Plastyc announced that effective immediately, via the Green Dot Network, cardholders can now cash checks and load funds to their UPside Prepaid Cards using the Rapid Reload Service available in more than 3,900 Walmart stores.
UPside customers can cash a pre-printed payroll, government or tax refund check and load all or part of the cash directly to the UPside card from the convenience of any register at a participating Walmart (not available in NJ, NY, RI, VT, WY). The cashier will cash the check (check cashing fees apply) and swipe the card to add all or part of the amount directly to the card. Cardmembers can load all or part of a check, up to $1,000, and the funds are available on the card within minutes. A Rapid Reload fee of $3.74 applies.
With this new method, UPside cardholders have three convenient ways to reload their cards via the Green Dot Network:
1. Rapid Reload with cash by taking the UPside card and cash to any Walmart register (not available in VT or WY). The cashier will swipe the card and the cash is added directly to the card. The funds are available on the card within minutes. A Rapid Reload fee of $3.74 applies.
2. Rapid Reload by cashing a check (not available in NJ, NY or RI; check cashing fees apply) and loading the funds at participating locations. A Rapid Reload fee of $3.74 applies.
3. Reload with a Green Dot MoneyPak® by purchasing a MoneyPak from a neighborhood retailer, in any one of more than 60,000 retailer locations nationwide, and logging into their UPside Card online account or through the UPside Mobile App, which is a unique feature for UPside cardholders. A service fee of up to $4.95 applies.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
Walmart Rapid Reload $3.77
Here is a partial list of cards supported by RapidReload. You can go to any register at Walmart and have your card reloaded for $3.77.
http://i.walmartimages.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/RapidReloadProgram_1_4_13.pdf
http://i.walmartimages.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/RapidReloadProgram_1_4_13.pdf
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Green Dot's Gobank
This is Green Dot's new prepaid account.
https://www.gobank.com/#/say-hello-to-go
It has remote check deposit just as Bluebird does but Gobank only takes 2 business days after the day of deposit to either give you your money or tell you that you need to cash it elsewhere. That is vastly different than Bluebirds 6 business days.
Completely free ATM usage at any of the 40,000 MoneyPass ATMs. Bluebird is only free at MoneyPass if you have direct deposit. GoBank is FDIC insured, Bluebird is not.
Customer service should be as good as it is with GreenDot prepaid cards which is pretty good. Bluebird customer service is the worst I have ever encountered.
Gobank apparently matches BlueBird with free cash deposits at any Walmart.
Some nice money transfer features built into the mobile app which can send money to anyone who will need a Gobank or PayPal account to get the funds. Other options are coming for transfers.
GreenDot has been doing prepaid for a long time so users can expect less problems than they have had with BlueBird.
https://www.gobank.com/legal/deposit-account-agreement
GoBank has verified that cash reloads at Walmarts Rapidreload service will be free.
https://www.gobank.com/#/say-hello-to-go
It has remote check deposit just as Bluebird does but Gobank only takes 2 business days after the day of deposit to either give you your money or tell you that you need to cash it elsewhere. That is vastly different than Bluebirds 6 business days.
Completely free ATM usage at any of the 40,000 MoneyPass ATMs. Bluebird is only free at MoneyPass if you have direct deposit. GoBank is FDIC insured, Bluebird is not.
Customer service should be as good as it is with GreenDot prepaid cards which is pretty good. Bluebird customer service is the worst I have ever encountered.
Gobank apparently matches BlueBird with free cash deposits at any Walmart.
Some nice money transfer features built into the mobile app which can send money to anyone who will need a Gobank or PayPal account to get the funds. Other options are coming for transfers.
GreenDot has been doing prepaid for a long time so users can expect less problems than they have had with BlueBird.
https://www.gobank.com/legal/deposit-account-agreement
GoBank has verified that cash reloads at Walmarts Rapidreload service will be free.
Monday, January 7, 2013
MoneyManager Card
This was once the undisputed King of the prepaid world from a consumer view anyway.
Since being bought out by 1st California Bank they have added a 49 cent fee for debit usage which sours me on this product which is still among the best but slipping.
http://moneymanagercard.com/pricing.php
Since being bought out by 1st California Bank they have added a 49 cent fee for debit usage which sours me on this product which is still among the best but slipping.
http://moneymanagercard.com/pricing.php
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Worst Prepaid Cards
This is an easy one. If you are using one of these please look at the better cards and switch.
Rush Card or any of the endless variations of the Rush card such as BabyPhat, Diamond Rush etc.
Netspend.
Account Now.
Upside or Bankup cards.
Wired Plastic.
Any of the Vision cards.
Readydebit.
Rush Card or any of the endless variations of the Rush card such as BabyPhat, Diamond Rush etc.
Netspend.
Account Now.
Upside or Bankup cards.
Wired Plastic.
Any of the Vision cards.
Readydebit.
American Express Bluebird Card
This card from American Express seems ideal in that there are no fees for the average user but there have been significant numbers of complaints.
Some of the complaints are clearly user error such as people who never read the terms and conditions.
One of the common complaints is from users who tried to deposit a check via the remote check deposit. The terms and conditions clearly state that there is a one day hold prior to processing begins if a check is deposited before 8pm on a business day so if you deposit a check on a Friday before 8pm processing begins Monday. Then there is a 5 day wait before the check is cleared or rejected.
During that 5 day processing period Amex runs various credit and background reports on the user which may result in your account being frozen. Of course you still have the check and can then cash it elsewhere. Again this is all very clearly explained in the terms and conditions. The terms and conditions (member agreement) states that when you try and deposit a check this way you are giving them permission to run credit and background reports.
