The Best Prepaid Debit Cards Available Today

Here are the best Prepaid Debit Cards available at FreeDebitCardStore.com:

 

AccountNow® Gold Visa®
Prepaid Card

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

Get paid up to 2 days faster with Free Direct Deposit † - get your paycheck or benefits checks in your card account and access your funds up to 2 days
earlier than payday.
100% Guaranteed Approval - upon successful ID verification. No Credit check. No ChexSystems check. And no existing bank account required.
$0 Activation Fee. No Minimum Balance.
No Overdraft fees.
$15 Bonus§ with recurring Direct Deposit. Never pay to cash your paychecks and get your pay faster.
$10,000 balance limit. Your alternative to a traditional bank account. Deposits are FDIC insured.
Use it everywhere Visa Debit cards are accepted and pay anyone with PayAnyone Bill Pay.
Shop online, rent a car, pay your rent and more.
Easy Mobile Account Access and Text Alerts. Get your account balance, transaction details sent to
your phone within seconds
BBB Accredited A+ Company.
Excellent Customer Service.

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AccountNow® Prepaid Visa® Card

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

100% Approval Guaranteed (subject to I.D. Verification)
$0 Monthly Fee
No Minimum Balance
No Credit Check. No Overdraft Fee.
Free† Direct Deposit and Online Bill Payment
Use it everywhere Visa Debit Card accepted
Now with Purchase Rewards
Perfect for Occasional Usage

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AccountNow® Prepaid MasterCard®

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

$0 Monthly Fee
No Credit Check or ChexSystems check
Instant Account Number
Free† Direct Deposit - paycheck, benefits, tax refunds
Easy 24/7 Online Account Access
Earn Purchase Rewards and Refer-a-Friend Cash Bonus
Use it Everywhere Mastercard Debit card accepted

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Pink ACE Elite™ Visa®
Prepaid Card 

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

Official Sponsor of the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF).
Since 2006, purchases from the ACE Elite Card have contributed to over $2 million towards NBCF's early detection screening program for those in need.
Get paid up to 2 days faster with free direct deposit of paychecks and government benefits*
Free Anytime Alerts™ - Get your balance and transactions via text or email*
Secure: Card funds are backed by Visa® Zero Liability*

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Prepaid Visa® Purple Diamond RushCard

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

Enroll in Direct Deposit and get your pay up to
two days early. *Certain restrictions apply.
See card site for details.
Safer than carrying cash, use everywhere
Visa debit cards are accepted.
Choose from multiple fee plan options,
and switch for free.
Conveniently send money to family and friends
with card to card transfers.
Free 24/7 customer service. $0 Activation Fee
Refer-a-Friend Program

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_______________________________

Prepaid Visa® Pink Diamond RushCard

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

Enroll in Direct Deposit and get your pay up to
two days early. *Certain restrictions apply.
See card site for details.
Choose from multiple fee plan options,
and switch for free.
Earn fee rebates for maintaining balance in
RushGoals program.
Transfer money to another RushCard member
for just $0.99.
Free 24/7 customer service. $0 Activation Fee
Refer-a-Friend Program

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________________________________

Prepaid Visa® Black Diamond RushCard

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

• Get your government benefits up to two days early
• with Direct Deposit. *Certain restrictions apply.
• See card site for details.
  Easy Online Bill Pay - pay bills, rent, or
• write personal checks.
  Safer than carrying cash, use everywhere
• Visa debit cards are accepted.
  No overdraft fees.
  Conveniently send and receive money to and from family and friends with card to card transfers. $0 Activation Fee
• Refer-a-Friend Program
• Get Card

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Prepaid Visa® Baby Phat RushCard

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

• Real time activity alerts via text, email, and mobile app. *Standard text messaging rates from
• your wireless provider apply.
• Easy Online Bill Pay - pay bills, rent, or
• write personal checks.
• Free 24/7 customer service.
• Your Funds are FDIC-insured through The Bancorp Bank; Member FDIC.
• $0 Activation Fee
• Refer-a-Friend Program
• Get Card

