Good pre-paid VISA or Mastercard?

[Claudia1]

I got a Green Dot card for my DS, who has just started driving and I wanted to provide him with a trackable means to have cash for gas, etc... NOT a charge card but a pre-paid debit card. However, I am quickly getting annoyed with the Green Dot card. I can only reload it with a MoneyPak, that I have to purchase at a store. I can't do an ACH transfer with my online banking.

I want to find a card that I can load by phone or online. Does anybody have any recommendations for me?

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

Have you checked with your bank? I know not all of them do prepaid cards but my bank (USAA) has prepaid cards that you can add money on via bank transfer for kids which is how I pay my girls for chores lol. The bank didn't advertise they did this, I had to ask if they could recommend someone and lo and behold they had them lol...so it may be worth a shot to ask your bank.

 

[clh2]

Have you looked into getting your DS a checking account with a debit/ATM card? In my opinion - while not answering your specific question - it would accomplish the same thing.

We got DD a checking account last year, and while the specific reason was so she could get cash as needed on a couple of trips she went on - we have found the benefits far exceeded our original reasons to get the account -
this account has given DD an opportunity to learn about writing out checks, how to balance an account, how to keep track of expenses on a register, etc.

Both of us are on the account, and with our bank - and how we have accounts linked, it is VERY easy to transfer money either from DH/my checking account or from her savings account. We can do this either on line, or by calling customer service.

This option for us was far less expensive than doing pre-paid Visa's.

Good Luck!

 

[FireDancer]

I am the Information Systems Coordinator for a credit union an I was the project manager on the gift card program we implemented last year. I'll describe how ours works and maybe you have a credit union in the area that is similar. If you are in the Cleveland, OH area I would suggest mine .

Our program is a 3-part program but the card that would work for you is the personalized re-loadable gift card. The initial fee is $9.95 which includes the first load and each additional load is $2 regardless of the amount (up to the max which I believe is $1,500).

You would log into a site and purchase the card initially (or you could come into a branch, but why not do it yourself). Your son's name would be on it but you would control the account via the website. You could review purchases, reload the card (if you have a credit card through our CU, if not you could call and do it over the phone), and remove money from the card if needed. The card is good for 3 years and can be loaded as many times as you would like.

I'd think a credit union would be a better place than a bank because of the different focus on the customer (or member).

Good luck finding something that works.

 

[love2disney]

I know its not what you want but paypal has a great student account system. if you have a paypal account you just add to that and transfer money to them as needed online. And you paypal account can be connected to your bank. The student account comes with a debit card which can be used anywhere.

 

[kimblebee]

I use a Mosaik Prepaid Mastercard. It can have funds transferred to it via internet. You just set up as one of your bills through internet banking. It takes 2-3 days for the funds to show up on your card but you can just plan for that. I haven't had any problems with mine. I haven't done it but if you only have say $5.00 on the card and you try to use it for a purchase of $5.01 it will be declined. Hope this helps.

 

[Sparx]

maybe getting him a debit account at a bank would be a good idea. he could carry it on to when he goes to college too. he could use his debit card to get gas (and you could put money into his account.) and you wouldn't have to worry about extra fees like some prepaid gift cards have.

 

[Imzadi]

A debit card works the same way as a pre-paid credit card. Once the money is gone, it doesn't work any more.

Some banks allow you to pool your bank accounts together, in that, if you have enough funds in one account, there are no (or less) fees on some of the other accounts. He might qualify for that if he has a joint checking account with you, which gives him a debit card.

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

this is why I like the AAA travel visa card! I use to use green dot, but had run into problems with it. I went to AAA to get travelers checks for Disney and found this visa! I now use it for shopping online and my trips!! it is awesome!

 

[golfgal]

I agree with getting him a teen checking account with a debit card. We have that for all of our kids and it is great. I am a co-signer on the account since they are not 18 and can't so I can see their accounts with my online banking. I can transfer money from my account to their debit card online and you see everything they buy. Our oldest puts his money into that account and has to keep a separate register of his money and our money.

 

[happywanderer2]

have you thought of getting him prepaid cards from specific gas stations? The Speedway in our area has them, and if you join their rewards club you get points everytime you load the card plus points for the gas you put in. Card cost nothing but the money you put in.