What is the best low-cost, prepaid debit card?

August 10, 2022 10:12 AM

The search provided older results for a rapidly changing industry. I am looking for a free/low monthly fee, ATM access, easily reloadable prepaid debit card.

This is for my elderly father who has been scammed multiple times, and had two banks shut down his accounts. He needs to be able to do his basic shopping, in stores and online, and access cash. I need to be able to reload it easily as needed from another bank account (prefer online/app). I do not want to have his whole social security check loaded to it and do not think it can be split. The search results have an endless array of items, especially for children. I did not see any for seniors specifically.

posted by maxg94 to Work & Money (10 answers total)

If you're not able to find one, can you get a free checking account, distribute part of his check into it monthly, and give him a card on it (either as a co-owner or just handing him a card)? Maybe you've already ruled this out, but it would eliminate administration fees like you'd get with a Greenlight etc as well as the infantalizing branding.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 10:21 AM on August 10, 2022 [3 favorites]

I haver a Venmo card. Seems to work well.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:31 AM on August 10, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Seconding bank+debit card as the best solution. All non-bank cards are going to come with a catch (fees, etc).

If there's a reason why this cannot be an option, you can get a reloadable ATM/Debit card with membership in AAA. Assuming AAA membership is something your father can also benefit from, this is probably the least-bad alternative to a bank.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 12:22 PM on August 10, 2022

Not Serve cards. They are only reloadable with cash, and I’ve been to two CVSs today that have not been able to do it. The 7-11s are super sketchy where I live, so I’m on to Walgreens.
posted by haptic_avenger at 12:23 PM on August 10, 2022

Came here to suggest looking at Venmo / CashApp.
posted by kickingtheground at 12:54 PM on August 10, 2022

Response by poster: The problem with the bank + debit card is the constant fraud, scamming and donation issues we have had with him. Two banks will no longer have him as a customer and shut down his accounts. I am hoping to be able to get another one to open an account in his name to just automatically deposit his SS check and pay his bills. I cannot risk linking a debit card to this. Someone had suggested doing a prepaid debit card to limit his spending amount and keep his real account safe. Maybe I am missing a better option for this.
posted by maxg94 at 2:33 PM on August 10, 2022 [1 favorite]

Many years ago, before we became an almost cashless society, I got my kids American Express Debit cards that I would transfer their allowance onto. Look at American Express.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 5:04 PM on August 10, 2022

PayPal has a prepaid card. My husband and I got one for our autopays.
posted by Jacqueline at 9:50 PM on August 10, 2022

Seconding the PayPal debit card (not to be confused with the PayPal Mastercard). It is a debit card with a Mastercard symbol that draws on your PayPal balance.
posted by 8603 at 8:42 AM on August 11, 2022

Response by poster: Since he already had a AAA membership and it ticked all the boxes, we went with that card. The PayPal looked promising as well. Thanks all!
posted by maxg94 at 6:35 AM on August 15, 2022