February 5, 2012

The Approved Card by Suze Orman


The Approved Prepaid MasterCard® created by Suze Orman is a low fee prepaid card that has some unique features users can benefit from. This is not a credit card which means anyone can be approved for the card and you can’t get into debt with this card. You can use this card anywhere MasterCard debit is accept and it’s safer to carry this card than it is to carry cash because of the protections the card offers. You can use this card to pay bills, make online purchases, get cash from an ATM or anything else you can think of.

Loading Funds

This card works just like every other prepaid cards. You can load funds by signing up for direct deposit, making a bank transfer or adding cash. Here are all the details:

Direct Deposit: You can have your paycheck automatically deposited to your account each pay day. This service is free and is the best way to have funds loaded to the card. You can also have your government funded check or income tax refund deposited to the account.

Bank Transfer: You can transfer funds from an exiting checking or savings account. You can make a one time transfer or set up reoccurring transfers. There is no charge for this service.

Add Cash: At anytime you can add cash to your card account. Just visit a MoneyGram® Express Payment® or Western Union® agent location near you. There is a fee for adding cash to your account.

One nice feature is that you’ll get surcharge FREE ATM withdrawals at over 35,000 Allpoint® ATMs nationwide for 30 days after every bank account transfer of $20 or more.

TransUnion Credit Scores, Reports and Monitoring

An essential part of your financial portfolio is your credit score. Being an Approved cardmember you will have access to your TransUnion credit score which normally costs $11.95 per month. This is FREE for the first year you are a cardmember. You have will access to things like your credit score, detailed reporting, information on how to improve your credit score and identity theft protection to name a few. Being able to review your credit score in detail will help you improve your credit and find out what you can do to get financed for things like a car or mortgage.

The Credit Project

To take it a step further, this card does what no other prepaid card on the market does – it shares your account history with a major credit bureau. When you agree to be part of the Credit Project, your transaction history will be shared with TransUnion and be analyzed so they can understand the connection between that information and the information that is currently used in most consumer credit reports. The data will be provided to TransUnion is linked to you or your account so your identity is kept private. This is a big step for the prepaid card industry and maybe this will lead to prepaid cards actually building credit for consumers.

Emergency Fund

This card allows you to set up a separate Emergency Fund. If you know anything about Suze Orman then you know how she feels about Emergency Funds. Having money set aside for those unexpected situations in life will keep you on track with your finances. As a cardmember, you can choose to pay into your Emergency Fund and the money will be kept safe until you need it. You can’t accidentally spend it because you have to call customer service in order to access it.

You also have the option to set up an additional Savings Funds so you can save up for big purchases you plan on making like a home, card or vacation. The money is completely safe and it’s FDIC insured.

Approved Card Fees

It’s no secret that many prepaid cards have high fees. However, this card has a very reasonable fee structure and if you use the card as suggested by Suze it will only cost you $3 per month. Here are the fees:

*To see a complete list of card fees click here.

Additional Benefits of the Approved Card

  • Suze’s Advice: Get Suze’s money management tips and videos.
  • The Approved Dashboard: With your personalized Approved Card Dashboard, you’ll see at a glance what you’ve been using your Approved Card for and much more.
  • TransUnion Services: You will get FREE TransUnion® credit report and score with UNLIMITED updates and FREE 24/7 email updates of critical changes to your TransUnion® credit report.
  • Protect Your Identity: When you get The Approved Card you’ll also get powerful FREE identity theft protection from TrustedID®.
  • Mobile and Online Money Tools: Take control of your money with simple to use FREE text and online tools to help keep track of your spending. (Standard text messaging rates from your service provider may apply.)
  • Pay Your Bills: Pay your rent, utilities and more, online, by phone or with a check. And there’s never an overdraft fee.
  • Emergency Fund: Set some money aside for the “what-ifs” in life. You can also set up accounts to save for big ticket purchases.
  • Share Cards with Family and Friends: You can set up 3 separate cards under your Approved Card account for your family members or friends with no additional monthly fee. It costs just a one-time Card Purchase Fee of $3.00 per card.
  • Transfer Money to Other Cardholders: Send money to any of your friends and family members who have The Approved Card for FREE.

