September 2004 According to The Nilson Report, around U.S. $ 588 billion U.S. dollars of the value of debit cards were bought in the United States in 2003. In 2008 that figure is expected to grow to $ 1,231,000,000,000 put a significant dent in the nation’s use of pure credit cards as consumers continue to favor the use of prepaid debit cards. If you’re among the millions of the nation that are currently using prepaid debit cards or are among those considering their use, you need to know two things that can affect and improve the use of prepaid debit card . very successful. First, know what you are getting. Most people understand the prepaid debit card as the gift card.
Others know it as gift cards can be purchased through your local bank. What some consumers do not know is that obtained through your bank can come with hefty fees attached, and those fees can come in a wide variety of costumes buying charges against a variety of administrative costs including replacement costs into account maintenance costs and fees for checking the balance. These fees are currently being debated in court, but until you are offered a fair settlement is for consumers to be aware of what they are buying. Second, despite the concerns of consumers and fair trade, some applications of the prepaid debit card are both innovative and convenient. For example, there are now some tax preparation services that offer what is known as the “stored value” card. In other words, instead of waiting for your refund to arrive, simply tell your tax preparation service that you would like your money loaded onto your prepaid debit card. Once you have a prepaid debit card “loaded” You should arrange with your bank to assign a routing number so that you can use it as a checking account.
Another new use prepaid debit cards come from the foreign exchange companies, better known as remittance services. Companies regular remittance, such as Western Union and MoneyGram are facing new competition from small businesses that target the immigrant population, offering speed and convenience in sending money online using a bank account, card credit or a PayPal account. The customer simply electronically “loads” the desired amount in a Visacard which is then mailed to the recipient. With the help of the Internet, the ability to send money via “Load” record cards. The ease, speed and convenience of such services are becoming so popular that many companies are aggressively marketing prepaid debit cards to consumers through personalization. Visa, for example, has a prepaid debit card marketed exclusively to teens, known as Buxx. American Express has TravelFunds Card marketing “for the people on the go” and MasterCard has its I-Gen MasterCard offered for those who prefer to waive any of the traditional checking accounts or keep only a minimum amount, while “load” your card with money of their budgets dictate they can spend.