The UPSIDE VISA® debt free prepaid card is a parent’s answer to controlling spending while making sure that teens have access to money when they need it. It’s the card that’s made to order for teens 13 and up – and for college students up to age 25.
With instant reload from a parent’s bank account or credit card, it’s the easy answer to getting funds to a child quickly should an unexpected expense arise.
And the best part is, you and your child can try this card for FREE!
The basic plan, which allows for a maximum balance of $1,000, comes with no activation fee, no monthly fee, and no fee for loading from a parent’s checking account. This plan does not allow ATM withdrawals, but is accepted anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.
The Upside Access plan carries a monthly fee of $2.95, can carry a balance of up to $2,000, and does allow ATM withdrawals, both at home and abroad.
Upside Edge allows a balance of up to $5,000 and the annual fee of $29.95 will be refunded if cumulative loads reach $2,900. This plan also allows ATM access plus free direct deposit if the teen has a part-time job. In addition, if your child is 18 or over, Upside Edge offers an online check writing service.
All three plans credits points for the Sponsorship Program and UPside Mall purchases, and the Upside Edge also gives 1% cash back on funds loaded. Points can be saved, as they never expire.
All three plans also give parents real-time Internet access to their child’s transactions, so you and your child always know the current balance on the card.
Upside Access is far safer than cash, because lost cash is lost, but funds on a lost card are not. All you have to do is let us know the card has been lost or stolen. Then we’ll cancel your card number and issue a new one.
Yes. And no.
Disreputable credit repair agencies will tell you to dispute every negative entry on your credit report – even if it’s truthful. Their theory is that when you keep disputing these entries month after month after month, they’ll get tired of you and just drop them.
And perhaps it works for some people in some circumstances. But you’re sure wasting a lot of your time and energy when it would be easier and better for you to simply work on repairing your credit through legitimate means.
So, if the negatives are accurate and their time limit has not expired, the answer is no. Don’t dispute them.
But… there are entries that you should dispute, because they are errors. And in fact, some of them could be evidence that your identity has been stolen.
These include:
- Current accounts that are not yours – You haven’t opened an account at that department store, so why is an account showing up? Dispute it, and dig deeper to find out who did open it. You may need to report identity theft.
- A new employer – who happens to be someone you don’t even know. Again, this can be a symptom of identity theft.
- A change of address – when you haven’t moved. It could be a phony address that a thief is using temporarily.
- Listing of a spouse who isn’t yours. Someone who stole your identity may not know your spouse’s name – and has thus listed a different spouse on a credit application.
- Late payments, charge-offs, or collections that aren’t yours. This could be a sign of identity theft, or a data entry error.
- Closed accounts that list anything but “paid as agreed” if you always paid on time and had paid in full when the account was closed.
- Accounts listed as unpaid that were included and charged-off in a bankruptcy.
- Accounts listed as unpaid that were, in fact, paid in full. This is a bookkeeping or record keeping error and needs to be corrected!
- Negative items that have passed their “expiration date.” This is 7 years for most things, and 10 years for bankruptcy.
Some items are not worth disputing…
While it’s nice to keep everything accurate, some errors are not worth the time it takes to file a dispute. Among these are:
- Misspellings of your name – that’s a harmless data entry error
- Listing of an old address – that’s just out of date information
- An old employer listed as current – still no harm done
- Incorrect reporting of who closed an account – you or the bank. This one sounds like it might be important, but it isn’t. What’s important is that the entry shows that you were paying as agreed while the account was open and that you no longer owe a balance.
Do you find yourself paying late charges because you forget to pay a bill on time?
With direct deposit and automated bill pay, the Facecard prepaid MasterCard® will save you from that drain on your finances. And direct deposit means your money will be available for your use sooner.
You can also load your Facecard from your bank account or by transfer from a credit card or debit card. The maximum that may be loaded from a credit card is $500, and the maximum balance you may carry on your Facecard is $2,500.
The Facecard is just a little different from most pre-paid credit cards, because it is available to U.S. citizens 13 years of age and older – most cards require holders to be at least 18 years of age. You still do have to provide a Social Security number, full name, and address, in compliance with Federal Regulations.