How To Apply

You can apply for the card online by completing an application. There are no credit requirements so anyone is welcome to apply. When you open a card account, be prepared to provide your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow them to identify you.

Control Prepaid MasterCard® Review

NetSpend is a popular prepaid card company that has partnered with BET to create the Control Prepaid MasterCard®. The Control Prepaid MasterCard® allows you to add money to the card and then spend the amount you added. You can pay bills, shop online and make purchases anywhere MasterCard debit is accepted. With this card there are no overdraft fees, no credit check and no activation fee. Here are some of the card features:

  • Experience life in Control – with a simple fee plan
  • No credit check, application or activation fee
  • No overdraft fees
  • Access to over 35,000 no-surcharge ATMs nationwide
  • Earn Cash Back Rewards
  • Free Direct Deposit, and get your tax refunds faster when you eFile.

Adding Money

You have a few options for adding money to your card. You can sign up for direct deposit, load cash or do a transfer. Below you will find details about each :

Direct Deposit: This is the easier way to add funds to your card. You can have you paycheck, government funded check or even your income tax return automatically deposited to your prepaid card account. There is no charge for this and your money is always deposited on time. After you direct deposit at least $500 into your account during one month you’ll qualify for an automatic upgrade to our $5 per month Discounted Fee Plan. (See Card Fees for details)

Load Cash: You always have the option to visit one of the NetSpend Reload Network locations and load cash to your card. There are over 100,000 locations nationwide. To find a location near you visit the Control Prepaid MasterCard® site. There is a fee for this service.

Bank Transfers: You can make a transfer to your prepaid card from an existing bank account. There is a fee depending on the type of transfer you make.

Card To Card Transfers: You can transfers funds from card to card at any time. This just requires a friend or family member to have the same card and then you can transfer funds from your online account. There is no charge for this.

Cash Rewards

Most prepaid cards don’t have a rewards program, but we are seeing more and more cards offering rewards. This card is one of them. Cardmembers can earn cash back rewards based on their purchases. You will be given the opportunity to accept rewards to your favorite restaurants and stores based on your purchase history. You are notified about the reward and then you have to log into your account and accept the reward.

Additional Control Prepaid MasterCard® Benefits

The Control Prepaid MasterCard® offers members a variety of other cool benefits which are listed below.

  • Financial Management Tools: When you have an account you will have access to special tools that help you manage your money. You can set up a budget, monitor your account activity and even add money to an option savings account.
  • Account Alerts: You can elect to receive account alerts so you always know where you are with your account. You will receive a text message alert where you can see your balance and account activity.
  • Prescription Discounts: You can save up to 55% off the cost of your prescription medicine. You will have access to a discount card once you become a card holder.
  • $10 Purchase Cushion: You will have a “Purchase Cushion” which means the card company will cover and authorize purchases that will put you $10 over your card balance. They won’t charge extra fees for this, but they will deduct the amount owed after you make your next deposit.
  • Accidental Death & Dismemberment: You have the option to get Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance if you choose.
  • Savings Account: An option savings account is offer for those that choose. The account pays 5% APY and there are no fees or minimum balances required.
  • Customer Card: You can design your own card by adding your favorite picture or logo.

Card Fees

All prepaid cards have fees and you should always be aware of which fees you will be charged. You can avoid some fees based on how you use the card, but others are unavoidable. Check out the tables below for the card fees:

Apply for the Control Prepaid MasterCard®

You can easily apply for the card by completing an online application. There are no credit requirements so anyone 18 years or older is welcome to apply. To get started we have provided you the link below.

Apply for the Control Prepaid MasterCard® card.

Modern Cash Prepaid MasterCard Review

The Modern Cash Prepaid MasterCard is a prepaid card that can be used anywhere MasterCard debit is accepted. Some of the key features of this card include an Online Spending Tracker, Account Alerts, Overdraft Protection, and ATM Withdraws. This card works a bit differently than other prepaid cards. You can overdraw your account and have a purchase authorized even if the funds aren’t in your account. Here’s a quick look at what I think are some of the Pros and Cons of the card.

