Prepaid & Debit Card FAQs

Almost all prepaid cards allow ATM withdrawals abroad, the only difference is fees. For example, consider the American Express® Prepaid Card. The card offers one free ATM withdrawal per month, and you will be charged $2.00 per ATM withdrawal thereafter. Also this card does not have monthly or annual fee. You can compare this card [...]

Most prepaid cards do not report to the credit bureaus as these are not about extending credit to you. Prepaid cards are not credit cards, thus they do not help your credit. But these are a good alternative to carrying cash. If you are interested in prepaid cards, browse through the cards here and apply [...]

The iAdvance Line of Credit associated with many prepaid debit cards from MetaBank exists no longer. For some reasons the Office of Thrift Supervision, MetaBank’s bank regulator, required Metabank to stop iAdvance program by October 13, 2010 and for good. For more information please contact MetaBank.

Keeping track of your available balance is important, since with prepaid debit cards you can only charge up to the amount you have pre-deposited into your account. You can check your balance at your card issuer’s web site, making a phone balance inquiry, or using an ATM. If you have mobile banking on your prepaid [...]

While prepaid debit cards are convenient for making in-person or online transactions, and are widely accepted, there are a couple things you should keep in mind while using your card. Gas Stations, Hotels and Restaurants may put a hold on your prepaid card for the amount equaling your estimated bill. This amount may remain unavailable [...]

Prepaid debit cards today have more built-in features than ever before! And while credit cards are still better for those who want to build credit, nevertheless there’s something you can do even with a prepaid card. If you choose a card that provides a short-term loan option (view Best Prepaid Cards for the complete list [...]

Debit cards are tied to your bank account and prepaid cards are not. To start using a prepaid card you need to load it by making a direct deposit of your paycheck or government benefits, a transfer from your bank account, or by making in-person deposit at one of the retail locations. With prepaid cards [...]