Let us create a 3D eBook for you!
Let us create a 3d Digital eBook for you! DigyCat.com

 

Two Things You Need To Know About Prepaid Debit Cards


According to the September 2004 issue of the Nilson Report, around $588 billion dollars worth of debit cards were bought in the United States in 2003. By 2008 that volume is expected to grow to $1.231 trillion putting a significant dent in the nation's use of pure credit cards as consumers continue to favor the use of prepaid debit cards. If you are among the nation's millions who are currently using prepaid debit cards or are among those considering their use, you need to know two things that may detract and enhance your use of the prepaid debit card.

First, know what you're getting. Most people understand the prepaid debit card as the retail gift card. Others know that such gift cards can be purchased through their local bank. What some consumers don't know is that those purchased through their bank can come with hefty fees attached, and those fees can come in a myriad of disguises from up-front purchase fees to various administration fees including replacement costs account maintenance fees and fees for checking the balance. Such fees are currently being debated in the courts, but until a fair resolution is offered, it is up to the consumers to be aware of what they are buying.

Second, despite consumer and fair trade concerns, some applications of the prepaid debit card are both innovative and convenient. For example, there are now some tax preparation services offering what is known as the "stored value" card. In other words, in lieu of waiting for your refund to arrive, you can simply tell your tax preparation service that you would like to have your refund loaded onto your prepaid debit card. Once you have your prepaid debit card "loaded" you can make arrangements with your bank to assign it a routing number so that you may use it just like a checking account. Another new use of prepaid debit cards come from the currency exchange companies, better known as remittance services. The usual remittance companies such as Western Union and MoneyGram are facing new competition from small companies who are targeting the immigration population by offering speed and convenience in sending money on-line using a bank account, a credit card or a PayPal account. The customer simply electronically "loads" the desired amount onto a Visacard which is then mailed to the beneficiary.

With the help of the internet, the potential to send money via "loaded" cards is without precedent. The ease, speed and convenience of such services are becoming so popular that many companies are aggressively marketing prepaid debit cards to consumers through customization. Visa, for example, has a prepaid debit card marketed exclusively to teens, know as Buxx. American Express has the TravelFunds Card marketing "for people on the go" and MasterCard has its I-Gen MasterCard marketed to those who prefer to either forego traditional checking accounts or keep only a minimum amount while "loading" their card with the cash their budgets dictate they can spend.

© Gunnar Berglund
Gunnar Berglund has been working on the Internet for about five years and runshttp://www.global-prepaid-cards.com since September 2003


MORE RESOURCES:

Credit - Google News

Photo credit by Jonathan-Hayward of the Canadian Press - Martinez News-Gazette


Photo credit by Jonathan-Hayward of the Canadian Press
Martinez News-Gazette
Former San Jose Shark Owen Nolan announced his retirement on Tuesday at the HP Pavillion in San Jose, home of the San Jose Sharks. The day started off with Sharks radio personality, Dan Rusanowsky, introducing Doug Wilson, the Sharks current general ...

and more »

Bernstein 'deserves credit' after Capello exit - BBC Sport (blog)


BBC Sport (blog)

Bernstein 'deserves credit' after Capello exit
BBC Sport (blog)
Photo: Getty But while the FA are left in a position critics may argue is an all-too-familiar state of disarray, Bernstein has nevertheless emerged from the latest crisis with some credit. An accountant by profession, he calculated that Terry's ...

and more »

7 Things You Didn't Know Affect Your Credit Score - San Francisco Chronicle


WISC Madison

7 Things You Didn't Know Affect Your Credit Score
San Francisco Chronicle
We all know to pay our bills on time and carry as little debt as possible, and most of the time, that is all that matters in your credit score. Yet, there are other, smaller factors that many people aren't aware of that can cause your score to suffer.
First Premier's $400-a-year credit cardCNN
6 Benefits Of Increasing Your Credit LimitForbes

all 52 news articles »

TEXT-Fitch publishes second edition of US Retail Credit Insights - Reuters


TEXT-Fitch publishes second edition of US Retail Credit Insights
Reuters
Feb 9 - Fitch Ratings has published the second edition of its 'US Retail Credit Insights' newsletter. The newsletter provides brief company-specific and sector comments, links and summaries to rating actions and detailed industry reports, ...

and more »

Europe Bank Risk Premium Vanishing on ECB Cash: Credit Markets - San Francisco Chronicle