Pros:

  • Several easy ways to load the card – including direct deposit
  • No Activation
  • Online access to manage your account
  • Free PIN and Signature Transactions
  • It’s a MasterCard so it’s accepted everywhere

Cons:

  • You can overdraft the account
  • If you use the Overdraft Protection there is a $9.95 fee each time
  • Can only add cash with Western Union – no other options
  • Monthly fee of $9.95

To give you more details about the card we have highlighted some of the important aspects of the card, including the fees. The best way to choose a prepaid card is to consider how you will use the card and from there determine if it’s a good fit for you.

Adding Funds To The Card

The Modern Cash Prepaid MasterCard gives you a few options for loading funds to the card. You can add cash, sign up for direct deposit or make a bank transfers. Here are all the details on how to load your card:

Add Cash: You can add cash to your card at anytime by going to a Western Union. There are over 380,000 Western Union locations worldwide. When you visit a Western Union location you have to have your card with you and you will need to know the company providing the prepaid card is called Modern Cash Prepaid. There is a fee for this service.

Direct Deposit: Direct deposit is the best way to load your prepaid card because it is the most convenient and it’s free. You can have your pay check or your benefits check automatically deposited to your prepaid account just like you would with a bank account. When you use direct deposit will get a $10 credit each month that you deposit at least $2,000 on to your card account. You can also use this card to receive your income tax refund.

Bank Transfer: You always have the option to transfers funds from an exiting bank account to your prepaid card account. You can also make transfers from one card to another. Both of these transfers are free.

Online Spending Tracker

One of the advantages to using any type of card over cash is that you can easily track your spending online. The Modern Cash Prepaid MasterCard gives users the ability to manage their account online. This includes things like checking your balance, deposit and purchase history and tracking your spending. Online account access is available to all cardmembers and it’s free.

Account Alerts

This prepaid card, like many other cards, gives you the option to sign up for account alerts. You get text message updates about your account that way you always know what’s going on with your account. To sign up for this service you have to call customer service.

Overdraft Protection

This is the first prepaid card I know of that offers Overdraft Protection. As a matter of fact, most prepaid cards don’t even have overdraft fees so there is no need to offer Overdraft Protection. With the Modern Cash Card if you want Overdraft Protection you have to sign up by calling customer service. Once signed up there are a few things you should know. First, you can’t overdraft on a ACH transaction because the charge won’t be approved. This is any transaction where you use your PIN to make the purchase. If you don’t have the funds in your account the charge will be declined. Also, Modern Card won’t ever approve any transaction that causes the card balance to be greater than $100 overdrawn. Here is what their Overdraft Protection covers:

  • Purchase transactions made using your Card
  • Purchase transactions made with your Card account number
  • Online purchase transactions with your Card or account number
  • ATM transactions with your Card
  • Bill payments made with your Card or account number

Now, there are still a few other important factors with this coverage. The first is the Overdraft Service Fee of $9.95. You will be charged this each time Modern Card pays an overdraft fee. In addition, there is no limit on the total amount of fees they can charge you for overdrawing your account. So basically, they are offer this Overdraft Protection, but it will still cost you if you overdraw your account.

Modern Cash Prepaid Fees

This is perhaps the most important part of the card. Many prepaid cards have high fees and get a bad wrap for it. Again, the best thing to do when looking at the fees is to first determine how you will use the card and from there figure out how the fees will affect you. Here’s a look at the fee table:

Below we have the exact verbiage taken from the Modern Cash website which explains each of their fees listed above.

Apply for the Modern Cash Prepaid MasterCard

If this card sounds like a fit for you then you can apply by completing an online application. There are no credit requirements for applying so you past credit history is not a factor. You have to be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen. To access the Modern Cash application click here.

American Express for Target Prepaid Card Review

American Express is known for it’s high class credit card clientele, but they have also joined in on the prepaid card market. Their new addition to their list of prepaid cards is the American Express for Target Card.

The American Express for Target Card is prepaid and reloadable, which means you only spend what’s loaded on the Card. There are no credit checks or overdraft fees so everyone is eligible for a card. You can purchase this card from Target stores and the can be used anywhere American Express is accepted.

How The Card Works

This card can be used to make purchase, pay bills or shop online. In order to use the card you must first load funds to the card and the available balance will be the amount you load. You can manage your account online so you always know how much money you have to use. You can also use this card to make ATM withdraws or get cash back when making a purchase. There are fees and a cost for the card which you can view in the Fees section.