Another thing people did not read is that the check or even a debit card load must be from the user on the account otherwise they will see that as fraud and freeze and close the account. All of this is in the terms and conditions marked as 'member agreement' at the bottom of the opening page and most of it is also laid out in the FAQs.
Bluebird is not FDIC insured and as such cannot be used to direct deposit or any type of deposit of a Government check. Again this is clearly laid out in the member agreement.
The customer service is probably the worst customer service on the planet. The reps do not understand English very well and after an hour wait and a half hour on the phone with them you may find they don't have a clue what you are trying to explain to them.
I would recommend that if you try this card you load small amounts of cash on it at a time and be careful with it. Something as simple as a change of address may trigger your account to be frozen.
https://bluebird.com/legal/#member-agreement
Just an added note on Amex. Their 4th quarter financials came out today, profits down 47%. They are laying off 5,400 employees also. They saw the writing on the wall.
I'll wager most BlueBird customers would pay 3-4 dollars a month for decent customer service.
Edit: Amex now claims 1.6 million Bluebird customers.
Some of the complaints are clearly user error such as people who never read the terms and conditions.
One of the common complaints is from users who tried to deposit a check via the remote check deposit. The terms and conditions clearly state that there is a one day hold prior to processing begins if a check is deposited before 8pm on a business day so if you deposit a check on a Friday before 8pm processing begins Monday. Then there is a 5 day wait before the check is cleared or rejected.
During that 5 day processing period Amex runs various credit and background reports on the user which may result in your account being frozen. Of course you still have the check and can then cash it elsewhere. Again this is all very clearly explained in the terms and conditions. The terms and conditions (member agreement) states that when you try and deposit a check this way you are giving them permission to run credit and background reports.
Another thing people did not read is that the check or even a debit card load must be from the user on the account otherwise they will see that as fraud and freeze and close the account. All of this is in the terms and conditions marked as 'member agreement' at the bottom of the opening page and most of it is also laid out in the FAQs.
Bluebird is not FDIC insured and as such cannot be used to direct deposit or any type of deposit of a Government check. Again this is clearly laid out in the member agreement.
The customer service is probably the worst customer service on the planet. The reps do not understand English very well and after an hour wait and a half hour on the phone with them you may find they don't have a clue what you are trying to explain to them.
I would recommend that if you try this card you load small amounts of cash on it at a time and be careful with it. Something as simple as a change of address may trigger your account to be frozen.
https://bluebird.com/legal/#member-agreement
Just an added note on Amex. Their 4th quarter financials came out today, profits down 47%. They are laying off 5,400 employees also. They saw the writing on the wall.
I'll wager most BlueBird customers would pay 3-4 dollars a month for decent customer service.
Edit: Amex now claims 1.6 million Bluebird customers.
Best Prepaid Banking Options
For people that are locked out of Banking by Chex Systems or EWS or just have too many overdrafts prepaid cards are now available pretty much anywhere with little to no fees.
Overdraft is nearly impossible on a prepaid account. The only issue is that some of the best cards are from Banks that own a piece of Early Warning Systems and they still do not allow people on that to get their cards or branches are confused as to whether they can give an account to anyone regardless of Chex or EWS.
Here is a list of the best prepaid banking options:
Regions Bank Now Account has no fees if you use direct deposit and deposit $500 or more in a month. Cash deposits are free at a Deposit Smart ATM but cost $3 through a teller.
Regions will not give accounts to someone on EWS.
http://www.regions.com/virtualDocuments/Now-Banking-Terms.pdf
The US Bank Convenient Cash card. There is a $3 monthly fee but that's about it.
https://www.usbconvenientcash.com/index.cfm?pageid=g07
Chase Liquid Card. Liquid has a $4.95 a month fee but nearly everything else is free and they allow check deposits with $200 immediately available. Chase branches do not know whether they can give people this account without a Chex check.
https://www.chase.com/online/prepaid-card/document/Chase_Liquid_Terms_Conditions.pdf
PNC SmartAcess card. $5 monthly fee
https://www.pnc.com/webapp/unsec/Solutions.do?siteArea=/pnccorp/PNC/Home/Personal/PNC+SmartAccess+Prepaid+Visa+Card/PNC+SmartAccess+Prepaid+Visa+Card+-+Fees
Overdraft is nearly impossible on a prepaid account. The only issue is that some of the best cards are from Banks that own a piece of Early Warning Systems and they still do not allow people on that to get their cards or branches are confused as to whether they can give an account to anyone regardless of Chex or EWS.
Here is a list of the best prepaid banking options:
Regions Bank Now Account has no fees if you use direct deposit and deposit $500 or more in a month. Cash deposits are free at a Deposit Smart ATM but cost $3 through a teller.
Regions will not give accounts to someone on EWS.
http://www.regions.com/virtualDocuments/Now-Banking-Terms.pdf
The US Bank Convenient Cash card. There is a $3 monthly fee but that's about it.
https://www.usbconvenientcash.com/index.cfm?pageid=g07
Chase Liquid Card. Liquid has a $4.95 a month fee but nearly everything else is free and they allow check deposits with $200 immediately available. Chase branches do not know whether they can give people this account without a Chex check.
https://www.chase.com/online/prepaid-card/document/Chase_Liquid_Terms_Conditions.pdf
PNC SmartAcess card. $5 monthly fee
https://www.pnc.com/webapp/unsec/Solutions.do?siteArea=/pnccorp/PNC/Home/Personal/PNC+SmartAccess+Prepaid+Visa+Card/PNC+SmartAccess+Prepaid+Visa+Card+-+Fees
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)