatically from your Visa gift card.

How Does quot;Bill Me Laterquot; Work?

Bill Me Later
Bill Me Later is a company associated with PayPal. It is a payment method available at more than 1,000 online merchants. When you want to use Bill Me Later, you simply select this option when you check out online. At that point, you must enter in the last four digits of your Social Security number and your birth date. Once you do this, you can charge the purchase on Bill Me Later and then you pay your bill at a later date.
Approval
Bill Me Later is a type of credit account, even though you do not set it up like you traditionally would a credit card. With the Bill Me Later system, your credit approval is given instantaneously when you make a purchase. The lender looks at your credit profile and then determines how big of a credit line you can have. If you have used Bill Me Later several times, you may not have enough credit to make additional purchases.
Transaction
When you select Bill Me Later at checkout, the Bill Me Later company pays the merchant for your purchase. At that point, you receive a statement in the mail from Bill Me Later about 10 to 15 days after your purchase. The statement provides you with information about how much you spent, what your interest rate is and when your payment is due. The interest rate on the account is similar to credit card interest at around 19.99 percent.
Considerations
Bill Me Later is convenient for online shoppers who do not have a credit card or need more credit to make a purchase. This service also is valuable because it offers no fraud liability for its customers. No one else can make unauthorized purchases on your account. If unauthorized activity appears on your account, you will not be held responsible for the charges. Before using this service, though, you need to determine if the high interest charges are worth the convenience.

How to Add a Shopping Cart to Weebly

1. Launch a Web browser and log in to your Weebly account.
2. Click the 'Elements' tab and then click 'Revenue.'
3. Select the product block you wish to employ to display the items you are selling and enter the required details including title, price and picture.
4. Select Google Checkout or PayPal for payment processing. If you select Google Checkout, there are additional steps required to associate your Weebly site with the service (see Resources).
5. Repeat Step 3 for each product you wish to sell. The Weebly editor allows you to easily change the display and position of listed items.
6. Click 'Publish' once you have set up the shopping cart page. Visitors will be able to click 'Add to Shopping Cart' and purchase items listed on the page using your preferred payment method.

How do I Change the Username for PayPal?

1. Log into your Paypal account. Choose the text link 'Problem with login' if you have problems or lost your password.
2. Click the 'My Account' tab chosen in the top menu. Select the 'Profile' link and then 'More Options' from the drop-down.
3. Click on the text link 'Password' under the 'Account Information' list.
4. Select the radio button next to 'Password' and click the 'Edit' button.
5. Enter your current password in the top box. Enter a new password using letters, numbers and symbols in the second box. Watch the password strength indicator to the right of the field to improve password security.
6. Confirm your new password in the third box labeled 'Re-enter Password.' Click the 'Save' button. If you make an error, the page will display a warning in yellow at the top of the page.
7. Write down or memorize your new password.
8. Log out of Paypal, then log back in with your new password. If you have problems, try your old password or contact Paypal.

How to Withdraw Money From a Pay Pal Account

1. Go to the PayPal website (see Resources).
2. Click on 'Log In' and enter your email address and password.
3. On the 'My Account' page, click on 'Withdraw.'
4. Choose from your withdraw options. For example, click on 'Withdraw funds to your bank account,' and on the next page, enter in the amount you wish to transfer and select the bank account it should go to.
5. Request a check if you do not want to do an electronic transfer. For a fee -- as of October 2010, $1.50 -- PayPal will mail you a check for the requested amount.