Loading Funds To The Card

There are three ways you can load fund to your card. You can load funds at a Target store, online, or by phone. Here’s a rundown of how it works:

  • At The Store: You can load funds at any target store for $3.00 per load. You must have your ID with you.
  • Online: You can load funds to your card from an existing bank account. You just log into americanexpress.com/target and select “Load Funds”. You can do this as a one time transaction or schedule recurring reloads. Depending on the funding source there is not a charge for this.
  • By Phone: You can also load funds to your card over the phone. First you have to set up your bank account as your funding source. This can be done online. When you call to make the transfer you must have your American Express for Target Card and the last four digits of your bank account.

Unique Amex Benefits

Amex is upping the prepaid card game by offer unique benefits that we don’t see with other cards. Here is an overview of some of the cardmember benefits:

Purchase Protection
If you make an eligible purchase with this card and the item accidentally breaks or is stolen, you can be reimbursed.

Roadside Assistance
As a cardmember you are automatically given Roadside Assistance. If your car breaks down you just call Amex and they will send help.

Global Assist Services
Cardmembers who are traveling more than 100 miles from home and need assistance, contact Amex and they can direct you to medical and legal professionals, help with lost passports, and more.

American Express 24-Hour Customer Service
The American Express Customer Service line is available and free. Some prepaid cards charge for this service. They can be reached 24/7 at 1-888-872-9105.

Fraud Protection
If your Card is lost or stolen, you will not pay for fraudulent charges.

Discounts and Special Offers
As an American Express for Target Cardmember, you have access to hundreds of discounts and special offers.

Card Fees

As with all prepaid cards there are fees you should be aware of. Below we have listed some of the fees, but for a complete list you should view the card terms and conditions.

  • $3 Loads at Target Stores
  • $3 ATM withdrawals
  • 1 Free ATM withdrawal per month

How To Get A Card

Currently, you can only get a American Express for Target Card by visiting a Target store. There are no credit requirements – you just have to be 18 and a U.S. citizen. As soon as you get the card and load funds the cards is ready to be used.

Young Money Prepaid Discover® Card Review

If you’re a Little Wayne fan then chances are you will like his new prepaid card – Young Money Prepaid Discover® Card. This card works just like any other prepaid card and can be used everywhere Discover is accepted. You can shop online, pay bills, get cash from an ATM or even get cash back from a purchase. The card offers direct deposit, online bill pay and online account management. Before you can use the card you must add funds to the card. This is not a credit card and anyone is eligible for the card, regardless of your credit history.

Add Money

Adding money to your card is easy, but depending on which method you use there might be a fee. Here are several different ways you can add money to your Young Money Discover® Card Card.

Direct Deposit: Have your paycheck deposited directly to your Young Money Card. This includes government checks like child support of SSI. This is a free service and you can get the enrollment form from your online account.

MoneyPak: You can purchase a MoneyPak which is available in thousands of stores nationwide, including retailers like Walmart, Walgreens, CVS/pharmacy, Rite Aid, Kmart, Kroger and Meijer.

Online Reload: You also have the option to login to your online account and transfer funds from an existing prepaid card.

Tax Refunds: With tax season approaching quickly, you can use this account to get your tax refund. You get your refund faster by having it deposited directly to your Young Money Card and this service is free. You can print the enrollment form from your online account.

Managing Your Account

You can manage your account online which allows you to conveniently view your account at anytime. You can check your balance, view monthly statements, pay bills, and elect to receive text alerts to name a few. Your online account is also where you can print your direct deposit form and make a card to card transfer. Using your online account is a free service you get just for being a card member.

Young Money Fees

The most important part of any prepaid card are the fees. Below we have listed several fees you should expect if you use the card. To see a complete list you should review the card terms and conditions.

  • ATM Withdrawals: Domestic: $2.00
  • ATM Withdrawals: International: $3.00
  • Monthly Maintenance Fee: $3.95
  • Replacement Card (Lost/Stolen): $5.95
  • Card Purchase Fee: $6.95
  • Paper Statement Fee: $2.50
  • Reload Fee: $4.95

How To Get A Card

Getting a card is easy and can be done online. All you have to do is fill out an application form. The only requirement is that you be 18 years old and a U.S. citizen. There are no credit requirements because this is a prepaid card. You can get started today by completing an online application.

