Posts Tagged control your money
Keep track of your online spending with your eWallet
I’m a big aromatherapy buff, but buying supplies in local shops can be expensive. That’s why I love, love, love to buy essential oils online. Everything’s so much cheaper if you know the right websites. The problem is, you can’t buy online using cash. And left to my own devices I would probably own every oil out there… Last year my credit card took a big hit when I got carried away.
I stay on budget with Net+
Ever since I started working at NETELLER, my essential oil addiction has stopped being an issue. That’s because I figured out I can use my Net+ Prepaid MasterCard® to shop anywhere I want online.
By loading my NETELLER account with my personal budget for the month, I only spend what I can afford. Which is great news for my credit rating – and my peace of mind.
Today's blog is by Ashton. She’s a strong charity advocate, loves Pilates, long walks on the beach… Oh yeah, and she’s a typical red head.
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Loading ...Travelling on a budget
Today’s post was written by guest blogger Niclas Aarestrup from Denmark. He is a travel writer and he uses his Net+ card everywhere. Follow him on Twitter today (http://twitter.com/niclasaa) and keep up with his latest travels.
Travelling on a budget makes a lot of sense. Back when I had just turned 18 and was going out on a holiday without my parents I managed to spend around 5,300 USD on a 2 week vacation in France (and that doesn’t include flight and hotel). I had a great time during the vacation and a slightly less great time when I got back home.
So why did this happen? Well, first of all I had been given just about any kind of plastic card imaginable by my bank, plus a stack of EuroCheques. And what was even worse, I had made absolutely no attempt at making a budget for the trip even though I had been to France before and thus had a pretty good idea what expenses I should expect.
Once I was back from my holiday I managed to get my debt settled and returned all of my plastic cards and cheques. I have avoided getting any new credit cards since then, not wanting to tempt fate.
Limiting your spending
So making a budget makes a lot of sense, and not only for young or first time travellers, but for all of us. And having a credit card, or even a debit card connected directly to your bank account, might mean you are more likely to spend money you’ll later wish you hadn’t. Having a prepaid card can alleviate a lot of those dangers, and you might still be able to increase your holiday budget if you find the need, after taking a moment to consider whether that extra purchase is really necessary.
If you are a full-time student or under 26 years old (or in some cases 30), you should also make sure to get a student ID and possibly an international student ID as this will offer discounts or even free entry in many places. If you don’t know if a place offers student discounts, just ask, you might get a discount anyway.
Making a travel plan
When you decide to go on a holiday you probably have some place in mind, as well as how you wish to travel and what kind of accommodation you want to use. These choices will usually also give you an idea of how much you want to spend during your holiday.
It might be you choose to stay at a hostel so you have more funds to spend at your destination or to keep your trip’s price tag down. Another choice is to splurge on a top notch hotel and maybe some gourmet dining. Whatever your choice, I would recommend you do a little research and check the cost of meals at your destination as well as local transport and fees to get into any museums, parks, tours or discos. This will give you an idea about how much money you should set aside for your travel budget on top of the price of the trip itself. As with all budgets, you should always remember to have a little extra money available for those unforeseen costs. Also check if there is some kind of city pass available. These usually include free local transport as well as free or discounted entry to museums, galleries and other places of interest.
How Net+ can help
Using a prepaid card such as Net+ from NETELLER will allow you to set aside money and help keep you from overspending during your holiday. This card has reasonable fees and exchange rates sometimes lower than those offered by banks and exchange agencies. If you want extra security for yourself, set up some post-dated money transfers from your bank account to your NETELLER account before you leave home. That way you will keep the money available to you to a reasonable amount, basically recharging your finances at set intervals. Transfers from your bank account to NETELLER are usually processed quite fast. Check with your bank and the NETELLER website beforehand to get an idea of how many days you should expect for the transfer to clear into your account.
If you use your Net+ card at hotels that are not a part of a package or charter tour, you will usually have to provide your card at check-in as well as giving your card details when making your booking. Also, you will notice that many hotels will reserve a set amount of money to cover any charges you might incur during your stay, such as room service or things from the mini bar. These funds are only reserved, but this means they will not be available for you to use until somewhere from 3-6 days after you’ve checked out. It is usually a nice round figure that is reserved in local currency, such as 100 USD, 100 EUR, 100 GBP. If you prefer, some hotels will allow you to leave a cash deposit which they will refund when you check out. Don’t be afraid to ask the check-in desk.