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KLS Prepaid Visa® RushCard

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

• Get your government benefits up to two days early
• with Direct Deposit. *Certain restrictions apply.
• See card site for details.
  Stay connected - keep track of your money
• online and on your mobile.
  Your Funds are FDIC-insured through
• The Bancorp Bank; Member FDIC
  No overdraft fees
  Easy Online Bill Pay - pay bills, rent, or
• write personal checks.
• $0 Activation Fee
• Refer-a-Friend Program

Get Card
_______________________________

Prepaid Visa® Classic RushCard

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

• Enroll in Direct Deposit and get your pay up to
• two days early. *Certain restrictions apply.
• See card site for details.
  Choose from multiple fee plan options,
• and switch for free.
  Transfer money to another RushCard member
• for just $0.99. No overdraft fees.
  Your money is covered by Visa Zero Liability protection. *Certain restrictions apply. See card site for details.
• $0 Activation Fee
• Refer-a-Friend Program

Get Card
_______________________________

PayPal™ Prepaid MasterCard®

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

Real-time mobile alerts notify you of transactions and balances.
Free direct deposit - get your paycheck and
government benefits up to 2 days faster.
Instantly transfer money from your PayPal Account
to your PayPal Prepaid MasterCard®!
No credit check, overdraft fees or interest charges.
Get cash back rewards.
Safer than carrying cash - use it to pay for
everyday purchases.

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_______________________________

Control® Prepaid MasterCard®

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

• Use Direct Deposit - get your paycheck or
  government benefits check up to 2 days faster
  Refill a Prepaid Phone using your Control card - Get $1 back each time you add $25 or more.
  Simple fee plan with no cost to order or
  activate a card and no overdraft fees
  Qualify for a $10 Purchase Cushion and $5/month fee plan
  after a Direct Deposit of $500 in one calendar month
  Earn Cash Back Rewards & Refer A Friend bonuses
  Free Bill Pay and online budget management tools
  Transfer money to other cardholders online
  or with your mobile phone
  Free Smartphone App - check your transactions, balance
  and find the closest reload location

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PEX Visa® Prepaid Card
For Business

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

Instantly fund employee purchases.
Gain 24/7 control over where and how much
employees spend.
Save money - no surprise interest charges

or overdraft fees.
Free Trial Period - No Monthly Fee for at least
2 months after you enroll

No transaction fees. No deposit fees
Cards are personalized with the cardholder's name
The funds on deposit are corporate funds -
not employee-owned
Get Card
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Netspend® Visa Prepaid Debit

Prepaid Debit Card Not A Credit Card

• 100% Approval - No credit check required*
• Get paid up to 2 days faster with free Direct Deposit*
• Pay rent, utilities and other bills online or over the phone
• Track spending with online budgeting tools and alerts to your mobile phone
• Refer-a-Friend Program
• Get Card

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Two Great Financial Tools To Start Rebuilding Your Credit Now

Poverty in America: Millions of families too broke for bank accounts

Poverty in America: Millions of families too broke for bank accounts

Kim James outside the Dove House, a half-way house in Durham, NC that helped her recover from poverty and addiction. James has since been able to start banking again through the Self Help Credit Union.

Sabino Fuentes-Sanchez hid $25,000 all around his house because he didn't trust banks. Lasonia Christon receives her Walmart salary on a pre-paid debit card. Kim James was homeless for most of the past decade in part because she had no place to save money.

There are plenty of reasons people still live all-cash lives, but the sheer number who do it might surprise you. At a time when the majority of Americans use online banking, and some even deposit checks using their cellphone cameras, roughly eight percent of America's 115 million households don’t have a checking or savings account, according to census data compiled by the FDIC.

The numbers are far higher among minorities: More than 20 percent of African-Americans and Hispanics are essentially left out of the American banking system.

