The Good Side and the Bad Side of A Prepaid Credit Card
For those of you with poor credit history and thus find it hard to be eligible for standard credit cards, a preloaded card may be the answer. Prepaid cards look exactly like any regular plastic credit card except that it is easier to obtain a prepaid one. In this posting, we will talk about the advantages and drawbacks of using a prepaid charge card.
Prepaid Credit Card Advantages
Easy Access. Since no credit assessment is done, anyone can obtain a re-loadable prepaid card without any hassle.
Budget Friendly. Have you got an issue with overspending? With prepaid cards, it becomes easier to control a person's spending since you can only charge purchases to your card as long as you have an available balance. Once your charges have reached the maximum, you must make a new deposit or reload your prepaid card before you can use it for new purchases.
Avoid Bad Debt. A prepaid card does not come with a credit line so the risk of incurring bad debt can be avoided. Unlike credit cards, prepaid cards do not come with interest rates or late penalty fees which often leads to debt build-up.
Convenience. People who loves to travel or who are constantly on trips for business purposes find re-loadable prepaid cards very useful and convenient to use and carry. A traveler can simply take a re-loadable card instead of bringing cash for safety. Parents with college kids at boarding schools can send allowance though prepaid cards.
Prepaid Credit Card Disadvantages
Although prepaid cards do not come with interest rate or late penalty fees, you will find that there are other costs that you should look out for. Get a prepaid card with reasonable fees. There are lots of credit card review websites that can help you decide which one to choose so take time to shop and compare all your possible options. What are the fees that you need to know?
Upfront Fee. Although no credit check needed, most Issuers call for an upfront payment. These fees are often called "application fee" or "activation fee".
Maintenance Charge. Most prepaid cards come with an annual fee. However, apart from the yearly cost, you can even be charged with a monthly maintenance fee or "service charge" .
Reloading Charges. There are some banks who will require you to pay a minimal fee each time you deposit or reload your prepaid account. It is a good idea to look for a prepaid debit card Issuer with no reloading charges.
Purchase Fees. Generally, there is a transaction fee each time you charge a purchase to your card. Whether the purchase was made from a regular store or online shop, you can still incur a minimal fee per transaction.
Card replacement and renewal fee. If you have lost your prepaid card, there is a fee whenever you request for replacement. Also, the issuance of the card is often valid for a limited time period only. When your card expires, you must pay a fee for the card renewal.
Yes, there are advantages with using a prepaid credit card. However, before you decide to get one, see to it that there will be no hidden costs or unreasonable charges associated you're your chosen prepaid credit card.
Copyright (c) 2010 Tara Tiemann
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