Prepaid Cards: Are they really a Better Alternative to Credit Cards?

Tagged Under : Cards, Prepaid Cards

You 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

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The Advantages of Prepaid Cards

Tagged Under : Cards, Prepaid Cards

The popularity of prepaid cards has significantly increased in the past years. Demands for these alternative plastics have exploded and it is predicted to have at least $7.2 billion in transactions every year. Some employers have in fact chosen to issue prepaid cards instead of a paycheck. These cards are actually re-loadable spending cards. Although cards carry the Visa and MasterCard logo, they should not be mistaken for a debit/credit card or even gift cards. People use is to pay without having to open a bank account or applying for a credit line. You just have to add money to its balance and it works the same way as debit or credit cards. If you cannot open a bank account for some reason or you cannot trust yourself in handling a credit card, they say this is the next big thing.

Others have pointed out the other ways and reasons prepaid cards are a popular choice these days. One gets to budget and avoid overspending when using these cards without sacrificing convenience and safety from bringing all that cash.

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