Free Prepaid Credit Cards: Friendly Plastic For The Very Young Pocket
It isn’t a riddle, but it sure has the makings of one. You want to give your teenager a little spending power. You know your daughter could use the money to order things online. You believe giving her a plastic will help her learn financial responsibility, too. She can teach herself the finer points of budgeting and being accountable for her purchases. There are, however, two obstacles to your plan. The first is your daughter’s age. She is only thirteen. As a minor, she cannot enter into credit card transactions. The second is her self-control. You’re not sure how much self-restraint she could exercise, particularly when faced with a tempting array of bikinis, handbags, and dresses. So, what do you do? What do you get your daughter? The answer is made up of four words: free prepaid credit cards.
Prepaid What?
Free prepaid credit cards work in much the same way other prepaid cards do. You deposit a certain amount of money. Then, you get to use the card only to the extent your previously deposited amount allows you to. So you see, your cash balance works exactly like your other plastics’ spending limit. Your purchasing power is only as good as your cash balance.
Free prepaid credit cards are the perfect way for you to keep your spending within reasonable limits. While the usual plastic lets you swipe away to your heart’s content, free prepaid credit cards are only useful for as long as you do not exceed the prepaid amount loaded onto your card. This makes it the perfect plastic for people with spending problems, students on a budget, or teenagers who are being taught money lessons by their anxious parents.
A Credit Card That Isn’t Really a Credit Card
Free prepaid credit cards are classified as credit cards. Many claim, however, that this is a misnomer. A prepaid credit card is not really a credit card. Why? To begin with, no credit is offered by the card issuer. The cardholder spends money that has been stored in the card through a previous deposit. It is precisely for this reason that free prepaid credit cards may be issued to minors. Because there is no credit involved, minors are free to own their personal prepaid credit cards.
So Why Get Free Prepaid Credit Cards?
There are advantages to getting free prepaid credit cards. The most obvious is that they are very easy to qualify for. In fact, they can be bought over the Internet. Additionally, many providers do not run credit checks or investigate your income. Because it’s your own money you’re putting up, providers do not put you through hell and back just so you could use your card.
Then, too, you do not pay interest charges on your free prepaid credit card like you would with a regular plastic. Why would you? You are, after all, using your own money. Another advantage is that free prepaid credit cards look exactly like regular Visa or Mastercards They are honored everywhere a regular card is. Furthermore, some free prepaid credit cards help you rebuild credit. Each time you use it, you are creating higher credit rating for yourself.
We live in a world where our buying power is largely based on our credit rating. Clearly, credit is good, high credit rating is to die for, and free prepaid credit cards are for all of us who have spending problems, have been remiss with paying off debts, or are below 18 years of age.
Watch the video related to prepaid credit card
The prepaid credit card business helps individuals with little to no credit. Find out more about the prepaid credit card business withexpert tips from a registered financial consultant in this free video on financial planning. Expert: Patrick Munro Contact: www.northstarnavigator.com Bio: Patrick Munro is a registered financial consultant (RFC) with outstanding sales volume of progressive financial products and solutions to the senior and boomer marketplace. Filmmaker: Reel Media LLC…
Help answer the question about prepaid credit card
How much extra does a prepaid credit card cost?Ok I need to buy something online and I have no credit card. I am going to buy a prepaid card but how much extra does it cost at Vons or Stater Bros. or somewhere like that. Is it any extra at all or just tax? Please help
June 25th, 2009 at 11:55 am
A debit card should work–I've been using my MasterCard branded debit card online for years. However, there are occasionally sites that say they don't take debit cards.
In that case, you could try getting a secured credit card. You make a deposit to the bank which becomes the limit of the card (you can't touch that money, so make sure you can afford it). So if you put $500 on a secured card, you would have a credit card with a $500 limit. After a year or less, the secured card will become unsecured and you get your deposit back and it becomes a regular credit card. It reports as a regular card to the credit bureaus too, so no one would know it's a secured card but you. Bank of America has one that is supposed to be very good.
You could also try shopping through sites that use Paypal–you can have Paypal draw directly from your checking account.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Yes there is a way for you get a prepaid credit card with your name on it. Its take 7-10 days and its is a credit card.
It cost like 10.00 please see walmart dealer or https://www.walmartmoneycard.com/walmart/homepage.aspx
I hope it works.
If you have a bank card visa that will work also.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Do I have to pay something to activate a prepaid credit card? or I just have to buy one and reload it?
June 26th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
sometimes those prepaid debt cards cost
you anywhere from 5 to 20.00 and thats just to get
the card, then there might be charges for non-use or even if you
use a monthly charge.. and do you want to use a ATM more fees
.
read the fine print
I would sugggest you can open a checking account usually for
a low balance or even free of monthty charges and most
of those checking accounts include debit card which works
just like a credit card..
June 27th, 2009 at 12:24 am
As long as it is a valid Visa or Master card etc. yes
June 27th, 2009 at 12:32 am
I don't think so..
June 27th, 2009 at 1:20 am
yes, in some ways it's better.
You have already paid the money ahead of time and now you can use it, up to the limit of your payment minus the fees charged for managing your acct. With a prepaid credit card you cannot go over the limit. so you realistically have no debt with the company because it is prepaid.
June 27th, 2009 at 4:17 am
If you want a reloadable prepay card you will need to get a Green Dot Card.
Most of the others are prepaid Visa cards with a set limit and they can't be reloaded. You buy a $100 Visa Gift Card and use it up but can't reload it because it is not a real account. (Does not have your name on it).
June 27th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Prepaid cards won't, but secured cards very often report to the credit bureaus, and they WILL improve your credit.
June 28th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
sign up for a paypal account and use the card on that, paypal doesnt care if its prepaid, and choose paypal at ebay checkout