Frozen in the cash-only past, they face myriad “kick-them-while-they-are-down” situations where getting money costs money. Banks typically charge $6 to cash checks. Want to secure an apartment? Fee-based money orders are the only option. Without credit cards, they must turn to triple-digit interest rate payday loans for emergencies.

Who are the unbanked? Many are poor – 56 percent earn less than $15,000 annually. Some are homeless or undocumented workers, fearful of any system that might create a paper trail. But the majority of the unbanked have held checking accounts in the past, according to the FDIC, meaning their reasoning lies elsewhere. Ask them why they don't have a bank account, and one quarter will say they don't see the value in it. With savings account interest rates stuck at almost zero, that's hardly irrational.

Lasonia Christon of Jackson, Miss., tries to avoid getting paid in checks, but when her state tax refund for $231 arrived recently, she had to pay $7 to cash it at a nearby convenience store.

Christon works at Walmart. Her paychecks are deposited onto a prepaid debit card -- an improvement over old-fashioned paper paychecks, which led to high check-cashing fees. It’s hardly a good substitute for direct deposit, however. One cash withdrawal per period is free, but others cost $2. She can avoid the fee by shopping at Walmart and getting cash back at checkout.

She is among the 60 percent of unbanked American who previously had a checking account. Christon used to share one with her sister, but It cost her dearly.

"There was an overdraft here and an overdraft there, and it just didn't work out," she said.

Kim James at the Dove House, a half-way house in Durham, NC that helped her get back on her feet after struggles with poverty and addiction.

Fuentes-Sanchez made a fairly good living working for a tree removal company in Lumber Bridge, N.C., for about 10 years. But he was skeptical of banks, and when he tried to open an account, he was surprised by the cost.

"Instead of making money, I would have to pay fees," he said, through a translator. "(So) we used to keep money in the house. We were always trying to look for ways to hide the money in the house and keep it safe."

At one time, Fuentes-Sanchez had $25,000 stashed in different places throughout the house – his Latino community had been plagued by house burglaries because neighbors did the same. When his wife got cancer, her treatments devoured all their savings.

Down to their last $500, and before she passed away, she convinced him to open a bank account at Latino Community Credit Union, which was opened in part to help stem the burglary problem.

“She managed the money," and was disciplined enough to avoid spending it, said Fuentes-Sanchez, 37, who now raises five children alone. "(I) sometimes see something and I am tempted to buy it ... Now the money is in the bank.”

Saving -- putting money out of temptation's reach -- is the core concept of consumer banking. But the importance of participating in the financial system has stretched far beyond the quaint notion of interest, said Jennifer Tescher, CEO of the Center for Financial

Services Innovation, who is generally regarded as the person responsible for popularizing the term unbanked.

"A bank account in a way has become like a passport or a driver's license," said Tesch. "It's a kind of access device."

James, 55, has been in and out of homelessness for several years. She now lives at a half-way house called Dove House in Durham, N.C., and figured she could never move into her own apartment unless she could stash away the money needed for a security deposit. Without a savings account, that was a challenge.

"Cash in hand is cash spent, my mother always said," she said.

Two years ago, she met Duke University student Janet Xiao, who was part of a group named the Community Empowerment Fund, which visited Dove House offering life skills training, including a class on personal finance where she nudged women to open a bank account. James was reluctant.

"It's really demoralizing to open up an account and have it sitting in there with no money in it," Xiao said. “I think most folks want to take one step at a time, and get a job first. Also, there is this fear of being charged fees you don't understand.”

When James got a part-time job in January, she finally took up Xiao’s offer of help. The two set up an account with the Self-Help Credit Union on Xiao’s laptop right at the Dove House kitchen table.

"She even put the first $5 in there for me," James said. After depositing her first paycheck in person at Self-Help, Xiao said, James did a little dance.

“Now whenever I get even $10 or $20, I go to the bank and deposit it,” James said. Within a few months, she put together enough to pay her security deposit and first’s month’s rent. As soon as she saves enough for a bed, she’ll move in.