Picking a currency
When you sign up for a NETELLER account and order your Net+ card you should also take a moment to consider what currency you would like to have it in. Usual choices will either be your local currency or the currency that you will most often be using. If the currency you most often use is unstable you might want to keep the card in your local currency. If your local currency is unstable you might consider having it in another currency. I personally use my card to make payments in several currencies and my local currency is fairly stable, so I have chosen to have my card and account in my local currency. NETELLER offers their accounts and cards in more currencies than most, if not all, other solutions.
Besides limiting your available spending to only the money you have set aside for your holiday, the NETELLER account and Net+cards also offer another fantastic tool that not all banks or card issuers offer, namely the ability to instantly view your transactions online and also control your available funds. You can see a transaction literally seconds after you’ve completed it. Trust me; I have tested it a few times already. If the transaction was in another currency than your card the exchange rate of the transaction might change the amount, but unless something crazy happens, these changes will usually be minimal. I have tested this on a Netbook, iPhone, Android Smartphone and even an ordinary budget mobile.
Other tips
Buying travel insurance or checking what is covered by your existing policies is also a very good idea. If you have some of your cash or belongings stolen or get sick abroad you might need additional funds in a hurry. Theft is also a very good reason to make photocopies of the front of all your credit and debit cards, passport, ID cards, driver’s license, insurance card and tickets as well as a list of numbers to call to report your cards or documents stolen. Store these documents in a safe place, like a hotel safe or with someone back home you can always reach by phone.
Speaking of phones, do remember that if you bring your mobile with you, roaming charges are usually insanely high, especially if you have a phone that uses data. Even text messages can become extremely costly. 1 way to reduce those costs would be to buy a local, prepaid card, available to tourists in most countries. I would recommend that you go to a proper phone store and tell them what you would like to use the card for, so you get the most economic solution for your needs. In Denmark Lebara offers cheap call rates to other countries from Denmark. If you’re visiting the UK I would recommend that you check out the Your Country SIM from O2. There are also several services online that offer different kinds of international SIM cards with rates usually more favourable than those offered by your own carrier. If the country you’re visiting has a mobile system that is incompatible with your mobile, you can often buy a prepaid card with a cheap mobile.
For budget travel these websites that might come in handy:
- Cheap flights: www.momondo.com
- Cheap train travel and timetables in Europe: http://www.bahn.de/i/view/GBR/en/index.shtml
- Hotels and hostels worldwide: www.hotels.com, www.hrs.com
- Cheap deals on train travel, and bus travel, in the UK, USA and Canada: www.megatrain.co.uk
- Low cost tours all over the world: www.tours4fun.com
Happy travelling!
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...How to make a credit card or debit card deposit
Posted by Many of our members like using their Visa or MasterCard credit cards to deposit money into their NETELLER accounts. If you haven’t tried this deposit option before, or are wondering how it works, check out this helpful demo video:
In addition to credit cards, NETELLER also accepts debit card deposits. Your Visa Electron, Visa Debit, Maestro Solo, Carte Bleue National or CartaSi cards are welcome here. Once a credit card or debit card deposit is completed, the funds will be instantly available in your account.
Limits and fees
Both Express and Extended members may deposit by credit card or debit card. Extended and VIP members have higher deposit limits than Express members. How much are you allowed to deposit? After you sign in and go to the “Deposit” tab, simply mouse over the green “?” mark to see your own deposit limits. Please be aware of the 1.75% deposit fee. By becoming a NETELLER VIP, you can exchange your NETPoints for free deposits.
Deposit declined?
Not all NETELLER credit card deposits succeed. If you start the deposit process and find out your transaction was declined, here are some possible reasons:
- Your card issuer does not permit transactions to NETELLER
- Deposit limits exceeded
- Incorrect card info entered
- Card not enabled for online shopping (eg. Verified by Visa)
- Need to clear your browser cache or cookies
Other deposit options
If you’re still not having any luck with credit card or debit card deposits, don’t worry. NETELLER has several other deposit options for you to try. In many countries we take free Local Bank Deposits, Ukash vouchers, or Instant Bank Deposits such as POLi, DIRECTebanking/Sofortüberweisung, iDeal or giropay. All members around the world can deposit using International Bank Transfers. Fees and processing times vary for each of these options.
For even more detailed information about credit and debit card deposits, please visit our FAQ page.
Today’s post was written by Gareth. As NETELLER’s Localisation and Communications Specialist, Gareth manages our translations and multilingual content. He also creates videos for our YouTube channel. Gareth can be followed on Twitter (@Mengkai).
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Paper or plastic?