UPside Visa Prepaid Card

Editor’s Rating
Fees
Banking Features
Ease of Use
Customer Service
Other Features

Pros: Low fees, excellent banking features
Cons: Small monthly service fee

UPside Prepaid Visa Review

The UPside Visa prepaid card offers rich features with low fees. Direct deposit of paychecks is free, as is online bill pay. You can even write a check online and UPside will mail it for you. Deposit cash at 60,000 retail locations, and earn up to 15% rewards.

  • The power of a bank account in a Visa Prepaid card
  • No activation fee. $0 monthly fee if $300 or more is loaded each month. Only $1.99 otherwise.
  • Free Direct Deposit from your employer. Deposit cash at 60,000 locations nationwide.
  • No credit check required. Bad credit is ok.
  • Write personal checks, best to pay rent or other bills.
  • Accepted like any Visa debit card in the US, abroad and online.

UPside is Easy to Use

The Upside Visa offers free direct deposit of paychecks. In addition, you can reload the card at 60,000 retailers (up to $500 per load). And you can even write personal checks with the card online, and UPside Visa will mail the check for you. You can even view your balance and transactions online in real-time.

The UPside Visa Prepaid Card is ideal for teens, students, those with no credit, or even those with bad credit. The card is a reloadable prepaid card, which means your spending limit is the amount you put on your card. Because the card has no line of credit or credit limit, you can’t spend more than you have deposited onto the card. There are no over limit fees, and you can’t go into debt. There are no interest charges.

Upside Rewards

The card does have a rewards program called the UPoints Rewards Program. The Rewards includes both cash back and rewards certificates to nationwide retailers. The UPoints are rewarded in various ways. You can earn up to 15 Points-per-dollar-spent at any of the hundreds of UPside Mall merchants. The purchase does not have to be made with an UPside card. Loading money onto the card will earn you 1 UPoint per dollar (UPside Edge only). If you refer a friend and they become a card member you will earn 500 points. There are also additional ways to earn points like the Create-A-Card contest and the “Purchase of the Month” program. The points you earn depend on where you make the purchase. You will receive between 1 and 15 points per dollar spent, which are worth between 1 and 15% cash back at select retailers.

Upside Rates and Fees

Even though the card is a prepaid card and it does not charge interest, there are still fees that are associated wit using the card. The Upside Prepaid Visa offers 4 different types of cards, and the fees you will be assessed are based on the card you have. The table below shows you some of theses fees. For a complete list you should view the Terms and Conditions of the card.

PLAN OPTIONUPSIDE CLEARUPSIDE ACCESSUPSIDE EDGEUPSIDE LIFE (not applicable to all)
Activation Fee
FREEFREEFREEFREE
Membership FeeFREE$2.99/month$29.95/yearFREE with $300 + loaded/month (otherwise $1.99)
Loads from ACH/DDAFREEFREEFREEFREE
Loads from Debit or Credit Card$2.50 convenience fee for instant loads$2.50 convenience fee for instant loads$2.50 convenience fee for instant loads$2.80 convenience fee for instant loads
Maximum Balance$1000$2000$5000$10,000
ATM AccessN/A$1.49 for withdrawals + fee charged by ATM provider$1.49 for withdrawals + fee charged by ATM provider$1.49 for withdrawals + fee charged by ATM provider
Phone Inquires$0.99/call$0.99/call$0.99/call$0.99/call;
$2 to speak to live agent
Card Replacement$8.95$8.95$8.95$9.95

For more information and to get the card, visit UPside’s official website.

RushCard Prepaid Visa

Editor’s Rating
Fees
Banking Features
Ease of Use
Customer Service
Other Features

Pros: Excellent banking features, discount prescription card, easy to use
Cons: Fees

Rushcard Prepaid Visa Review

The Rush Card offers four different prepaid credit cards under two different plans–the monthly plan and the pay as you go plan. The monthly plan has a low activation fee of $3 but a monthly charge of $9.95. The pay as you go plan charges a higher activation fee of $19.95, but no monthly fee. Both plans offer a credit builder feature called RushPath to Credit and a prescription drug card that can save you up to 85% on prescription medication.

How it Works

As a prepaid Visa card, the Rush Card is accepted anywhere that takes debit Visa. The card can be used to shop online or over the phone.

