subject: How To Use Prepaid Visa Gift Cards [print this page] With the holiday season approaching, many gift givers are in a state of what they should do about giving gifts to their loved ones ans special friends. What do you get for the person who you think has everything, or for the person that you don't quite know well enough to give them a personal gift? Well, you can give them a gift that you know they will enjoy because they can use the gift card to buy what they want. There are many gift cards available, so how does a Visa gift card work?
What are they?
The are simply reloadable Visa cards. They work the same way as a credit card. The major difference being the limit on the card is dependent upon how much is loaded on the card in advance. They can be used anywhere that Visa debit cards are used, and are basically used the same way that debit cards are used. The key is to make sure a location takes debit cards before you try to use your Visa gift card. Another difference is that they don't require a strict application process to obtain one.
Where can they be used?
Again, places that will accept Visa debit cards will also accept Visa gift cards as they use similar software and back-end processing. These cards can be used at major retail stores, online, to pay bills, and can even be used at ATM machines. They are a great substitute to carrying around money.
How do they work?
You need to first purchase a Visa gift card. This can be done online or at any retailer that sells these gift cards. When a card is purchased, it is typically for a standard amount (usually $25, $50 and $100 increments). Once the predetermined amount is paid for, that is how much the card is worth to the user. They would then go to any retail place and use the card as a debit card, or cash. The good thing about Visa gift cards as opposed to other types of gift cards is that you can get cash out of the card from any participating ATM, something you can't do with a store brand gift card.
Are they secure?
These cards have an added layer of security over cash because they are backed by Visa's zero liability policy which means that if your card is lost or stolen, or there are unauthorized purchases made on the card, then the card holder is not liable. This is nice because if your cash is stolen, you don't get that kind of guarantee.
What about accounting?
Every card gives you the ability to track spending, and where the card is used through online accounting. This is great for parents who want to help their kids out at college, yet want to make sure their kids are spending their money wisely. They can give them prepaid gift cards, and can track the amount left on the card as well as make sure their kids spending the money on what they are supposed to spend it on.
Visa gift cards can be an very viable solution to use as a gift card as they are very flexible and can be used in a wide variety of places as well as a wide variety of purposes. Their no liability policy makes it easier than ever to not worry about funds when you are out on a night on the town. You should discover the difference in gift cards between the major credit card suppliers and determine which solution would be best for you.