James has been able to start banking again through the Self Help Credit Union, and has saved enough to pay a security deposit and the first month's rent for her own apartment..

'Saving for the future'
Self-Help is part of a growing set of financial companies called Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). Supported by the U.S. Treasury Department, their mission is to help the unbanked get into the financial system.

”You make sure people are getting products and services they need,” said Mark Pinsky ,CEO of the Opportunity Finance Network, which helps fund CDFIs. “Banks may be the best place, they may not, but we don't want to just leave them vulnerable to the predators out there.”

Christon has recently been persuaded to open an account in a different way. Her 3-year-old twins’ day-care facility was recently visited by representatives of the Mississippi College Savings Account program, who helped her open a small account for the children. She then realized she needed her own savings account.

"I want to be a good role model for them, so they can learn about savings," she said. "I know I need to be better and show them about saving for the future."

If you are looking for a prepaid debit card that is right for you and your needs, you should visit:

www.FreeDebitCardStore.com

Account Now: Still #1 for Prepaid Debit Card Carrying Consumers

Networks To Help Women In Debt

There are many reasons women fall into debt. Student loans, credit cards and mortgage payments all contribute to the debt load many women carry.

While paying off debt can be challenging, the Internet has made it easy for women to access networks and resources that can help them become debt-free. Some networks aimed particularly at women in debt include the Women in Red Racers, the Women's Financial Network, and Debt Help for Women.






Women in Red Racers

The Women in Red Racers is an online network of more than 1,000 women from throughout the world who exchange advice on getting out of debt. Its name comes from the idea that each individual in the group is racing to pay off her debt as soon as possible. The group primarily interacts through message boards hosted by MSN Money. To join, members must disclose their general financial information and post updates on how well they are doing at paying off their debt. According to Good Housekeeping magazine, the community provides tips, feedback and encouragement for women and has helped its members pay off millions of dollars in debt since 2006.
   
Women's Financial Network

The Women's Financial Network is an online organization affiliated with Siebert Financial. It provides women with free tools needed to make educated financial decisions. The network offers an online course that helps women identify their debt problems, take action to reduce their debt and stay out of debt. In addition, the Women's Financial Network provides women with links to further reading, debt calculators and free debt-management worksheets.
   
Debt Help for Women

Debt Help for Women is a network that works with women to help them reduce their substantial credit card debt. It offers a free telephone consultation in which women can receive advice on reducing their debt quickly. By utilizing attorneys in this process, Debt Help for Women is able to come up with effective solutions and start women on a debt-free path. According to the network's website, women must live in an eligible state and have more than $10,000 in credit card debt to utilize its services.


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How To Disable RFID Chips

RFID tags contain a tiny microchip that is attached to an antenna. RFID stands for Radio Frequency IDentification, and can be used to remotely identify and track the item containing the RFID chip using radio waves. RFID chips are used in everyday life in things such as credit cards, toll road payment cards, passports and money. RFID chips are even implanted into pets and humans for tracking purposes.










Instructions:
       
1. Determine the location of the RFID chip. Check for a shortened signature box on the backside of a credit card if the RFID chip is difficult to locate. The RFID chip should be to the right of the shortened signature box.
       
2. Position a screw driver or other similarly-shaped metal object over the RFID chip.
       
3. Strike the screw driver with a hammer, driving the screw driver's metal edge into the RFID chip. Repeat until the RFID chip has been completely smashed.
       
4. Place the RFID chip inside of a microwave oven and turn on the power. The RFID chip will be rendered useless after being exposed to the microwave for only a second or two.

To remove the RFID chip from a plastic credit card without destroying it completely, soak the card in paint thinner or nail polish remover for a few hours and then peel back the plastic to remove the chip.

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How To Keep RFID Cards Safe

RFID credit cards use a radio frequency to transmit personal financial data. They are not swiped through a scanning machine like a traditional credit card. Unfortunately, RFID credit cards can be skimmed when an unauthorized user grabs the unencrypted data from your card using an RFID reader. The technology Website EnGadget found that data from RFID credit cards is easily skimmed using an $8 reader purchased on eBay. Credit card companies are aware of the problem and are creating security fixes, but there are a number of steps you can take to protect your financial information.