How to Load Money

There are six ways to load money onto the Rush Card prepaid Visa:

  1. Direct Deposit: Add money to your RushCard by having your payroll or government benefits check deposited directly to your RushCard automatically each payday. Direct Deposit is fast, convenient, safe, and FREE.
  2. PayPal: Transferring funds from your PayPal account to your RushCard is easy and FREE. You must set up and confirm your RushCard in order to transfer funds.
  3. Check or Money Order: Add money to your RushCard for FREE by mailing a check or money order to the payment address below. All checks undergo a verification hold of up to 10 days from the time we receive your check before the funds will be posted to your account.
  4. Bank Transfer: If your financial institution offers electronic bill pay service, you can transfer money from your bank account to your RushCard by setting up RushCard as an online payee. Your financial institution will create a paper check and mail it to us for deposit. All checks undergo a verification hold of up to 10 days from the time we receive your check before the funds will be posted to you account.
  5. Cash Deposit: You can add cash to your RushCard through MoneyGram, Western Union or a Green Dot MoneyPak.
  6. Tax Refund: You can have your Federal and State Tax Refunds direct deposited to your RushCard for FREE and receive your refund up to a month faster than traditional refunds.

Use the RushCard Like a Visa

Once you’ve loaded money onto the card, the RushCard can be used anywhere that accepts debit Visa. whether to withdraw cash, make everyday purchases, shop online, or pay bills.

Rush Card Features

Track Spending

Colorful, easy-to-view graphics help you compare transactions and track your spending, deposit, and balance trends online. Set up budget goals by category, track your progress throughout the month, and sign up to receive instant alerts if you exceed a set budget amount. View a printer-friendly version of your monthly RushCard activity or download your activity for use in Quicken®, Microsoft® Excel or Microsoft Money.

Build Credit

Your Prepaid Visa® RushCard can help you build a positive credit file. When you enroll in our FREE RushPath to Credit and make recurring deposits and payments using your RushCard, your transaction information will be reported to participating consumer credit reporting agencies. Here’s how it works:

  • RushPath to Credit is an optional service. When you register online for a FREE account, click RushPath to Credit and select “Enroll.”*
  • Use your Prepaid Visa RushCard when paying your utility, cable, telephone or any other recurring bills every month.
  • RushCard automatically reports your payment history to LexisNexis® and PRBC®, a national credit reporting agency.

The credit reporting agencies RushCard reports to use your transaction history to create a credit file for you. When you apply for credit, lenders may use your credit file to qualify you and offer you lower interest rates.

RushText Alerts

Get instant access to your balance, deposit, and recent transaction information anywhere and anytime on your mobile phone. RushText is a FREE and convenient way to access your account information.

Prescription Discounts

RushCard’s free Prescription Discount Card entitles you to discounts on your regular prescription drugs:

  • Discounts of 10%-85% on brand & generic prescription drugs
  • Accepted by 56,000 pharmacies nationwide, including national chains, regional chains, and independent pharmacies
  • Usable even if you have existing insurance
  • Get a card for yourself or gift one to your loved ones

Summary of the Rush Card

  • 100% Guaranteed Approval* – No Credit
  • Free card with direct deposit (by 4/15/11)
  • Free direct deposit & $0 Activaiton fee
  • Only card that lets you change your fee plan whenever you want to
  • Free prescription discount card
  • Free credit builder
  • Easy Bill Pay – pay bills, rent, or write personal checks
  • Card to card transfers

Review of the EXACT Prepaid MasterCard

The EXACT Prepaid MasterCard is a great alternative to a bank account or credit card and can be used anywhere MasterCard is accepted. There is no credit check required when applying, so as long as you are 18 years of age and a U.S resident you will be approved. This card comes with many features like mobile and e-mail alerts, online account management, online bill pay and free direct deposit. There are no overdraft fees, no late fees, and no interest payments. There is a one-time activation fee of $9.95 and a monthly fee of $4.95. You can easily load funds by direct deposit, online, or in person at over 100,000 locations. This prepaid card has a balance limit of $5,000. Here is some more information about what the EXACT Prepaid MasterCard has to offer.