Financial Times

Europe Bank Risk Premium Vanishing on ECB Cash: Credit Markets
San Francisco Chronicle
Credit-default swaps on 13 European banks including BNP Paribas SA and UniCredit SpA converged with those tied to the six largest US peers such as Citigroup Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co., with the gap at 17 basis points as of yesterday, down from 33 on ...
TEXT-ECB approves credit claim collateral rule changesReuters
ECB Meeting: Looking Intensively at Credit Tightening RiskAction Forex
Draghi Says LTRO Helped Avoid Major Credit CrunchMNI News
Monsters and Critics.com -BusinessWeek -Telegraph.co.uk
all 2,793 news articles »

An Earned Income Tax Credit Q&A - Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)


Washington and Lee University News Office

An Earned Income Tax Credit Q&A
Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)
How many Washington residents miss out on getting a refund from the IRS because they don't file for the Earned Income Tax Credit? We estimate that on a national average, one in five taxpayers who are eligible for EITC do not claim it or file a tax ...
IRS Offers Tool on Repayment of Home Buyer Tax CreditNew York Times (blog)
IRS Extends Deadline to Claim Vet CreditWall Street Journal (blog)
IRS Releases Forms and Guidance for Claiming Expanded Veterans Tax CreditAccounting Today
CBS News -JD Supra (press release) -DailyFinance
all 82 news articles »

Credit Suisse Reports First Quarterly Loss in 3 Years - New York Times


New York Times

Credit Suisse Reports First Quarterly Loss in 3 Years
New York Times
By JULIA WERDIGIER Arnd Wiegmann/ReutersBrady W. Dougan, chief of Credit Suisse, called the bank's performance “disappointing.” Credit Suisse, one of Switzerland's biggest banks, reported its first quarterly loss in three years on Thursday as its core ...
Credit Suisse Posts First Loss in Three Years on Investment BankBloomberg
Credit Suisse Bonus-Bond Deferral Spares Investment-Bank ProfitSan Francisco Chronicle
Investment bank slump tips C.Suisse to Q4 lossReuters
Wall Street Journal -Huffington Post
all 276 news articles »

CORRECT: Fitch Jan Credit-Card Charge-Off Index At 4-Year Low - Wall Street Journal


CORRECT: Fitch Jan Credit-Card Charge-Off Index At 4-Year Low
Wall Street Journal
("Fitch Jan Prime Credit-Card Charge-Off Index 5.33%, A 4-Year Low," at 9:49 am EST, misstated the early-stage delinquent index, in the fifth paragraph. The correct version follows:) US prime credit-card asset-backed securities saw charge-offs in ...
Fitch: Chargeoffs Hit Four-Year Low for US Credit Card ABSMarketWatch (press release)
TEXT-Fitch:Chargeoffs hit four-year low for US credit card ABSReuters

all 6 news articles »

Credit-Default Swaps in U.S. Reverse Rise as Greece Strikes Austerity Deal - Bloomberg


Credit-Default Swaps in U.S. Reverse Rise as Greece Strikes Austerity Deal
Bloomberg
A benchmark gauge of US company credit risk pared its rise as Greek political leaders struck a deal on austerity measures needed for a rescue package, curbing concern Europe's fiscal crisis may escalate. The Markit CDX North America Investment Grade ...
US Credit Swaps Reverse Rise as Greece Strikes Austerity DealBusinessWeek

all 22 news articles »

Republicans Target Tax Credits for Undocumented Immigrants - Fox News


Kansas City Star

Republicans Target Tax Credits for Undocumented Immigrants
Fox News
Republicans are looking to deny illegal immigrants the child tax credit, and refund checks as one way to help pay for extending the Social Security tax cut another 10 months. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) Print Email Share Comments Recommend Tweet Some ...
Republicans: No tax break for illegal immigrantsThe Associated Press
Republicans target child tax-break 'free-funds' for illegal immigrantsMy Fox Boston
Republicans want to deny child tax credit to illegal immigrants to pay for ...Washington Post

all 241 news articles »

Click here for Best Buy In-Store Pickup

StreetSideAuto.com

Looking For Royalty Free Photos for your Website, Business or Advertising?

My Life Through The Lens

YourFree.biz Domain Is For Sale - $5,000 For Enquiries eMail Us

© www.YourFree.biz 2011

home | site map | links

eXTReMe Tracker