Instructions:
       
1. Leave your RFID credit cards at home. If you are concerned about the safety of your information on your card, use it only at home for online purchases. Pay for purchases outside your home with cash or regular credit cards.
       
2. Stack your RFID credit cards together in your wallet. Putting your cards next to one another will make it harder for a scanner to read the data on a particular RFID card. However, this only offers a small amount of protection.
       
3. Wrap your RFID credit cards in aluminum foil before putting them in your wallet. Some users have reported that this simple, homemade technique helps block RFID scanners from reading the card.
       
4. Consider a credit card shield for more advanced protection. There are a number of companies that manufacture shields that hold your credit card when it is not in use. Most companies use aluminum material to prevent RFID scanners from reading the data on your card, and they usually cost less than $10.
     
5. Consider a special wallet, such as a DataSafe wallet, if you would prefer not to have a separate shield for each individual credit card. These wallets look completely normal, but they are manufactured with materials that have been approved by the Government Services Administration to
block RFID transmissions.  The most inexpensive aluminum wallets can be purchased at Family Dollar for around $10.
       
6. Monitor your credit card statements regularly for errors or odd charges. Credit card theft and fraud can occur even after taking the best precautions, but regularly monitoring your bank statements can alert you to any suspicious activity.

In addition to keeping a close eye on your credit card statements, it is always a good idea to monitor your credit report. This can alert you to any unauthorized accounts that have been opened in your name. It can help you protect your credit.

For All Of Your Credit Card, Prepaid Debit Card, Checking & Savings Accounts, Loans & Credit Monitoring Needs, Visit: www.CherokeeFinancialInc.com

How Long Does it Take an Average Person to Pay Off Their Credit Card Debt?

Unfortunately, paying off credit card debt is not always a simple and straightforward process -- especially when all you can make is the minimum payment each month. Continuous use of the card while trying to pay it off further complicates the matter. Examine how long it can take the average person to pay off credit card debt to understand the importance of a debt payoff strategy.

The average American carries about $4,200 in credit card debt. Consumers use credit card funds for everything from emergencies to buying gas and food. The best practice to avoid piling up credit card debt is to pay off the balance in full each month. Otherwise you must meet the minimum payment requirements of the creditor, which starts at about 2 percent of the balance.


   
Downsides of Credit Card Debt

Choosing to carry a credit card debt balance for a long term could negatively affect your ability to get other forms of credit. For example, mortgage lenders look at your debt-to-income ratio when evaluating you for a mortgage loan. The more credit card debt you have, the higher that ratio, which lowers your chance of approval. Credit card debt is also very costly in terms of the average rates and fees. Some creditors charge as much as 79.9 percent annually.
   
Average Time to Payoff

The average amount of time it takes to pay off debt varies according to the account holder's rate, balance and spending habits. The average credit card rate is about 14.72 percent (estimate as of 2011) and as discussed, the average person has about $4,200 of credit card debt (estimate as of 2011). Based on those figures (and assuming a minimum payment of 2 percent of the balance) making the minimum payment each month would take more than 24 years to pay off. Technically the debt can persist forever if the account holder continues to use the card.
   
Suggestions

 Determine how long it will take for you to pay off your own credit card debt using the Bankrate minimum payment calculator. Then take every step possible to reduce the amount of time it will take you to pay off your credit card debt. One way is to enact a debt payoff strategy that requires you to pay more than your required payment each month. The more extra principal you pay each month over the minimum, the less time it will take to achieve a zero balance. Another strategy to pay off the credit card early is to consolidate the debt into a lower interest account, such as a refinanced mortgage loan. Consult a financial counselor for advice before taking that step.

To Apply for Lower Interest Credit Cards with Balance Transfer Offers, Visit:  www.CherokeeFinancialInc.com

Can A Mortgage Help Pay Off Credit Card Debt?

