- Control Prepaid – The Control Prepaid Mastercard provides you with an easy way to spend your hard-earned cash. Online features and many ways to load money onto the card are reasons enough to get the card. It’s simple to apply for, too.
- AARP Prepaid – The AARP Foundation Prepaid Mastercard from Green Dot is a card that is designed to keep money safe and give seniors easy access to their cash. From free direct deposit to low account fees, this is a card that is easy to manage.
- Modern Cash – When you’re looking for a prepaid Mastercard, Modern Cash offers you one with solutions. You get to load your money in a number of ways and spend the card wherever Mastercard is accepted. More, you get an overdraft protection service and online account management.
- Walmart MoneyCard – If your poor credit rating is stopping you from getting your hands on a Walmart credit card then maybe you should consider the Walmart MoneyCard prepaid card, which has an attractive benefits package and easier to get approved. This card is also available as Walmart MoneyCard Visa
- Other Prepaid Card Alternatives
Prepaid Mastercard Cards Comparison Table
| Control Prepaid | AARP Prepaid | Modern Cash | Walmart MoneyCard | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issuer | MetaBank | Green Dot Bank | Discontinued | Green Dot Bank |
| Versions | n/a | n/a | n/a | VISA MoneyCard |
| Monthly fee | Yes* (Waivable) | Yes* (Waivable) | Yes | Yes* (Waivable) |
| Direct Deposit | No Fee | No Fee | n/a | No Fee |
| Rewards | Cash Back | Points | No | Cash Back |
| Savings Account | Yes (Optional) | No | No | Yes (Optional) |
| Credit Check | No | No | No | No |
| Credit Needed | Bad Credit OK | Bad Credit OK | Bad Credit OK | Bad Credit OK |
| More Details | See Details | See Details | See Details | See Details |
Control Prepaid Mastercard
The ability to get a prepaid Mastercard is simpler than ever. The Control Prepaid Mastercard allows you to add money easily and spend your money even more easily. There are also many other features to take advantage of with the card.
Getting the Card
The Control Prepaid card can be obtained online. There are no credit checks for you to worry about and no fees for you to pay in order to open the account. As long as you provide a name and address, the card will be mailed out to you. Your personalized card will arrive within a few days. Once you activate it, will be able to create an online account and start using the money you’ve loaded on the card.
There will be a monthly maintenance fee charged to the account each month. You have the ability to upgrade the account and get on a discounted fee plan as well.
As you use the card, you will be able to keep more of your money. There is none overdraft fee, no interest rates, and no annual fee charged to the account. All purchases are prepaid, preventing you from going into debt.
Loading Money on the Card
You have many ways of loading money onto the card. When you can use the card as a debit card or credit card, it’s important to have money on the card to spend anytime, anywhere.
You can load money on the card with direct deposits. This will allow you to get tax refunds, government payments, and your paycheck into your account automatically. You won’t need to stand in line at the bank and you will get the money faster.
You can add cash or checks at any location in the NetSpend Reload Network. Over 100,000 locations are in this network. You can reload your card instantly.
Money can also be transferred onto the card. You can go online and have money transferred from a bank account, your PayPal account or from another Control or NetSpend account.
Other Great Features of the Card
- Online account tools
- Text alerts
- Customer service
- The Power of Mastercard
- Works as a debit card
Online account tools are part of what you pay the monthly maintenance fee towards. You can log in at your convenience to find out about your account. The account balance, statement and past transactions can all be viewed from the portal. You will create a username and password after activating your card that will grant you access to this area.
Text alerts can be programmed to your mobile phone. This is a convenient way to get account information delivered right to your phone. You can get information sent to your phone such as account balance, be notified when it reaches a low amount and when a deposit or transaction has been made on the account.
Customer service can be contacted with various questions. Representatives can be reached by calling a toll free number.
You also have the power of Mastercard working for you. This card is accepted at millions of locations around the globe. You can use it at the gas station, grocery store, and at other locations anywhere you go. You also have the ability to make purchases online and over the phone very easily. Also, because it’s a Mastercard, you are protected against fraud. If there is an unauthorized charge on your account, you will not be liable for the charge – the money will be put back into your account after you report the problem to customer service.
The prepaid card works as a debit card. When you enter your pin number at local merchants, it will be processed as a debit card. By doing this, you have the option of taking cash out after your transaction from many merchants so you have cash in your pocket. You can also use the card at millions of ATM machines. If you want to avoid the ATM surcharge, you will need to visit an AllPoint ATM – which there are more than 30,000 around nationwide.
