# Has anyone used Pre-Paid Credit Cards? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2011, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-used-pre-paid-credit-cards/599806 "2011-10-16T12:34:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-used-pre-paid-credit-cards/599806/21 "2011-10-17T12:42:09Z")
Instead of throwing away cards with small balances you can send them to me and I can use them. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-used-pre-paid-credit-cards/599806/22 "2011-10-17T13:22:24Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > In the gift card section I often see Visa and such that can be purchased with a set limit on them, I have been thinking of purchasing one as to not appear on my credit report. Or do they? Does any Doper have experience with them, can they be used for on line buying? When on-line check outs ask for the name on the card what do you put down since there is no name per say on a pre-paid. Do you have to sign your name when using one in a store? Can any one shed some light on this for me? Oh - and to answer some of the specific questions: to use them online you have to first register them at the issuer’s site (as I had mentioned), then you put your own name when you make an online purchase. There is indeed a fee when you buy the card itself, several dollars for example. The refillable Wal-Mart “debit” cards that **Dewey Finn** mentioned are slightly different from the Visa Gift Cards you can buy anywhere. Both can, obviously, be used for Visa purchases any place that accepts Visa, but I would bet that the Wal-Mart ones can also be used to get cash (since you’re getting your own cash that you loaded up on them). > **[Walmart MoneyCard - Prepaid Debit Card that Earns You Cash Back](https://www.walmartmoneycard.com)** > > Earn up to $75 cash back every year on your Walmart purchases. Learn about the Walmart MoneyCard prepaid debit card. Looks like you can even get payroll direct deposit to those. Yes, there are fees, but for someone who isn’t able to (or doesn’t WANT to) open a bank account for whatever reason, it’s arguably a better option than carrying so much cash around. I remember there being a big stink about Wal-Mart starting this service, and gouging fees from folks who could least afford it, but then others pointed out that it’s still a lot less than going to a check cashing service so Wal-mart was, really, providing a needed service. My opinion is still that this is a good choice only for the unbanked; if you have any other options, I wouldn’t use one. None of these will affect your credit report in any way, as they’re not debts. If someone wants to build credit, you’d be better off going with a secured credit card offered by many (most?) banks. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-used-pre-paid-credit-cards/599806/23 "2011-10-17T14:05:33Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Oh: and another reason I don’t like them: if you’ve got an odd amount left over on the non-refillable variety, it can be very hard to spend them. I think that’s part of the gimmick the issuers count on to boost their profits - how many people have 4.38 left on one, and never find an opportunity to spend that, leaving the money in the issuer’s hands. > > Fortunately, our grocery store lets you swipe a card and put a specific amount to be deducted even if the bill is higher, so we can spend that 4.38, and put the rest on another card. Any place that takes credit cards will take the Visa gift cards at the register and let you do that. My daughter has used several at once with small balances left on them at the grocery store as well. She saves them for when she’s running low on funds, since they’re good for 2 years or so after purchase. Calls it her Emergency Stash. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-used-pre-paid-credit-cards/599806/24 "2011-10-17T14:28:28Z")
> [@Arden\_Ranger](#): > > Any place that takes credit cards will take the Visa gift cards at the register and let you do that. My daughter has used several at once with small balances left on them at the grocery store as well. She saves them for when she’s running low on funds, since they’re good for 2 years or so after purchase. Calls it her Emergency Stash. Restaurants aren’t great about this. We had a 100 dollar gift card, and wanted to use it for a 90ish dollar meal at a nice restaurant (planning on paying cash for the tip). It was declined, since I guess the restaurant systems typically put a 20% or so hold on the card. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-used-pre-paid-credit-cards/599806/25 "2011-10-18T01:16:18Z")
They do exactly that. Pay at the pump gas stations also want approval for 75.00 before you can use one to pre-pay. It’s not problem if you pay with it after you fill up, but there aren’t many of those still around. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-used-pre-paid-credit-cards/599806/26 "2011-10-19T23:09:33Z")
My place of employment does not accept cash in its cafeteria or vending machines. I could use my debit card, but that means entering a lot of $1.25 or $3.45 transactions into my checkbook; so its a lot more convenient to just get a $20 prepaid card and use that for coffee & candy bars, until it runs out. (and when it runs low, I can just give the used up one to a cashier and say “start with this one…” and hand her a new one for the remainder.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-used-pre-paid-credit-cards/599806.md?page=1)