Credit Q&A: “What stores sell prepaid credit cards?’
If you’re in the market for a prepaid credit card, they’re certainly not hard to find these days.
A number of stores carry Visa, MasterCard, and American Express prepaid credit cards, from the local drugstore to the supermarket.
In fact, if you visit your neighborhood gas station, you’ll likely find a selection of prepaid credit cards and other gift cards in a kiosk or at the checkout counter.
You’ll also find prepaid credit cards at office supply retailers, bank branches, check cashing stores, malls, in vending machines, and even Blockbuster movie rental stores.
Mega retailers like Walmart, Target, and Kmart also carry prepaid credit cards from all different providers, so you’d be hard pressed not to find them.
American Express gift cards, which no longer charge inactivity fees, are also available for purchase in most of the aforementioned stores and via their website.
However, if you purchase them online or remotely, you’ll be assessed shipping charges, so I recommend picking one up in a store.
They also come with a purchase fee of $3.95 per card, regardless of the value, which could range from $25 to $3,000.
On the $25 prepaid card, that fee is nearly 16% of the total, while only about a tenth of a percent for the $3,000 card.
Visa and MasterCard prepaid credit cards are also available for purchase online, but carry higher fees and shipping costs, which can vary based on where you purchase them.
And these types of prepaid credit cards typically still carry the monthly maintenance fees once 12 months have gone by, so they’re not the best choice if not used promptly.
I’m not a big fan of prepaid credit cards because of all the related fees, and the fact that a small balance is usually left on the cards as well.