Monday, December 1, 2008

Is A Prepaid Credit Card For You?

By Steven J. Talrechi

Credit can be a touchy subject for many individuals. Often it can be quite difficult to be approved for a traditional credit card. Perhaps you have had a poor credit history in the past, or perhaps your problem is that you just haven't had any credit history yet. Whatever your circumstances are it can feel downright degrading to get rejected for a credit card. However, there is a way that you can start building your credit rating and give you the flexibility that a credit card affords you, and that is by getting yourself a prepaid credit card.

So, what exactly is a prepaid credit card? Well, it's basically an account that can be reloaded that is accepted any place that you might use a traditional credit card. The individual card holder will deposit money into their account before making any purchases. If you have money in your account then you are free to spend with your prepaid card. Like a traditional charge card your prepaid card will have a spending limit set which is determined by how much you have deposited into your account, and how often you are able to deposit money.

A prepaid credit card offers all of the convenience of a regular charge card. You can use it in the same way at the same places.

A prepaid credit card is also a very useful tool for you to control your spending. By only purchasing items when you have already dedicated money for them you are ensuring that you are not going to fall down the slippery slope to major credit debt. With your prepaid credit card you will learn how to handle your finances effectively. That education will be something that you can take with you through the years.

You are also largely insulated from identity theft when using a prepaid credit card. Whether you are buying in person, online or over the phone, you can rest assured that even if someone gets a hold of your credit card number, your other accounts are perfectly safe; they can't run up huge bills on your prepaid credit card.

So how do you go about setting up a prepaid credit card? Well, you'll have to pay a small fee upfront when you start the account. The fee is usually ten dollars or less. There are also typically small fees assessed when you make deposits into your account. These fees are typically very small and are well worth the expense to help establish credit and keep your spending under control.

There's no escaping it; our society runs on credit. You need a credit card to do just about anything these days. You need a credit card just to function these days. If you are working with bad credit, an insufficient credit history or just trying to manage your spending, then a prepaid credit card may be the answer for you.

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