sad

[broken ed]

It's sad, I have good credit, two banks, two credit cards, but I just don't trust some companies I must do business with, like my mail order prescription company. They never let me know how I'm going to be charged before dinging my credit card and sending out the prescription. There are a few other companies that have user agreement, terms and conditions that are legal, but devious.

So Q: What is the best pre paid debit or credit card? Hopefully that you can recharged on line and low or no fees, especially if the card is over charged.

devious:
de·vi·ous
adjective

showing a skillful use of underhanded tactics to achieve goals.

[cyndi]

Ed, have you looked into credit unions? Mine is in MA so not probably not a big help to you. But there are plenty out there.

I can't remember the last time I had any kind of service charge on my accounts or my debit cards. The biggest change over the years is now I have to pay for my new checks. I get a box about every 5 years.

I have two checking accounts with debit cards. One I call my master account. that's where my checks are deposited. The other I transfer money into it, to use as needed. That way if I get hacked or skimmed or whatever I only lose a limited amount of money. I will say, the one time someone got a hold of my debit card numbers the credit union put the money back into my account with out blinking an eye

[Firtree]

Have couple prepaid debit cards but have not had losses or issues so don’t know how well they will fix.
-American Express Bluebird in a relationship with Walmart for refills and cash back.
-A Visa Prepaid from credit union. Can only refill online from a credit card. Strange but works.
They do not have monthly maintenance fees or refill charges.
There are online articles about ‘best prepaid debit cards’.

[broken ed]

Ed, have you looked into credit unions? Mine is in MA so not probably not a big help to you. But there are plenty out there.

Thanks Cyndi, I'm happy with my banks and credit cards. They're only doing what the should do, pay ligament charges. I never get any fees and one even gives me free checks, Ally Bank. It's the companies I must deal with (because I have no choice) I'm locked in on such as with my health insurance on prescription drugs. I want to limit my exposure by keeping a very small balance.

One month the drug company charged me 18 times what I normally pay. I just don't want the charge to go through due to insufficient funds by keeping  low balance, but don't want to hurt my credit or good standing with the two banks I'm with.

[broken ed]

Have couple prepaid debit cards but have not had losses or issues so don’t know how well they will fix.
-American Express Bluebird in a relationship with Walmart for refills and cash back.

American Express Bluebird is one that looked good to me that came up with good reviews, thanks

[RoamerRV428]

your prescription company may not accept a prepaid or 'refill' card like normal and they may not accept it SO call your prescription company before changing to a certain card to make sure it will go thru.

I got the Vanilla Visa which you can reload for my kid. This card was not accepted when we tried to buy some games from Xbox for my kid. When I switched over and used my 'real money card' from my bank the purchase went straight thru. I never checked why they wouldn't accept the Vanilla Visa refill credit card but....

This sounds like a big problem from your prescription company...ugh.

If this trouble only happened once, then.....kinda hmm.....but if your prescription company is constantly doing this to you, then can ya get another prescript company? I mean, better to walk from them if ya can.

[Gr8ful]

If you like what you have put a limit per day on one card & use it. If you need to increase just a phone call does it.

[broken ed]

your prescription company may not accept a prepaid or 'refill' card like normal and they may not accept it SO call your prescription company before changing to a certain card to make sure it will go thru.

I got the Vanilla Visa which you can reload for my kid.  This card was not accepted when we tried to buy some games from Xbox for my kid.  When I switched over and used my 'real money card' from my bank the purchase went straight thru.  I never checked why they wouldn't accept the Vanilla Visa refill credit card but....

This sounds like a big problem from your prescription company...ugh.

If this trouble only happened once, then.....kinda hmm.....but if your prescription company is constantly doing this to you, then can ya get another prescript company?   I mean, better to walk from them if ya can.

RoamerRV428, your point is well taken. I am aware, for example, American Express is not accepted as widely as Visa and Master Cards in part I'm sure because American Express charges higher merchant fees. And it wouldn't surprise me to see the same with Bluebird since it is an American Express product.

The problem is widespread with the health insurance companies. You never know what you will be charged until it shows up on your statement. I'm locked in to this company (which shall remain nameless) because it's through my wife's job. I'm on Medicare, but it is a secondary insurance. Insurance companies are (again) devious but also poorly trained as are all in the health industry, including doctors.

I called the insurance company last year to make sure a health care provider would be covered before setting up my appointment. This after I checked the website and made sure this provider was in network. The "chat" which I still have a copy of, told me yes, just a $20 co-pay. The two visits cost me nearly $200.00 because none of it was covered.

Now I know what many of you are thinking, and your right. But at the end of the day it's up to us to read and know what our coverage is in the policy. That's the insurance company's defense. Problem is, you could die of old age before you can read and understand what a team of attorneys put in a insurance policy.

I decided to start with a Bluebird account. I phoned the insurance company and they take it, well see. I plan on keeping a very low balance on the card, there are no fees for over draft or inactivity, well see. So far it's on it's way and hasn't cost me anything. In light of what RoamerRV428 said, I'm going see about getting a prepaid debit card that's a Visa or Master Card.

[broken ed]

If you like what you have put a limit per day on one card & use it. If you need to increase just a phone call does it.

It's a good thought but credit card companies aren't much better then insurance companies. I purchased a TV for my wife last Christmas as a gift in Target. The very same card was denied, the clerk telling me I need to phone the credit card company. There should have been no problem and I couldn't get through on the phone. So I put the TV on my next credit card. Also denied, the clerk telling me I need to phone this credit card company as well. Embarrassed, with people waiting in line behind us, I tried, but the second credit card allow me to text back to confirm I was making the purchase. It went through and my wife got her TV.

I buy my medication every 90 days, even if I could get the credit card company to set a low limit, it's just not worth it for a purchase four times a year. It's a good thought however.

[RoamerRV428]

yea worst is when you are tied to a company thru no choice of your own for your purchases. I hate the nooses around our necks but it sure happens.

We bought our truck and I put 5K (the limit I was allowed only by the dealership) on my CC card...to rank up my credit reward points (I love these, I get about $500 free gift cards each year when I redeem and never give them one penny of interest LOL) and they denied my card. I had to call and say it was a real purchase by me with the fraud dept. Very annoying but when a larger purchase goes thru they do catch it as fraud which is a good thing I guess

My mom uses some 90 day prescript company for her blood press. meds and I think it starts with an E....express scripts or something like that. She never had billing troubles ever. So far so good on that one.

best of luck working a way around it all but you will....there is some fix for ya that will work well, you just gotta find it thru all the mess of it all HA