PREPAID CARD ADVICE

hss

Hello. I have an adult son with a mild learning disability. He sometimes goes out with a group to the theatre for example, usually takes some cash to buy a souvenir, but lately a lot of establishments now want card payments & not accepting cash. For obvious reasons he doesn't use a credit or debit card. I was told a prepaid card would be best for him. I have looked on MSE & saw Tesco. But the disadvantage as well as having to link it to the clubcard, it also has to be linked to a bank account & we don't do online banking. Then I checked with the Post Office who do a travel prepaid card that can be used in the UK. However they charge a minimum of £3 each time you top up  & also you have to start with putting £50 onto the card. Ideally I want something like you top up an oyster card. Pay cash & its added. I've looked online at Mastercard but I can't talk to someone & just freeze the thought of online unless I can speak to someone or know it is what I am looking for.

I'm confident someone will read this & come to my rescue. So basically a prepaid card I can ideally top up in a shop or store (or maybe bank) not online, & hopefully "no hidden extras" or commission.

Thanks for any help.

Heather 

MouldyOldDough

hss said:

Hello. I have an adult son with a mild learning disability. He sometimes goes out with a group to the theatre for example, usually takes some cash to buy a souvenir, but lately a lot of establishments now want card payments & not accepting cash. For obvious reasons he doesn't use a credit or debit card. I was told a prepaid card would be best for him. I have looked on MSE & saw Tesco. But the disadvantage as well as having to link it to the clubcard, it also has to be linked to a bank account & we don't do online banking. Then I checked with the Post Office who do a travel prepaid card that can be used in the UK. However they charge a minimum of £3 each time you top up  & also you have to start with putting £50 onto the card. Ideally I want something like you top up an oyster card. Pay cash & its added. I've looked online at Mastercard but I can't talk to someone & just freeze the thought of online unless I can speak to someone or know it is what I am looking for.

I'm confident someone will read this & come to my rescue. So basically a prepaid card I can ideally top up in a shop or store (or maybe bank) not online, & hopefully "no hidden extras" or commission.

Thanks for any help.

Heather 

This appears to suit your needs https://suitsmecard.com/help/managing-your-card/prepaid-card

hss

Thanks for your reply. I forgot to say as well as not doing online banking, I don't use a smartphone or use social media. So would need something easy to apply without downloading anything, if thats possible?

Savvy_Sue

I think you may struggle to find something which is neither app based, nor topped up offline. But Fairfx seems to have good reviews for its customer service so possibly worth contacting them.

As an alternative, does your son have a bank account at all? Would that be a possibility,  with a limited amount in it, and no overdraft? Possibly as a joint account with you, so no issues about visibility...

Carrot007

hss said:

Thanks for your reply. I forgot to say as well as not doing online banking, I don't use a smartphone or use social media. So would need something easy to apply without downloading anything, if thats possible?

Not gonna happen, rejoin the modern age or pay more.

I am not being nasty here this is just how it is, it is only going to get worse so it is in everybodys interest to move online, social media really has nothining to do with it in any way, so I am very confused to why syou mention it. They are not a profider of financial services. You also no not need a smartphone just a computer (for most).

Spoonie_Turtle

The Post Office might allow their card to be topped up in branch, possibly; worth asking them.  Edit: just re-read your post and you say they charge, think I missed that before, sorry.

What about online banking puts you off?  Lots of banks have customer service phone lines that can walk you through.

Unfortunately so far in my search most cards seem to have monthly fees, apart from ones managed by an app.  It sounds like you need some sort of reloadable all-purpose gift card which I don't think exists (there are some accepted by multiple retailers but obviously can't be used beyond that).

Maybe a bank account with a spending limit on the debit card might be your best bet.  With my Barclay's card I can set spending limits which is what made me think of it.

born_again

Try this guide

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/prepaid-cards/

poppy12345

hss said:

For obvious reasons he doesn't use a credit or debit card.

Why? You said he's an adult so what's stopping him from having a debit card? With your support this is definitely doable.

My daughter has a learning disability too but she has her own bank account, with a debit card.

When she goes out, she never uses cash because she does doesn't understand numbers and is unable to even add the most basic numbers, without using her fingers.

I guide her and advise her with all her money. I'm her sole carer and if anything happened to me if she didn't have a bank account she wouldn't have any access to her own money. I would never stop her accessing all her own money and think she has every right to it.

Savvy_Sue

born_again said:

Try this guide

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/prepaid-cards/

Sadly the OP has been there and not found what they wanted. I suspect that's because what they want isn't available. 

I have now had a look at the FairFX card and I wonder if that's going to be acceptable, BUT even though the OP doesn't do internet banking, it looks as if it would only be necessary to set up an online account for the card, which would then have to be linked to a bank account. The point is though, that the OP doesn't have to set up internet banking on any other account: the FairFX card 'calls' the money from the other account. Perhaps even better, they could set up their own card and give a linked card to their son - so there's no responsibility on him. 

Their phone lines are open 9 am - 5 pm and as I said before, the reviews of the service are good.

I have also had a quick look at SuitsMe which someone else recommended. Looks as if you can top that up with cash, but you have to pay a fee to do so whereas it's free if you use the App. And that is unsurprising: handling cash costs money. 

hss

Hello everyone. Just wanted to post a quick thank you to those responding. My son does have a bank account & debit card, but because he is vulnerable & can be 'quite generous', it would be easy for someone to take advantage of him as had happened some years ago. A prepaid card would just mean his spending would be limited when out & my reason not to use online banking is due to people being hacked or risk of fraud.
The PO card would suit best if it didn't charge £3 to add to it, but using a type of gift card or Oyster card type would be ideal. Perhaps Martin Lewis could look into this as it was on MSE I read his Tesco comments...?

I look forward to any more tips.

Regards Heather

Zinger549

Online banking is a lot more secure now. I think you'll struggle to find something that doesn't require the use of an app or online activation.