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Do you have a checking account or do you use a prepaid card or credit card for everything?

There are so many places now that want you te set up aotomatic p ayments (like insurance companies) and if you do so, you get a cheaper payment. There are some that if you have it set up on a card, they charge you an extra fee per month.
I see a lot of people using those prepaid debit cards. I had one once (it was the walmart one) and you had to pay to load it then if you didnt deposit a certain amount each month you were charged for that, so the next time you loaded it, that would come out of your money.
I am on the fence about what might be best right now. I have a checking account, but i usually get charged a service charge because my balance doesnt stay high enough to have it waived (there are only two banks in town and none of them offer free checking).
So i am just curious as to what others are doing and what works for them. Do you use bank accounts, prepaid, or what is your style?

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Anonymous

Asked by Anonymous at 11:55 AM on Aug. 17, 2012 in Money & Work

Answers (11)
  • I use both. Checking for bills and prepaid for just my entertainment like shopping, going out, etc.
    XOXOArmyWife

    Answer by XOXOArmyWife at 9:32 PM on Aug. 21, 2012

  • I have two checking accounts - one with a credit union and one with a bank. Both have free checking and I use my debit card for pretty much everything.
    missanc

    Answer by missanc at 9:53 PM on Aug. 19, 2012

  • I have a checking account with a credit Union. No fees, and have to keep $5 in savings.
    virginiamama71

    Answer by virginiamama71 at 12:10 PM on Aug. 18, 2012

  • I find a checking account with a debit card to be much more convenient than a prepaid credit card with no bank account attached. I get my paychecks & financial aid from school direct deposited into my checking account, which is a lot faster and more convenient than waiting for a check to arrive in the mail, driving somewhere to cash it and deposit it onto the prepaid card account.

    Are there credit unions nearby? I have a credit union rather than a bank. They have free checking and if we need a line of credit they are easy to get and low interest.
    riotgrrl

    Answer by riotgrrl at 4:44 PM on Aug. 17, 2012

  • Checking account with debit card. I also have a free checking and $12 yearly fee for the card.
    ColleenF30

    Answer by ColleenF30 at 12:45 PM on Aug. 17, 2012

  • 3 Checking accounts, and a Savings account. One checking for my Hubby, one joint checking account, and a checking account for me.
    No fees involved with any of them because we keep enough in them so we're not charged.
    MrsLeftlane

    Answer by MrsLeftlane at 12:17 PM on Aug. 17, 2012

  • I am charged a service fee for not having $100 minimum direct deposited in my account. So I have to $120 a year to have access to my money. That is enough to pay a phone bill. I NEED that money, but where I work doesn't offer direct deposit. I like my bank, but I don't like this fee. I write checks for almost all of my bills.
    coala

    Answer by coala at 12:06 PM on Aug. 17, 2012

  • Pre paid debit cards charge a fee to load them,, I would suggest a debit card, and a checking account,, I write "real" checks for my house payment, property taxes, or anything that I would like to have a back up paper record for,, do some checking around, my checking account only costs about $6 per month,, also if you were to misplace your pre-loaded card, and or it was stolen it might be forever to get the money back.
    kimigogo

    Answer by kimigogo at 12:01 PM on Aug. 17, 2012

  • Checking account, hubs writes checks to pay bills.
    We use debit cards for almost all purchases we don't have cash for. We almost never ever ever use a credit card.
    meooma

    Answer by meooma at 12:00 PM on Aug. 17, 2012

  • I have a checking account with a local credit union. Free account, free debit card, checks free if I order the basic bank design through them. The only thing I have to do is keep $5 in a savings account, and that $5 isn't included in my balance, so it's easy.
    wendythewriter

    Answer by wendythewriter at 11:59 AM on Aug. 17, 2012

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