Nov
29You may have heard quite a bit about prepaid cards as of late, as many consumers and financial experts are touting their convenience and practicality. In fact, because of the poor credit sector and the inability of many consumers to obtain credit, prepaid cards have surged in popularity.
Prepaid Cards: How they Work
The concept behind prepaid cards is quite simple: a consumer purchases the card from a retailer and loads it with money. The prepaid card, which may be partnered with Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express, can then be used as a consumer would use a debit or credit card; to purchase items through retailers or to pay bills online.
Prepaid credit cards require no credit check, and are quite simple to get and load with money. It is no wonder then, that in 2008 alone, consumers loaded nearly $8.7 billion on prepaid cards; that’s up about $4 billion from the year before.
Prepaid Cards Popular Among College Students, those with Poor Credit
For individuals who may not be able to secure a regular checking account, a prepaid card may be a practical alternative. O

