Prepaid Credit Card or Bad Debt Card: Which is Best? - By: Pete Nisbet

A prepaid credit card and a bad debt card are the options open to you if you have an adverse credit record and need a credit or debit card. There are many reasons for you needing a credit card, and even those with a very poor credit record eventually find that not having a card can very inconvenient.

Let's take some examples a where bad debt card or prepaid credit cards would be better than no card at all:

1. Hotel bookings.
Most people book their hotels in advance - in fact if you don’t you are highly unlikely to get a room! When you book online you obviously have to secure the booking using a credit card. If you book by telephone, you will be asked for your card number. So if you have had your cards cancelled, and no regular card provider will give you one because of your past record, then what do you do? No more hotels for the rest of your life? You are better off with a bad debt card or a prepaid credit card than no card at all!

2. Vacation Bookings
The same applies here, and there is not really any need for me to go further than that. You know how it works: you make the booking and then give your card number. No card, no booking. The days are long gone when you book and then pay cash when you arrive.

3. Any Online Purchase
Any online purchase must be made using a credit or debit card. If you don't have card you can't buy anything online. Nothing at all!

4. Autotellers
There will come a time, not too far into the future, when banks will not handle cash except from registered retailers, and even that will die out. Cash for the few items that you need it for will be dispensed by autotellers and practically everything else will be paid using a card of one type or another. Even bars are converting to cards: hand it over when you order your drink, and then every other drink goes onto your tab assigned to that card.

Basically, what I am saying here is that you will find life sheer hell without a credit or debit card, and if your credit is shot, as it is for many people, and as it was for me for a long time, you will find 'normal' life very difficult. You will need a card for most purchases, online or not, and unless you have good credit you will need either a prepaid credit card or a bad debt card. Without one of these you will be screwed when it comes to purchasing anything you cannot buy in your local store - that includes hotels, flights, vacations, restaurant bookings, online purchases - in fact anything online that costs money - and even getting cash from your bank.

So why are there both bad debt cards and prepaid credit cards? Why not just one or the other? The reason is that some people cannot take a second chance, and when issued a bad debt credit card without a credit check being carried out, they still screw up on the repayments.

These cards don't offer you a large amount of credit initially, sometimes only $500 or £250, but even then they can't make the payments. They max it out in 5 minutes and then pay nothing for months. Eventually, their credit is totally irreparable, and they have no chance of getting any credit anytime - at least not until the statutory time has elapsed for their record to remain visible.

They can, however, apply for a prepaid credit card, where they fund the card and can then spend up to the amount they have funded. They cannot go beyond that, but what they can then do is make the normal online purchases and bookings that they could with a regular credit card. You can also have your income paid directly into the card account, and use autotellers to withdraw cash and make regular payments by direct debit.

If all this describes you, then a prepaid credit card is an ideal solution to your need for a payment card, and if you haven't yet shot yourself in the foot you should also be able to successfully apply for a bad debt card. A small credit limit to start with, but stick with it and not only will that limit be increased, but you have already started to repair your bad credit score. Maintain your payments regularly, and you will soon be able to apply for a regular card.

About the Author

For more information on the benefits of bad debt cards and prepaid credit cards visit Global Credit Guide where you can solve your problem by accepting any of the great cards waiting for you.

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