Credit card debt may accumulate to a point where you can't easily pay off the amount you owe. When this happens, you may have to take drastic action. If you have equity in your home, you may benefit from refinancing your mortgage and using your equity to pay off the credit card debt.

However, this has certain risks, with which you may not be comfortable.





Interest Rate

Finance professionals often recommend you start by paying off the debt with the highest interest rate and gradually work your way to the debts with lower interest rates. In most cases, credit card debts carry the highest interest rates. It may make sense to pay off your high-rate credit card debt with proceeds from a mortgage, which usually carries a low interest rate. Over time, this strategy may reduce your interest costs.
   
Reduce Debt Burden

If you have some equity in your home, you may get cash by refinancing your mortgage or getting a new home equity line of credit. For example, you still owe $100,000 and your home is now worth $200,000. Lenders may allow you to borrow $150,000 against your home. You may choose to use the
$100,000 to pay off the old mortgage and take the $50,000 as cash. The $50,000 may go toward paying off your credit card debt. This strategy may dramatically reduce your debt burden.
   
Costs

Getting a new mortgage loan may require you to pay high processing costs. Refinancing may cost thousands of dollars to process. For example, if you owe $20,000 in credit card debt and have to pay $3,000 to refinance, you will spend 15 percent of your credit card debt. This money can go toward paying off your credit card debt instead. While a home equity line of credit costs less to process, you must still come up with cash for the closing costs.
   
Risks

Because the new mortgage erases your credit card debt, you may be tempted to spend money using your credit card again. If you use a mortgage to pay off your credit card debt, you effectively convert the unsecured credit card debt into a secured debt -- your home loan. If you then can't afford to pay your mortgage, you may lose your home in a foreclosure. The Motley Fool website recommends that you continue to pay off your credit card bills regularly, at least until you pay off your mortgage.

To Apply for Lower Interest Credit Cards with Balance Transfer Offers, Visit:  www.CherokeeFinancialInc.com

Secured Credit Cards Are a Great Way to Rebuild Credit

Secured Credit Cards are a good way to help build or rebuild your credit rating.

Whether you have not yet built your credit rating up or if you have had your share of obstacles which caused your credit rating to go down slow or take a complete dive, you can still obtain a credit card. When you think of secured cards, you may ask yourself, "Why bother?"

It may be your only alternative at this moment in your life and can be a step in the right direction.

A fully secured credit card can be a better alternative than a partially secured card because of the amount of finance charges you will have to pay on what you charge can be drastically different. One card issuer recently offered me a partially secured credit card in which I had to make a $95 security deposit in order to access the $300 credit limit. They also charged a $95 membership/application fee and a $29 fee for my second user card, which was charged to the bill decreasing the available credit even more. When I received the partially secured credit card with an outrageous yearly membership fee and second user card fee of $29, I find that their interest rate is 49.9% for the first year and will drop (provided you don't miss a payment or go over your credit limit) to 39.9%.

The following list of fully secured credit cards can be obtained and you can get a much lower interest rate on these cards. Feel free to apply and secure your new card or cards with your initial security deposit and pay your bill on time and always pay more than the minimum. Some card issuers will eventually offer you a non-secured credit card once you have proven yourself credit-worthy which is a perk in itself:

Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Credit Card
Guaranteed Approval Regardless of Your Past Credit History
9.99% Low Fixed APR - Your Rate Won't Change Even if You Are Late
Choose Your Credit Limit - From $200 to $5,000
Highest Ratings for Financial Strength and Security in the Country

Platinum Zero® Secured Visa® Credit Card from Applied Bank®
ZERO - 0% FIXED APR on purchases - No Intro Rates!
ZERO - 0% Rate Won't Change - Even If You're Late!
ZERO Application Fees
ZERO Worries - FREE Personal ID Theft Protection

For other Secured Credit Cards and Prepaid Debit Cards to Help You Budget You Finances better, visit:  www.CherokeeFinancialInc.com