Today’s post was written by guest blogger Niclas Aarestrup from Denmark. He is a travel writer and he uses his Net+ card everywhere. Follow him on Twitter today (http://twitter.com/niclasaa) and keep up with his latest travels.
I remember years back when I went on a holiday to Germany and France, armed with a bunch of Eurocheques and an EC card, the now defunct European, improved travellers cheque. The system had to give up when the popularity of international credit cards made the system obsolete, though in Germany the system continued as an ATM card on the Maestro network.
An imperfect solution
The original travellers cheque is still alive and fairly well, available at some banks and exchange bureaus. But they suffer from many of the same problems the Eurocheques had and maybe even more:
- You have to buy travellers cheques before you depart
- You buy the amount in the denominations you expect to need
- They are not easily redeemable everywhere, so when you need to cash them in you may have to look around a bit
Add to this that you pay a premium on top of the exchange rate, you will usually pay a fee to cash them in and they are only available in certain currencies. If your travellers cheques are not in the currency of the country where you cash them in, you will lose even more of your hard-earned cash to exchange fees. However, they do have 1 advantage: you can get them replaced if they are lost or stolen, even without travel insurance.
Pick up a Net+ Prepaid Card
I have personally been using the Net+ Prepaid MasterCard® for a while now in several different countries and paying in several different currencies. It has many advantages over travellers cheques. Perhaps the biggest advantage is the fact that I can use Net+ to pay at many locations. The Net+ card works at ATMs when I need cash, but it also works in hotels, stores, restaurants and onboard all the ships I’ve been travelling with lately, which reduces my need to carry large amounts of cash.
I have set up my NETELLER account and Net+ card in my local currency, which makes it easy to keep tabs on costs and also means that no matter what foreign currency I pay in, I will only incur a single exchange fee. But even if I hadn’t made this choice I could usually still spend less on exchange fees than I would have with travellers cheques.
As for security, the card is protected by the Chip & PIN system, and only the funds in your NETELLER account are available for withdrawal or purchase with certain limits to how much can be spent or withdrawn within any 24-hour period. Do remember to carry the Net+ support phone number and remember the details needed to cancel the card if you should have your card stolen (and don’t forget to report the theft to local police as well).
Control your spending with a prepaid card
If you’re going to be travelling for a while, for instance that dream trip around the world, you could set up bank transfers from your bank account to your NETELLER account at an interval you choose. This can help control your spending as well as limit any loss you might incur from theft. But if you find you need more money than you had planned, you might also be able to make additional transfers while you are on the road. 1 other smart feature is that if you have close family or friends with NETELLER accounts, they can quickly and easily send you more money if you run into problems, without having to pay high fees.
Final travel tips
As always when travelling abroad I would recommend taking out travel insurance or making sure you are completely covered by your existing policies. Not only can you get money or other valuables replaced, but if something unforseen happens, like the recent grounding of all planes in northern Europe, or if you need to go to a doctor or even a hospital, your policy will cover it.
And above all, always remember:
- Never carry around large sums of cash and don’t let anyone see what you have inside your wallet
- Never let anyone see or know your PIN
- If at all possible, never let your Net+ or other debit and credit cards out of sight. This can be hard at bars and restaurants but unfortunately apply even more so in these locations where skimming of cards can happen in mere seconds. Luckily the increasing use of the chip function eliminates this risk.
- Make sure you have the phone numbers and details available if you should need to close your cards.
- And above all of this, always use common sense when travelling
Safe journeys this summer!
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...A travel guy’s guide to buying online this Christmas
Today’s post was written by guest blogger Niclas Aarestrup from Denmark. He is a travel writer and he uses his Net+ card everywhere. Follow him on Twitter today (http://twitter.com/niclasaa) and keep up with his latest travels.
The time to be with near and dear ones is fast-approaching, but it’s also the time to give and receive. Yes, the race for this year’s Christmas gifts is intensifying. Many people are discovering they can save quite a bit of money buying things online. You not only benefit from lower prices, but often from a much larger selection.
Shop the world, but read the fine print
Shopping online opens a world of gift-giving possibilities. You are no longer limited to merchants in your own country. But be aware, finding bargains by buying abroad might mean high shipping costs, taxes and other fees. Take extra care reading the merchant’s terms and conditions since the consumer protection policy might be different than what you are familiar with.
Gift buying within the European Union
If you live within the European Union and decide to buy from an EU merchant, things are a little simpler. You might still find shipping costs to be fairly high, but the price you pay on a merchant’s website includes all taxes. In terms of consumer protection you are also better off. If the merchant you regularly buy from actively advertises in your country, they are bound by the consumer protection laws that are in effect there.
