American Express Prepaid Debit Card Review

Just because you don't qualify or would prefer to not deal with the risks of a credit card, doesn't mean you can't take advantage of the benefits; you just have to know where to look. This card, for example gives you most of the same things you will find in a traditional credit card.

American Express is notorious for offering supremely awesome benefits to their customers. Usually, though, if you want to gain access to these benefits, you have to apply and be approved for one of their credit cards. Thankfully, though, you can now enjoy many of their highly-admired benefits without the risk and responsibility of credit with this prepaid card. It is a simple concept that should provide many options for your financial future.

Ease Of Access

One of the biggest benefits of a prepaid American Express is, simply, that you can add money in a variety of ways. You can add money in several different ways and you can spend your money with any retailer that accepts American Express, or you can use the card to get a cash advance. You can add money to your account

• Using the online account interface
• Over the phone
• Using a transfer option from your bank account
• Depositing cash directly into your account by purchasing a "MoneyPak" from any of the 50,000 global locations where they are available

Obviously, this gives you a lot of options for adding money to your account. What you will appreciate most about this card, though, is that none of these options will be affected by many of the fees associated to other kinds of accounts:

• No annual fees
• No monthly access fee
• No customer service fees
• No credit checks
• No overdraft fees
• No transaction fees
• One free ATM withdrawal every month (and a $2 fee every withdrawal thereafter)

World Class Benefits

With an American Express debit card, you will not only enjoy these simple spending benefits, but many auxiliary benefits as well. These are the same benefits that full credit card customers enjoy, but you get to use them even without typical credit access. This includes things consumer benefits like:

• 24/7 Customer service via phone, around the world
• Purchase Protection that can reimburse you for eligible purchases in the event they are lost, damaged, or stolen within 90 days of purchase
• Access to hundreds of exclusive discounts and special offers though American Express Selects
• Special offers, savings, and promotions (including advanced ticket access) to special entertainment events in music, sports, and theater

In addition to simple consumer benefits, you will also enjoy benefits that you will learn to appreciate the more you travel. This includes:

• Credit and ATM access to participating locations and outlets all over the world
• Roadside Assistance is just a phone call away
• Global Assist Services that will help you in emergency situations when you are more than 100 miles from home (including medical care, legal advice, lost passports, and more)

Auxiliary Benefits

A prepaid card from American Express also carries with it many, much simpler benefits too. These are not as flashy or attention-grabbing as these other, much larger ones, but they are certainly worth noting and remembering.

• Online account access where you can add money, setup automatic reloading (like automatic payments), sign up for alerts, and view your transaction history
• Order up to three total cards so you can share account access with your spouse, children, friends, family, or partners
• No risk for missing payments
• No risk for going over your credit limit
• The option to upgrade or change your account with access to additional American Express business or mobile benefits

You can rest assured that despite these rather lengthy lists of benefits, there are many more reasons why carrying an American Express debit card is a good idea. Whether you have credit issues or just want to avoid the stress, a prepaid card from American Express gives you immense freedom around the world and all of the perks, with none of the traditionally inherent risks.

Conclusion

There are many great benefits to carrying an American Express prepaid card. These include not just simple access to your money when you want it, but many of the best benefits that are traditionally - and exclusively - offered to American Express credit card customers.