As with many pre-paid credit cards, there is no monthly fee if you use your card regularly, but the Facecard minimums, like its age limit, are lower. To avoid the $3 monthly fee, you can load as little as $100 per month on your card or spend as little as $100 per month using your card. This makes the Facecard a great pre-paid card for teens whose parents might want to load their monthly allowance or emergency funds onto the card. Transfers from one Facecard to another are always quick and always free.
The Facecard also offers “Prewards” - digital incentives (like coupons) that are automatically added to your Facecard as soon as you click on “accept” after receiving an e-mail notice. . Merchants in our partner network send digital incentives to your Facecard for you to enjoy at their restaurant, store or place of business. Each Preward is for a specific business and is good for a set time limit.
The Facecard cannot be used for gambling or any illegal activities. The Teen Facecard cannot be used to purchase alcohol, tobacco, adult entertainment, firearms, or ammunition.
When you finish your schooling and set out into the working world, you’ll find yourself at some point in need of credit.
You may want to buy a car, rent an apartment, or just get a cell phone in your own name. And of course, before long you may want to buy a home. Not only that, good credit will help you land a good job and get lower insurance rates.
The best idea is to start while you’re still in school, but if you haven’t done that, start now.
The first step is to order your free online credit report, even if you’ve never established credit in your own name. That’s because identity theft is rampant, and there could be accounts in your name that you don’t know about. So first check to see where you stand.
If there are problems, start right away to correct them.
If there are no problems, the first step is to open a checking and a savings account. Keep good records so that you never overdraw your checking account, and strive to put 10% of your income into the savings account each month.
Next, slowly establish at least 3 lines of credit. Choose from major credit cards, gas credit cards, or a retail store line of credit. Make sure that if you choose a retail account that the store does report to the credit bureaus.
Before you apply, look at their requirements to be sure you qualify. You don’t want to be rejected on your first application!
If necessary, get a relative with excellent credit to co-sign, or get a secured credit card.
A secured card requires you to deposit money in a savings account as security for the line of credit. But since these cards report to the credit bureaus, your wise use will help you establish a good credit history. After you’ve established yourself with the company, you can ask to be switched to an unsecured account.
Once the first source of credit is established, wait a few months and apply for a second one. Again, first read the requirements and make sure you qualify.
Be careful to use less than 30% of your available credit, and always, always pay your bill on time.
Next get a small installment loan from a bank or credit union and make every payment on time. If you need a car, choose a good used model. The interest rate will be a little higher, but since the price tag will be far less than that of new car, your payments will still be smaller.
Instead of pushing your budget and giving yourself sleepless nights worrying over bills, spend less and put a portion into savings each month. A cushion of savings will give you freedom, and the ability to take advantages of opportunities later on.
So make your future bright: Establish good credit, restrain your spending habits, pay every bill on time, and save a little each month. Not only will you have fewer worries, but when you do need credit it will be easier to get and will cost you less.
The Horizon Gold Credit Card is a line of credit that can be used to shop exclusively at the Horizon online shopping website. There is no advance fee to establish credit and Horizon Card Services™ does not attempt or claim to attempt to establish or repair your credit history. Your application, however, will be reported to at least one major credit bureau.
This account is available to individuals 18 years of age and older who possess a valid U.S. credit card, debit card, checking or savings bank account. We will not check your credit, income, or employment prior to issuing your card. Prior bankruptcy will not prevent you from receiving the card. The one time fee for card issuance and account validation is $5.
Payments on your account will be automatically debited to the credit or bank account you designate upon application.
Your monthly payment will be 5% of your outstanding balance or $10, whichever is greater. The Annual Percentage Rate for Purchases is 0.00%. There are no penalties for prepayment.
When your account is activated, you will be automatically enrolled in the Horizon Monthly Membership/Benefits Plan. This membership includes a $500 unsecured card, plus access to My Privacy Protection, My Universal RX, My Roadside Protect and My Legal Assistance benefits. The $24.95 monthly fee for these membership benefits will be auto-debited monthly.
- My Privacy Protection gives you unlimited Internet access to view your own credit report.
- My Universal Rx offers unlimited access to local participating pharmacies, with up to 40% off covered prescription medications.
- My Roadside Protection will pay up to $50 / 15 miles for up to 3 service calls per year for fuel delivery, lock-out service, and flat tire changes. Note* This is not an accident vehicle recovery service.
- My Legal Assistance gives you Internet access to legal resources and one toll-free 30-minute consultation with a legal professional. Consultation does not cover criminal charges/issues.