You will also have a minimum of 7 days to return the purchase, but remember that certain restrictions apply to this rule. Check with the merchant and/or your national European consumer centre. You can find more information on this subject at the European Commission’s website.
Pay online securely with Net+
The safest way to pay for your goods online is to use debit or credit cards. Bank transfers, wire transfers and Western Union all seem like good methods, but keep in mind that they all provide minimal protection and should only be used if you know the merchant.
But if you’re a member of NETELLER you’re in luck because it offers an extremely secure solution to shopping online with its Net+ virtual prepaid card. It will help to control your online spending, which is great, especially if you get caught up in the spirit of the season. The only money available to you is what you have deposited in your NETELLER eWallet.
The beauty of the Net+ virtual prepaid card is that it generates a one-time use card number so that your purchases and money are protected when you’re online. Even though it has great security features, always make sure when buying online that you are on an encrypted page when you enter your payment details. These usually have an address that starts with https and most web browsers will display a closed lock to indicate that the data is encrypted.
Here are some sites I have used and may help you with your Christmas shopping:
- Amazon is not limited to books. You can find all kinds of goodies at their site, but shipping destinations may be limited. And the Amazon site is also available these countries : Canada - China – France – Germany – Japan – United Kingdom
- Harrods, the renowned London department store is also online. Why not get their famous Christmas teddy bear?
- Pricerunner lets you compare prices on many products. They not only list online merchants, but also high-end retailers. You can also compare prices among countries. You can also check out a Pricerunner site closer to home: United Kingdom – France – Germany – Austria – Sweden – Denmark
- Conrad offers all kinds of electronics, gadgets and hobby products at fair prices. They ship to most countries.
- Hamleys, the world famous London-based toy store ships to most destinations.
- Model trains and accessories are available at Factory Direct Trains, which ships worldwide.
Tell me some of your tips to shopping online.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Shop online securely with a Net+ prepaid virtual card
Today’s post was written by guest blogger Rachna. She is a Red Ribbon Feng Shui practitioner and stay-at-home mom with unmatched shopping prowess. She can find a deal anywhere and can be followed on Twitter (@fengshuiyourway).
No one has ever accused me of being a leap-ahead-and-jump-into-new-technology kind of gal. I’m way too worried, okay paranoid, about who’s trying to scam me on the internet to really be carefree about just buying stuff from Joe’s garage sale site. Or even Jane’s craft emporium, even though those are really cute lamps and I know just where I would put them.
Net+ prepaid card protects me online
In the last year, everything changed. I now buy crystals from the U.S., a dragon statue from Indonesia and more without a second thought. What happened? The Net+ virtual prepaid card came into my life is what happened. What does that mean? Read on grasshopper.
It’s the Net+ virtual prepaid card software that pops up on my computer screen whenever I’m ready to make a purchase. The card number and expiry date changes every time I use it, so no one (not even the hackers and sneaky internet frauds trying to cheat me out of my hard-earned cash) can take advantage of the credit card number that is used by that site for my purchase. It’s a disposable card, good for one purchase only.
Keep your money where it belongs, to yourself
What I like even more is that the Net+ virtual prepaid card is not linked to any of my banking information. I just created an account with NETELLER and deposited money there, which the card draws from. It’s like my own secure vault from which I do all of my internet shopping. Woohoo! Now I can buy holiday presents for my globally scattered family, send birthday gifts to my nieces directly and round up items for my business without worrying about who has my card number.
Did I mention that I can do all this at home, with no makeup on, bed head, in my pajamas and while my kids are doing their homework? Perfect!
Thank you NETELLER for creating a card that even a suspicious stay-at-home-mom like me will use.
What have you bought lately?
Today’s post was written by guest blogger Rachna. She is a Red Ribbon Feng Shui practitioner and stay-at-home mom with unmatched shopping prowess. She can find a deal anywhere and can be followed on Twitter (@fengshuiyourway).
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Fund your eWallet and transfer money online
This post was written by Lea K. She is the Manager of Consumer Marketing and currently manages all customer marketing programs. This is the third in a series of posts where Lea will be talking about the benefits of using a NETELLER eWallet. You can read the first post here, and the second post here.
OK, so now you know what an eWallet is and why you’d need one. The next logical step is figuring out how you spend your hard-earned money.
