Best Prepaid Debit Card for Teen

[Judique]

I work for Navy Federal and in these instances we would recommend the Buxx card. We can issue the Visa Check Cards for teenagers over 14 so if your child is in that range and you'd prefer that over the prepaid, that would be an option as well.

We are NFCU members as well, and my DD has had a NFCU savings since birth. When she recently started college and also started working, and her 18th birthday rolled around, we got her the Campus Checking account. We needed somewhere to drop her direct deposit only paychecks. Personally I liked the Campus checking better, in conjunction with a prepaid card. The Campus checking has ATM rebates up to x dollar amount per month.

The Pass card is basically a vehicle for some 'separate' gift money. And - as another poster mentioned - when the fees kick in, it may be cancelled unless there is some incentive to continue.

We also have USAA accounts - we are a bit diversified! USAA has some awesome insurance products!

Andrews Federal - ehh...okay if you can't join the other two.

 

[katesorad]

What about the Wal Mart Moneycard? I had one for a while when we just didn't have the $ to open an account, and it worked very well for me.

 

[VirataMama4]

They you everyone for the suggestions and recommendations. We were really hoping to stay away from opening a new account at a new bank. I think we're going to go with the Visa Buxx card. The fees don't look too bad compared to opening a new checking account.

 

[Kycha]

What about the Wal Mart Moneycard? I had one for a while when we just didn't have the $ to open an account, and it worked very well for me.

I was going to suggest the Walmart Moneycard too. It is a Visa logo prepaid card. You can get one in store($3), but if you order one online there is no issuance fee. You can do instant bank transfers to reload the card(no fee). Or you can buy Green Dot Money paks(fee varies) at many different retailers. There is a $3 monthly maintenance fee.


https://www.walmartmoneycard.com/walmart/

 

[Jitzy]

Dd has a prepaid mastercard through USAA. I have my savings and her savings accounts linked to it and we can load money on it instantly. No fees associated, but you have to be eligible for a USAA account. I also like that she can keep her money in savings earning interest and only transfer money to the card when she needs it.

Same for us! I highly recommend USAA if you are eligible for membership.

Another vote for USAA! We love the card. Automatic transfers on allowance day. Also, the card can be suspended ~ great for discipline. It can be used as a Mastercard and a bank card. ATM withdrawals fees are reimbursed up to ten (?) transactions per month.

 

[disneymarie]

What about the Wal Mart Moneycard? I had one for a while when we just didn't have the $ to open an account, and it worked very well for me.

I purchased the Visa Green dot card from Walmart for my teen. I can reload but so far there has not been a need. I also gave one as a gift card to older step daughter, for Christmas so she could shop where ever they take VISA,.

I think I paid $3 for it. Not sure what the fee is to reload, or if it expires in a year or not...too far ahead.

 

[cajunbaby1]

I have the Walmart card. It's only $3.00 to put money on it. You have a PIN # and can use it everywhere. There is a $3.00 monthly fee. I have it for vacations, etc. Never had a problem. They even will send you a new one when it's close to the exp date of the card.

 

[Tisha_PA]

We got my daughter a student paypal account that is linked to my account. They issued her a mastercard debit card that she can also use in an ATM. There are no fees for it that I've noticed - I don't even recall her being charged for using it in an ATM. I have alerts set up on it to let me know when her cash balance falls below $20 so I can keep tabs on her. When she needs cash, I fund it through my paypal account and I can access hers anytime I want to see how she is spending it.

 

[tazleiten12]

We got my daughter a student paypal account that is linked to my account. They issued her a mastercard debit card that she can also use in an ATM. There are no fees for it that I've noticed - I don't even recall her being charged for using it in an ATM. I have alerts set up on it to let me know when her cash balance falls below $20 so I can keep tabs on her. When she needs cash, I fund it through my paypal account and I can access hers anytime I want to see how she is spending it.

My two teens have this card. It works great. Its linked to your account, so you can send them money ASAP, no charge. You can also check there transactions. They can also text you for more money, and you can also put it in with a text if you wish. Its been working great for us!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

we've had no problems whatsoever with visa buxx. Easy to use and easy to add on money when you want.

 

[stczt]

A few years ago ds went on a trip so we got him a www.payjr.com card, If he needed more money we could just add some. I think it was $5.00 a month. We only used it the month he was gone that he was gone. Now he has a Highschool checking account thats hooked on to ours. So he has a debit card. We opened another one for my other ds he's 13, its called a highschool account but you can be 13. We bank at Chase

 

[crisi]

We opened Wells Fargo teen "checking" accounts for our kids - checking in quotes because we didn't get them checks - they have a debit card. No fees, can't be overdrafted, and I auto transfer their allowance in from our account into theirs each week. Limits on how much they can get out in cash and/or 'charge' each day. The kids in question are 11 and 12 - although I don't know how much of the "freeness" of that option has to do with being a Wells Fargo PMA customer.

 

[JB2K]

I'm looking to get a prepaid debit card for my DD for her 13th birthday and am wondering what one others recommend. I've looked into the Visa Buxx, American Express Pass (concerned because of the number of retailers don't accept Amex), Upside, and Payjr... I would like her to be able to get cash out from ATMs, since we live on a Military Base so cash is needed for things like the on base theater, etc.

So, if you could tell me your experience(s) with any of the cards above or any other prepaid card, it would be greatly appreciated!

PS~ I am not looking for a prepaid visa or mastercard that you can get at a store, like Walmart, Walgreens, etc.

Since you're military, USAA offers such a product -- very easy for both teen and parent -- with no pesky "extra" fees!

Best of all, if you bank with USAA, you can link it with your other accounts.

 

[roadtripper]

Another vote for a PayPal student account. We got one for DD 16, which is a Visa debit card that I can load for free. I don't use PayPal for banking even though I have an account for online purchases, so I linked the PayPal student account to my checking account for transfers. I can load her card instantly for free, she can check her balance by texting #bal on her phone, and I get a text when her balance is below the amount I set. It has been great for her money management wise. She learned quickly that she is better off buying a pack of gum at the store with her debit card to get cash back than paying an ATM fee.

 

[pixiepower1971]

Another vote for USAA. I have used their prepaid card for my daughers(14 and 12) for a few years now and we have never had any issues. No fees and easy for us to tranfer money and for their grandparents to put money on

They also have a teen checking account with a debit card available. I know my daughter got it when she was 13.

 

[Kitzka]

We opened Wells Fargo teen "checking" accounts for our kids - checking in quotes because we didn't get them checks - they have a debit card. No fees, can't be overdrafted, and I auto transfer their allowance in from our account into theirs each week. Limits on how much they can get out in cash and/or 'charge' each day. The kids in question are 11 and 12 - although I don't know how much of the "freeness" of that option has to do with being a Wells Fargo PMA customer.

Crisi

thanks for posting this. i am going to look into this one. DD has an amexpass but as others have said not everyone takes amex and she finds that frustrating.

lara