3 Things to Consider Before you Submit That Prepaid Credit Card Application

Ready to send in that prepaid credit card application? You'd better think twice! Some prepaid credit cards aren't everything they're cracked up to be. Want to make sure your prepaid credit card application is the right one? Here are three things to consider.

1. What Are They Hiding?

Prepaid credit cards are notorious for hidden fees and charges. That's why it's so important to know exactly what you're in for before you submit any prepaid credit card application. Some prepaid credit cards charge monthly fees, per transaction fees and even fees for when you don't use the card at all.

Before you sign any prepaid credit card application, make sure you know exactly what fees they will be charging when you get the card. That means reading every line of the terms and conditions very carefully, making sure you don't miss a thing.

2. Why Do You Want It?

Another thing you need to consider before you send in a prepaid credit card application is what you want the card for. Are you trying to rebuild credit? If that's the case, you might be surprised to know that most of the prepaid credit cards out there can't help you do it.

For your credit to improve your credit card company needs to report your account activity to a credit bureau. Unfortunately, the majority of prepaid credit card companies don't do this. If you do want to rebuild credit, you might be better off with a secured card instead.

Prepaid credit cards are also a problem when booking a hotel or renting a car. Some hotels and car rental companies won't even accept them. Others will require you to charge a large deposit in addition to the estimated total.

3. Is It a Privacy Thing?

It used to be that prepaid credit cards offered a sense of privacy. You bought the card and then used it -- no personal info required. That's no longer the case. New laws require prepaid credit card companies to collect the same information that traditional credit card companies gather.

If the only reason you're getting a prepaid credit card is for privacy, a gift card with a credit card logo is a better bet. You won't have to disclose personal info like you do with a prepaid credit card application.

There are indeed many legitimate uses for prepaid credit cards and they do come in handy at times. I'm not saying you should throw away every prepaid credit card application you've considered. Just make sure that a prepaid credit card is really what you're after. Once you understand exactly what you're dealing with and what prepaid credit cards will and won't do, go ahead and send in the prepaid credit card application that's right for you.