Different ways to use your NETELLER account
By now you know that you can send money to multiple merchants, but I like to use this account as my “travel budget.” I simply transfer a little money each month into my NETELLER account to help save for my annual vacation. Since my account is in Euro (and I’m planning a trip to Greece next summer), I can save in the currency that I’ll be using on my trip (with no surprises or huge credit card bills to pay off post-vacation).
I’m planning on using my Net+ card to pay for hotels while in Greece and I can easily access funds at local ATMs that bear the MasterCard® symbol.
Control your spending with Net+
You can use your Net+ card to pay anywhere MasterCard is accepted. It’s quick and easy to do. Plus, consider the money in your NETELLER eWallet account your “discretionary” funds. It’s a great way to control your spending. It’s also private. No statements are sent to your home address. This includes your Net+ usage too so there’s no paper trail of your shopping habits. Go ahead and buy those shoes in every colour!
Send money around the world
I also send money to family. My niece, who lives in Mexico, is going to be 1 year old in December, but since I can’t be there I’m sending her money (via her Dad of course) for her birthday. This is the quickest, safest and cheapest way I’ve found to send her cash for her birthday.
Now that you know all about the NETELLER eWallet, I’d love to hear how will you use it.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Hassle-free travel with my Net+ prepaid cards
We’re excited to welcome guest blogger Niclas Aarestrup from Denmark. He is a travel writer and he uses his Net+ card everywhere. Follow him on Twitter today (http://twitter.com/niclasaa) and keep up with his latest travels.
As a travel writer, I need to book numerous hotels, sightseeing tours and tickets depending on where I’m traveling. Like many of you, I end up paying for all of these with credit and debit cards.
Protect your cash and pay with plastic
From a consumer standpoint, it is better to use plastic to pay, since you’re usually better protected than when you pay with cash or use a wire transfer service. Also, many hotels require a credit card upon check-in, though some will accept a cash deposit instead. But having your fun money tied up in a costly deposit may limit daily excursions or the number of times you dine out.
In most cases you’re not punished for paying with plastic, however, in some European countries like Denmark, Sweden and the UK, customers can be charged for paying with credit or debit cards, regardless of the issuer. National laws in these participating countries require stores to clearly display the added fee and are limited on how much extra they can charge. Rest assured, tourist-friendly stores rarely add any fees.
So what do you do if you aren’t able to get a credit card, or like me, don’t feel entirely safe spending on a card that comes with a high limit and interest charges?
Benefits of a credit card minus the risk
This is where the Net+ physical and virtual prepaid cards come in handy. For one, the physical prepaid card is accepted worldwide and protects you with chip and PIN secure technology. Plus, I have first-hand experience that NETELLER does indeed keep an eye out for suspicious transactions and thus minimizes credit risk even further. It also gives you the same benefits as a credit card that you would use in the “real world” to buy airline tickets, shop or book hotels.
The Net+ virtual prepaid card has added security in that it generates a one-time use number that can never be used again. That means your virtual card number is always protected and it becomes unusable or worthless to anyone who attempts to intercept your information online.
Traveling and transacting with my virtual prepaid card
I’ve really been enjoying the convenience that my Net+ virtual prepaid card offers me. For instance, it works well for reserving hotel rooms, although its expiry date means it’s only valid for around a month.
It’s also great to pay for tickets and tours online, but be careful as you may be required to show or swipe the physical version of the Net+ card you used for payment when picking up your tickets. The virtual card also works well for buying guidebooks online that you might want for your next big trip.
First class acceptance
I have used the Net+ prepaid card to buy several airline tickets and have had absolutely no problems. With that said, you should be able to buy tickets anywhere else the card is accepted. Hotels are more than happy to accept the card, as are most stores and ticket vending machines for public transit that you might come into contact with as a tourist.
Why cash is still good
Using a credit or debit card on your holiday can almost eliminate the need to carry cash, but not completely. The main reason is that not every store, restaurant or office accepts credit or debit for payment. For example, in Denmark some merchants won’t accept international credit cards, only the national DanKort.
When it’s time to make a payment, some online payment systems that handle credit card transactions may be temporarily offline. Again this has happened a few times in Denmark, as well as in other places, so always have some cash on-hand. With that said, still feel safe with your Net+ card in your wallet, knowing it’s a widely-accepted, secure method of payment and will enable you to carry less cash.
Tell me where you have used your Net+ physical or virtual prepaid cards.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Go for a virtual prepaid card when shopping online
Today’s post was written by Nicole. She is the Marketing Manager for Consumer Products on our Brand and Group Marketing team.
Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying that credit cards have made our lives a whole lot easier when buying items online. But I’ve found that convenience can sometimes come at a price.
For instance, each month I’m in a panic to make sure that I pay my credit card bill on time so that I don’t incur the high interest charges. And I hate the idea of dealing with the headache of a fraudster getting a hold of my credit card number.
Better than a credit card for online payments
I’ve now found a better way to buy my favourite items online – I use my Net+ virtual prepaid card. Here’s why I think the virtual card is better:
1. Contains next-generation security features
Because the card generates one-time use card numbers, it means I get a new number each time I want to make a purchase online so I never have to worry that someone will get a hold of my card number.
2. Helps me to control my spending
Let’s face it – in today’s economy no one wants to rack up debt. I use my virtual prepaid card to make sure I don’t spend more money than I have. Plus I never have to worry about paying monthly interest charges.
3. Gives me direct access to the money in my NETELLER account
Since the card is linked directly to my account, I just put money in my account and voila, it’s instantly available on my card – no additional work needed.
4. Lets me set aside some “fun money”
Not sure about you, but I like to keep the money I have for monthly bills and entertainment separate. So I use my virtual card online to pay for games, music, books or whatever else makes me smile that day.
5. Makes online shopping simpler
I tap away on a keyboard all day, so when it comes to avoiding additional keystrokes I do. This is why I love that the virtual card auto-fills the payment web forms for me and since I downloaded NETELLER Desktop it also detects cashier pages for me as well. To see how it works, check out the prepaid virtual card demo.
So now you’ve read about why I think a virtual prepaid card is so great, why don’t you check it out for yourself? Just sign in to your account, go to the Net+ cards tab, get the virtual prepaid card and see if you agree.
What have you purchased online with your Net+ virtual prepaid card?
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...How to choose a prepaid card
Today’s post was written by Nicole. She is the Marketing Manager for Consumer Products on our Brand and Group Marketing team.
What’s a prepaid card?
Prepaid cards work like a credit card but act like a debit card. Confused? They’re like credit cards in that they can be used anywhere MasterCard® or VISA (depending on the card) is accepted. But it acts like a debit card because there must be money on the card before you use it. The best part? There are no interest charges because you aren’t borrowing money.
It’s the same concept as a prepaid mobile phone account. Unless the account already has money on it, the phone (or in this case the card) will not work.
Why use a prepaid card?
There are lots of reasons you might get a prepaid card. Maybe you’d like to spend your money privately without statements showing up at home; or maybe it’s as simple as either being unable, or unwilling to get a credit card right now. Perhaps you need to get a little more control of your spending, so you want to keep your budgeted “fun money” on a prepaid card instead of in your bank account. Many people use them for travel so that in case they lose their wallet, they aren’t losing all of the money in their bank account.
But how do you know if a prepaid card is good or not? Here’s 10 things to consider before signing up for one.
- How convenient are the loading options? Do you have to leave home or can you do it online?
- How high are the ATM limits and what’s the comparative cost for withdrawing money? Quite a few prepaid card providers have low withdrawal costs, but you can only take out little bits of money at a time making it more expensive in the long run to get cash in your hand.
- Are there any point-of-sale (POS) fees? There shouldn’t be.
- Does the provider charge application, monthly usage or non-usage fees? This is where a lot of providers have hidden charges. Some providers even charge you monthly fees just to have the card!
- What’s the security of your card? Demand Chip & Pin technology so you protect your hard-earned cash
- Can you get a virtual counterpart? Does your issuer think to provide you specifically with a card that you can use for buying stuff online. Very few companies offer this because it’s new technology, but it’s definitely the safest way to buy online because virtual cards let you generate one-time use numbers that can never be used again. That means you’ll never lose your card number to a nefarious individual.
- Does it offer rewards for every time you use it? Most companies charge you to use it, but there are a few out there who also reward you! Check out the card company to see if they offer any loyalty points or cash rebates.
- Does it allow you to pick the currency that works best for you? For those of you who travel and need access to other currencies, this is a must-have.
- Is it accepted worldwide? Preferably it should be MasterCard or VISA.
- Is it a piece of plastic you can be proud to use? Let’s face it, a lot of prepaid cards look a little dubious or like they were mocked up in a garage. You want to be able to spend with confidence with a card that looks legit.
Good luck in your search for a prepaid card, but since you’re already in hunting mode, check out our Net+ card. It definitely hits all the right notes.
All you prepaid card users out there let us know how Net+ stacks up.
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