Free Direct Deposit

The EXACT Prepaid MasterCard offers free direct deposit for all cardholders. You can have your payroll checks, dividends, disability and government checks deposited directly to your account for no extra charge. Your funds will be available the same business day they are received. If you would like to sign up for free direct deposit, just log-in to your EXACT Prepaid MasterCard Account to get more information.

Online Account Management and Online Bill Pay

The EXACT Prepaid MasterCard comes with online account management. When you sign in to your account online you will be able to monitor account activity, make changes to your account information, and sign up for features like e-mail and mobile alerts and direct deposit. You can also pay all of your bills online with the EXACT Prepaid MasterCard. Online bill pay makes it easy for you to pay bills on time without the hassle of paper checks or money orders.

E-mail or Mobile Alerts

E-mail and mobile alerts make it easy for EXACT Prepaid MasterCard card members to stay on top of their account. When you sign up for e-mail or mobile alerts you will be notified of changes pertaining to your account and for transaction/deposit notifications. This feature can help customers identify fraudulent activity quickly and keep track of their balance while on-the-go.

EXACT Prepaid MasterCard Fees

Just like all other prepaid cards, there are fees associated with the EXACT Prepaid MasterCard. There is a one-time $9.95 activation fee along with a $4.95 monthly fee. There is also a $0.25 fee for all signature and PIN transactions. Please see the table below for all the fees associated with this card.

Schedule of Fees
Activation Fee $9.95
Dormancy Fee $9.95
Cancellation Fee $9.95
Signature Transaction Fee $0.25
Signature Foreign Transaction Fee* $0.25
PIN Transaction Fee $0.25
PIN Foreign Transaction Fee* $0.25
POS Decline US $0.50
POS Decline International $0.50
ATM Domestic Fee $2.00
ATM Intl. Fee* $4.00
ATM Decline US $1.00
ATM Decline International $1.00
ATM Balance Inquiry $1.00
ATM Balance Inquiry International $1.00
Bal. Inquiry Decline $1.00
Cash Advance Fee US $4.00
Cash Advance Fee International* $4.00
Send Cash Fee $1.00
Automated Voice Response Fee $0.50
Call Center Customer Service Fees $3.95
Paper Statement Copy Fee $2.00
Express Mail Fee $19.95
Billpay Fee $1.00
Manual Check Fee $1.00
Check Cancellation Fee $1.00
Monthly Fee $4.95

AccountNow Gold Visa® Prepaid Card

Editor’s Rating
Fees
Banking Features
Ease of Use
Customer Service
Other Features

Pros: Relatively low fees, excellent banking features
Cons: Monthly service fee if minimum deposit not made

AccountNow Gold Visa® Prepaid Card Review

The AccountNow Gold is a low cost Visa prepaid credit card. The Card allows you to access funds you place on the Card. Because the AccountNow Gold card is not tied to a bank account and is not a credit card, no credit check or chexsystems inquiry is required.

AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Card Summary:

  • $0 Activation Online –with no credit check
  • Access over 18,000 MoneyPass ® ATMs
  • Get a $4.95 credit on your first MoneyPak cash load (see site for restrictions)
  • No Monthly fee for any month with at least 30 purchases
  • No Transaction fees on US purchases
  • No overdraft fees
  • No Minimum balance required
  • Get $10 with qualifying direct deposit (see site for restrictions)

Loading the AccountNow Gold Visa

You may add funds to your Card, called “value loading”, at any time. The amount of each value load must be at least $10.00. There is no limit on the number of times you may value load the AccountNow Gold Visa, but there is a limit of total number of value loads and total amount per day. There is also a maximum value load you may place on your card when aggregated with any other AccountNow cards you have authorized.

You can add money to the card through direct deposit of your paycheck or government benefits check. Setup a recurring direct deposit of at least $100 per months, and you can get a $25 bonus. Here are the details:

You must start Direct Deposit within 60 days of opening the account. You must make direct deposits for 2 consecutive months to qualify for the credit. Offer cannot be combined with any previous direct deposit offers and is available to first time direct deposit customers only. Credit will be posted to your AccountNow account after 65 days of first deposit if direct deposit is still active.

You can also add cash to the AccountNow Gold Visa at more than 135,000 locations nationwide.