The Final Word
You need a great prepaid card so you can spend money without getting into debt. The Control Prepaid Mastercard allows you to do just that with a very minimal monthly fee. Features are in abundance, which helps you all month long.
AARP Prepaid Mastercard
Everyone wants a way to manage their money that doesn’t always involve a bank account or the prospect of unexpected fees. Seniors, especially want to place their money somewhere that is safe and with a company that is concerned with their best interests. It is never too late to house your money in a place that is safe. The AARP Prepaid Mastercard is a safe place for you to keep your money. Unlike cash, the card gives you security. If you lose the card, then you can report it lost and your cash is protected. A replacement card is sent to you for a small fee. In the meantime, the lost card cannot be used so that anyone who finds it cannot successfully use it.
This type of security is very important because seniors work hard for their money. The last thing they want is for their money to be compromised in some way. No one wants to have to pay high fees to protect or manage their money. Through this AARP prepaid card, you do not have to pay a lot of money to keep your cash housed in the account. The fees are reasonable, the card is convenient, and you can reload at thousands of locations when you need to.
Compared To Banks
You don’t have to have a bank account to have this prepaid card. However, you can reload it from your bank account if you need to. When compared to a bank, there are some elements that are quite different. For instance, there are no overdraft fees. This is because the amount that can be spent using the card is only limited to the amount of money that is on it. If the money isn’t there, the card transaction won’t go through.
Where the card is similar is in the fact that it does have a monthly service fee. Some checking accounts come with fees, but they are typically more than what the AARP prepaid card’s service fee is. From there, there are no other account fees that you have to worry about. The rest of the fees are based on your activities. For instance, there is a fee associated with all ATM transactions because the owners of the ATMs that you use charge those fees. However, Green Dot does have its own fee, but it is very small. The way to avoid this fee on ATM transactions is to go online through your account management screen and use the ATM locator so you can find one or more in your community.
Management Screen
As for the account management screen, it is much like what you see with a bank. You will see your account balance, transactions, and other relevant details that make managing the account simply. You can check your account as often as you like at any point during the day. This is also a great way to see if the card has any fraudulent charges. Security measures are put in place to avoid fraud There are times when it is unavoidable no matter the type of account that is being used.
Lost Or Stolen Cards
Green Dot has a procedure for cards that are lost or stolen. When you report the card lost or stolen within two days of realizing it is gone, it is possible to avoid fraudulent charges. If you do not realize that the card is gone and it is fraudulently used, it is possible for Green Dot to recognize the fraudulent use and restrict card usage. For instance, the card may be used in one city and then within the hour the card number is used hundreds of miles away. When that happens, it suggests that there is some kind of fraud that is happening. To protect the card company and you, the card may be frozen.
You can monitor for fraud through online account management. When you log into your account online, you can view your balance, add money through bank transfer, view transactions, and stay up-to-date on the terms and conditions. This is a good opportunity for you to review your transactions for fraudulent transactions so that you can identify anything that you didn’t do. If you notice something, it is important that you notify Green Dot as soon as possible because that indicates that someone has gotten the card number.
This is just proof of how the card is safer than having cash. When you lose cash, it is gone. If the card is lost, you can report it lost and avoid the loss of your money. This gives seniors the security that they require.
Reloading Your Card
In order to have money to keep safe, you need to reload the card. This means put money on it when you need to. You can do this at a retail location that simply swipes the card to reload it or you can purchase a Green Dot MoneyPak that contains a number that can be input online so money can be added to your card. There are fees that come with these forms of reloading, but you can have money direct deposited onto your card, it is free. You can have your social security check, your paycheck, and even your income tax return deposited onto the card.
When you reload the card, there are limits. It is important to be mindful of the limit for cash deposits and the limit for direct deposit. These limits are also the same as the maximum balances allowed on the cards. These limits are in place for your protection and the protection of the card company.
The Final Word
When you are in need of a prepaid debit card that has easy reload options, account management, low fees, and allows you to have easy access to your cash, the AARP Foundation Prepaid Mastercard gives you all of that and more.
Modern Cash Prepaid Mastercard (Discontinued)
There’s nothing easier than the Modern Cash Prepaid Mastercard. This card is very easy to apply for because there are no credit checks. Simply fill out the application, load money on the card, and wait for it in the mail. It can be that simple.
