I do not carry Walmart Moneycard with me. When I got the affiliate offer on this card, I got interested and started exploring Moneycard. Why should you need a Store card, in this case, from Walmart, famous for already discounted made-in-China products. Save Money – Live better (where? in China?)
First of all, this is a debit card! Not a credit card, if you are looking for a credit card review, you may leave this page and start from my credit card reviews category home page instead.
This is a prepaid debit card with a difference, no bank account is actually associated with it, though you can have your salary directly deposited to the card account. There are other ways to fund this account, which we will cover in subsequent sections.
Walmart Moneycard comes as Visa or master card. So the Moneycard is a plastic card that has broad acceptance in stores, you can never be denied.
Like every other prepaid cards, they have quiet a few fees associated with the card. Actually when you buy through your credit cards, your card issuer charges a fee to the merchant. With prepaid debit cards, that facility doesn’t exist, as a result to cover costs and earn money, prepaid card issuers apply various fees.
When do you need Walmart prepaid debit card?
- When you hate paying fee for checking accounts.
- When you have bad credit (remember, this card will not help you regain credit)
- When you have bad experience with your prior buying habits with a credit card and want to stop using it further.
- When you want to control your child’s spending when he’s just out of your house (in college may be)
One caveat, there’s no reward for your purchases. Unlike Perktstreet debit card which has regular credit card like reward program. Regular guy like me who pay full credit card balance off every month and count rewards as passive income will not find any value out of Walmart Moneycard.
Walmart MoneyCard(SM) Visa® Prepaid Card salient features
- No issuance fee online
- No credit check or bank account required
- No overdraft fees
- No minimum balance required
- Free Direct Deposit
- $10 bonus with qualifying Direct Deposit (for a limited time only)
- Use everywhere Visa debit is accepted, including shop online, pay bills, get cash at ATMs Apply Now!
How to refill your Walmart Moneycard
The card can be refilled from anywhere,a s long as you have internet connectivity. Along with the card comes online account access. you can transfer money to this card account from our checking account. you can even ask your employer to direct deposit your salary to this card account. There are various options available at local Walmart store to reload the card:
- By cash or check
- Walmart MoneyCenter Express (these are ATMs at Walmart stores)
- Green Dot MoneyPak
Once money is finished your purchasing power also ends, till you refill the card. A perfect way to keep your teens in control, isn’t it? Minimum age for having a dependent card is 16. Once you’re 18 you can apply on your name.
Fees for Walmart Moneycard
Monthly Maintenance Fee – $3.00
Reload Personalized Card at Walmart (free if Walmart check cashing is used to reload) – $3.00
Additional Personalized Card Fee – $3 ( free for students)
Fast Delivery of Personalized Card – $20.00
Replacement of Stolen or Lost Personalized Card – $3.00
Balance Inquiry through ATM – $1.00 (free if done online)
Teller Cash Transaction – $2.00 (free if you take cash back at point of sell)
Domestic ATM use fee – $2.00
International ATM use fee – $2.00
Not bad for a prepaid card, known for hefty fees.
Is this for you?
The card is not for me but, my situation is different from yours. you may be a perfect fit for the card. We take note of the following drawbacks of the card
Cons
- Not easy to cancel additional cards, if you get one in the first place
- You can’t build credit with this card
- There is no reward for everyday purchase
- Monthly fee of $3, unless you reloaded more than $1000 the previous month is not like free card
Benefits
- No credit check required, though Walmart will take your social as per law
- you can’t use it for gambling or other risky internet (porn subscription, etc) purchases, perfect for your kid
- Reasonable fee structure compared to other prepaid cards, so if you are decided on a prepaid card, this is for you.
We give the card a “apply” rating. As for certain population this card brings value rather than weakening their finances.
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Disclaimer: Finance Product Reviews is an independent website. Although we may have advertisement relationship with financial institution we review, they do not influence our decision or rating of products. Contents of this site are not provided by any financial institution, banks, brokerages or credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone and are not reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the product owners.
You are definitely write that the fees are much lower than standard. They are even lower than BofA’s failed debit card fee.
My only question, does the debit card actually boost your credit? I thought that they didn’t get reported to credit bureaus.
[…] @ Finance Product Review writes WalMart MoneyCard Review – A Prepaid Card for Everyone – This is a prepaid debit card with a difference, no bank account is actually associated with […]
[…] @ Finance Product Review writes WalMart MoneyCard Review – A Prepaid Card for Everyone – This is a prepaid debit card with a difference, no bank account is actually associated with […]
I’m with you, I’m a realist and really don’t think there’s any real reason to get a prepaid card unless you have horrible credit or can’t get a bank account. If you’re going to get a prepaid card, or at least if I were to do so, I’d probably get one from American Express or some other large issuer in the hopes of establishing a relationship with them and ultimately getting one of their regular cards.
It seems like everyone thinks you have no choice but to do pre-paid cards if you’re in ChexSystems, but there’s a lot better way.
You can actually get one with NO FEES and you don’t have to reload it.
If you lose Walmarts pre-paid cards you are out of luck!
Here is a actual bank, FDIC insured checking account you can get while still being in chexsystems…they even give you a debit/mastercard.
Check it out at my blog to learn more information: 2ndChanceBank.com