Using the AccountNow Visa Gold

You may use your prepaid card to purchase or lease goods or services wherever Visa debit is honored as long as you do not exceed the value available on your card. AccountNow also allows you to use the Visa Gold card for partial payment, sometimes referred to as split transactions. For example, if you do not have enough money on your card, you can instruct the merchant to charge a part of the purchase to the card and pay the remaining amount with cash or another card.

You may also use the card to access cash at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

AccountNow Gold Visa Fees

There are different service fee and features for customers who are on direct deposit and those without direct deposit. A “Customer on Direct Deposit” means that you have a recurring direct deposit set up from your payroll or benefits provider. Here is a list of some of the fees associated with the AccountNow Gold Visa

With Direct DepositWithout Direct Deposit
GOLD Privilege Fee (One-time non-refundable fee, applied at first card load event)$9.95$9.95
Monthly Fee$0, if you load $3000 or more on your card in a month; $9.95 otherwise.$0, if you load $3000 or more on your card in a month; $9.95 otherwise.
Adding Money by Direct DepositFREEFREE
Adding Money by CashFREE (third party load partners may charge a fee)FREE (third party load partners may charge a fee)
U.S. card purchases when using your signatureFREEFREE
Transferring money from one card to anotherFREEFREE
Managing your account online, online statementsFREEFREE
Paying your bills online with Bill PayFREEFREE
U.S. card purchases when using your PIN:FREEFREE
Deposit alerts, balance, and other account information sent to your cell phone with Mobile Text AlertsFREEFREE
Calls to a Customer Service AgentFREE$2 per call
Automated phone system (IVR) for account informationFREE$0.50 per call
Using ATM to obtain balance$1.00$1.00
Using a U.S. ATM to withdraw money$2.50$2.50
ATM decline fee$0.40$0.40

Because fees do change from time to time, consult the AccountNow Visa Gold official site for a current list of fees.

Prepaid Visa® KLS RushCard Review

KLS Prepaid Card
KLS Prepaid RushCard Online Application

The Prepaid Visa® KLS RushCard is the newest addition to the RushCard family. This is a prepaid card that was created by Russel Simmons. The card offers members a variety of perks for being a card holder. This debit card gives you all the flexibility of “plastic” without the risk of overdraft fees, interest charges and debt. Since this is a prepaid card there is no credit check and it doesn’t matter if you have had credit issues in the past. This has a built in feature that can even help you build or reestablish good credit. The card can be used everywhere Visa debit is accepted and there are no sign up fees. Here are some of the features of the card:

  • Free Direct Deposit – sign up now and have a safe place to put your tax refund
  • Guaranteed approval – no credit check required
  • Online bill pay and free text alerts
  • Free Prescription Discount Card from RushCard – save up to 85% on prescriptions

Pay As You Go/ Monthly Plan

All RushCard give members the choice in how they want their fee structure to work. You can either choose the Pay As You Go Plan or the Monthly Plan. The Pay As You Go Plan is structure for those that only want to pay a fee when you use the card. With this option there is no monthly fee and you can even earn cash back after you make 10 transactions during a month. The Monthly Plan is for those who want to pay a fixed monthly fee and have the freedom to use their card as much as they would like. With this plan you get free signature transactions and two free ATM withdraws each month.

Credit Builder

One of the features of the that not all prepaid cards offer is the credit builder. With the RushPath credit builder the card offers helps you build credit history every time you pay your bills with your Card. You can pay bills like utilities, rent, phone, etc. It’s free to all card members and you don’t have to enroll, you just get it. RushCard automatically reports your payment history to LexisNexis® and PRBC®, a national credit reporting agency. These credit reporting agencies basically will create a file for you to report positive credit. At some point when you apply for a credit card, lenders may use your credit information obtained by one of these lenders. In order to partake in the RushPath you do have to enroll, but its free.

Loading the Card

The card gives several options for loading fund to your prepaid card. Direct Deposit is free, fast and convenient. Your paycheck can automatically be deposited to your card each pay day. This means no more paying check cashing fees or waiting in line. You can even have government checks directly added to your card too. There are lots of great benefits to direct deposit. You can always add cash by going to any participating retail location like Western Union, MoneyGram and Green Dot Money Pak. Bank & Wire Transfers, PayPal Transfers and Card to Card transfers with other cardmembers is acceptable too.

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