Trying to gain control over your budget? Using a prepaid card is a simple hack to keep your spending in check. No more guessing how much you have left on your credit or debit card. Prepaid cards allow you to load your own money and only spend money you’ve added.
Never pay interest charges, overdraft fees, late fees, or a monthly fee again. If you’re ready to give prepaid debit cards or prepaid credit cards a go, this blog post will cover 5 of the best prepaid cards for budgeting. These cards make it a breeze to track your bank accounts, avoid fees, gain control over your finances, and curb overspending and impulse buys.
What is a Prepaid Cards and How Do They Help With Budgeting?
So first of all — what exactly is a prepaid card? Well, prepaid cards are basically credit or debit cards that you load with your own mobile check deposit to use for purchases. They help you budget by only spending what you load. Since you’re limited to the balance on the card, you really can’t overspend.
Many cards let you load money for free. Avoid charges by choosing a card with no extra fees. Some even offer shopping rewards! Start with a small amount as you learn your spending habits. Increase it over time as needed. Most cards provide online access to your purchase history and current balance so you know exactly where your money is going and how much is left to spend.
Best Prepaid Cards for Teens and College Students
For teens and college students, a prepaid debit card is a great first step towards financial independence, and if your credit history isn’t the best or you have a credit check coming up – some prepaid cards even help you increase your credit score. Here’re some of the best prepaid debit card issuers and cards available:
American Express
American express has no monthly fees for students. You can deposit cash for free at over 45,000 locations, pay bills from your phone, and even get cash back on some purchases.
FamZoo
The FamZoo prepaid card is perfect for teaching kids financial literacy. Parents can load funds and set spending limits, all while monitoring purchases in real time. Kids learn budgeting and earn rewards for chores and good grades.
Greenlight
Greenlight is another useful tool for teaching teens financial responsibility. Parents can automatically transfer allowance and chore money to the card, set store-specific budgets, and get instant alerts for all purchases.
Serve
For students who want to earn while they spend, the Serve Cash Back card offers 1% cash back on all purchases. Other benefits include free cash reloads, bill pay, and a referral program to earn even more.
With the right prepaid card, students can gain valuable budgeting skills and independence. These user-friendly cards make it easy to access and manage funds without falling into debt.
Chime
Lastly, Chime is a great option for students to get a prepaid credit card and start building credit with. Just add money with direct deposits and spend only what you have instead of going into debt! They also have several in-network ATM locations around, which they do not charge ATM withdrawal fees for.
Best Prepaid Cards for International Travel
When traveling, a prepaid card is a useful budgeting tool. Here’re some of the best options for international travel:
Chase Liquid
The Chase Liquid Prepaid Card has no foreign transaction fees and refunds ATM fees up to $5 per statement cycle. You can load the card with cash or direct deposit and use it anywhere Visa is accepted.
NetSpend Visa
The NetSpend’s Visa Prepaid card waives foreign transaction fees on international purchases. While ATM fees still apply, you can avoid some fees by choosing Allpoint ATMs. Direct deposit or bank account transfers are free ways to add money to your NetSpend card account.
Brink’s Prepaid
The Brink’s Money Prepaid Mastercard is ideal for travel with no foreign transaction fees on international purchases and ATM fee rebates up to $10 per month. Load your Brink’s card for free using direct deposit, checking account transfer or by purchasing Green Dot MoneyPaks. Use anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
Paypal Mastercard
The PayPal Prepaid Mastercard is a straightforward option for managing travel expenses. There are no foreign transaction fees on international purchases, though ATM fees still apply. You can add funds for free using PayPal transfers, direct deposit, or bank account transfers.
American Express Bluebird Debit Card
American Express’ Bluebird card is a great option for business owners on a budget. Of all prepaid debit cards, Bluebird is definitely worth a shot. With it, you can easily keep tabs on your spending and manage your employee’s cards. Some of the best features:
- No monthly or hidden fees: Bluebird is free to open and there are no monthly maintenance charges.
- Easy management: Check balances, pay bills, transfer funds, and more right from your phone.
- Employee cards at no extra cost: Receive additional cards for your staff giving them the same benefits with no annual fees.
- ATM access: Take cash from any ATMs in the U.S. for free, or load cash for free at many retailers.
EASIEST Way to Budget: Apply For a FREE Phone!
So you’re in the market for a prepaid card to start budgeting.. What if we told you there are even easier ways to save some cash. Like applying for EASY Wireless’ free phone plan!
That’s right, thanks to certain government connectivity programs, we’re able to offer some incredible benefits to eligible individuals. Such as:
What Benefits do I Receive With EASY Wireless??
Upon qualifying for the programs above, here’re the connectivity benefits you receive:
EASY Wireless Unlimited Plan
- FREE Unlimited Data
- FREE Unlimited Talk
- FREE Unlimited Text
- FREE SIM Card Kit and Activation
- Choose to Keep Your Number or Get a New One
How do I Apply For my FREE PHONE With EASY Wireless?
To get started with EASY Wireless, apply online by clicking the below:
Start Saving Today!
Or you can come to one of the EASY Wireless’s retail stores, where our customer service agent will help you apply for the benefits.
Either way, the first step is to provide proof of identity with a government-issued ID. This is so you can confirm your participation in one of the qualifying programs or that you meet the income requirement.
We accept the following U.S. Government Issued ID:
- U.S. Driver License
- Certificate of U.S. Citizenship
- Certificate of Naturalization
- U.S. Passport
- U.S. Government, State or Tribal issued-ID
- U.S. Military ID cards
- Permanent Resident Cards
- Permanent Resident Alien Cards
You can show the following documents to prove that you are taking part in a government assistance program or use them as proof of active benefits:
- Statement of benefits from a food distribution program.
- Federal Public Housing Assistance Vouchers Documents
- Indian Affairs general assistance documents
- Notice letter of participation, such as an award letter
- Participation documents from a program, such as a screenshot from an online account.
- In order to show income, you can provide any of the following proofs:
- Unemployment Documentation
- Copy of your State or Federal income tax return.
- Three months’ worth of current pay stubs.
- Veterans Administration or Supplemental Security Income benefits letter.
- A divorce decree or child support document that states income.
- Retirement or pension statement.
Need Multiple Lines of Service or an Additional Phone?
EASY Wireless is a full-service cellular store that cares about all of your communication needs. We have everything from basic prepaid phone plans to unlimited mobile hotspot data plans for every budget and usage requirement. Also, we offer a selection of brand-name phones that combine quality, reliability, and the latest technology.
That’s not all – we also provide an array of amazing accessories to enhance your mobile experience. At EASY Wireless, we’re dedicated to providing exceptional service and ensuring you find the perfect plan, compatible phone, and accessories to suit your lifestyle and preferences.
Visit us for all your cell phone and wireless service needs today!
