How to Use a Green Dot Card

The "Green Dot" card is part of Visa/Mastercard's new "prepaid" product line. A "prepaid" card has several distinct advantages. Rather than being a credit card, a prepaid card is a card that you load with your own money, avoiding the hazards of high APY and interest on unpaid amounts. The green dot cards will no doubt help many of us carry value conveniently without carrying cash or racking up credit card debt.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Buy your green dot card at a local retailer. Convenience stores, pharmacies or other convenient locations near you will sell green dot cards over the counter. Visa/Mastercard provides a list of locations for a region on the website under "store locator" (see Resources below).
2. "Load" money onto your card at the point of sale and keep track of how much you contributed.
3. Use your green dot card anywhere that Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Green cards can save you lots of hassles in many places, from the train or bus station to the cafe.
4. "Reload" your card with the "MoneyPak Universal Reload" system. Just return to any retail location that sells green dot and ask for the MoneyPak reload package and follow the instructions to add any amount of money to your card for future purchases.
5. Take advantage of green dot card products tailored to your situation. From the "uso diario" or "daily use" card, to other cards available in Spanish translations, a variety of products serve diverse customers. A "student card", for example, allows parents to provide value to departing undergrads without issuing them a credit card.