There are plenty of prepaid credit cards out in the marketplace. Some of them have good features and some of them don’t. Modern Cash stands out from the rest because it provides a number of benefits, including the ability to manage money, spend money anywhere and load money onto the card in many ways.
Manage Money Safely
The money you load onto the card is very safe. It’s safer than cash because if it’s lost or stolen, it only takes a phone call to have the card replaced. In addition, there’s an identity theft feature on the card. Should you see that your card has been comprised, you will not be responsible for any charges that you didn’t authorize.
It’s possible to always know what’s going on with your card because of 2 features:
- Online management
- Spending alerts
The online management tool provides you 24/7 access to your account. You’ll log in with your username and password. You can find out what your balance is, view past charges and even transfer money. It’s a convenient way to budget to show that you’re financially responsible.
Spending alerts can be programmed to go to your mobile phone. You can find out what your balance is. Be notified when your account reaches a certain balance. Be notified of certain transactions. If you can’t get to a computer, these alerts can help you so that you never run out of money on your card.
Spend Money Wherever
There’s a Mastercard logo on the card, which means that you’ll be able to use the card wherever you go. Use it in your hometown or clear across the globe. Millions of merchants accept the card online, over the phone, and in person.
Should you ever need cash, there’s a pin number with the card. Visit an ATM machine and pull out the cash that you need. This way if you ever do need cash, you have a convenient way to get it when it’s necessary.
Overdraft protection is a service offered by Modern Cash. If you think that there’s a possibility of you ever running out of funds, this service protects you. This will give your account the cushion it needs if you make a transaction for more than what’s loaded onto your card. Your transaction will always go through so you don’t have to suffer embarrassment. Fees apply but it can be a lifesaver.
Know that you won’t go into debt. Since you can only spend what’s loaded on the card, there’s never a credit line to tempt you. There are also no interest rates so you can spend the money that’s on your card without worrying about penalty fees later.
Load Money on the Card When Needed
There are three easy ways to load money onto the card:
- Direct deposit
- Account to Account
- Western Union
Paychecks can be loaded directly onto your card. Whenever you get paid, your card is immediately funded. The service is free and it’s the easiest way to ensure that you have the money that you need. There is also a feature that puts money back into your account every month. If your direct deposit is above a certain amount, you can receive a credit. It’s like free money each and every month.
Anyone else that has a Modern Cash account can send you money and you can send them money. It’s a free service that provides you with the ability to borrow money, pay the money back or even send someone the gift of cash.
Visit Western Union locations all around the country to fund your card. If you’ve got cash, a money order, or even a Western Union wire transfer, it can be applied directly to your card. You will never have a reason not to have money on the prepaid Mastercard.
Walmart MoneyCard Prepaid Mastercard
If your poor credit rating is stopping you from getting your hands on a credit card then maybe you should consider the Walmart MoneyCard card.
As this card works like a debit card then you avoid the hassle and stress of a credit check yet with the expediency of having a card that is accepted anywhere you see the Mastercard or Visa sign and with the same protection you would expect when purchasing products online.
This new prepaid card carries no annual percentage rates and although there is a $3 monthly charge that is quite a lot less than other prepaid cards.
Also along with no credit check, you do not need to own a bank account plus you can use it everywhere you see the Mastercard or Visa sign. You can also get cash out of millions of ATM’s across the world, pay bills and guarantee hotel reservations and purchase airline tickets, and you can keep up with your spending with SMS/E-Mail balance alerts.
You can reload money on to your Walmart MoneyCard as many times as you like, in any Walmart store you can simply swipe your card to load money onto it with cash.
The Walmart MoneyCard MasterCard Prepaid Card promises to be quick, convenient, and is a lot safer than carrying around loads of cash as you are protected by the Mastercard Zero and Visa Liability Policy which protects you from fraudulent transactions and theft if your Walmart MoneyCard is stolen or misplaced. MoneyCard Visa card carries Visa network benefits.
Recently more and more consumers are losing faith in the banking system and they do not want to trust the big-name banks with their money. While many consumers have turned to credit unions as an alternative, there has also been a huge surge in popularity for prepaid cards.
That is why Walmart is heavily promoting the Walmart MoneyCard at the moment in the hope of snaring many of those who are rushing to withdraw funds from their retail banks.
The card is also a great choice for those who are learning to live on a budget, even if you already have credit and debit cards it is a great idea to simply load whatever your spending budget is onto the Walmart MoneyCard and make sure that you leave the other cards at home in a secure place. That way you know you are only spending what you have access to at the moment.
