Use This Trick to Spend Only What You Planned

You are in the checkout line.  There sits that widget that screams "buy me".  
You need your morning caffeine.  On the way to work, gourmet coffee shops entice you.
You need your afternoon carbonated drink.  Your car practically knows the way thru the drive-thru.

Can You Avoid UnPlanned Spending?  Just use this Habit Trick

Yes, You Can.   
Wouldn't it be wonderful to decide how much you want to spend on the "silly" items in your life and then have the tool to stick to it?  Odds are, you've heard of this tool already but have just ignored it because you are just too busy or it seems too complicated to deal with.  But allow me to re-introduce you to:  Prepaid Debit Cards.  

How they work:

• Get a card that you are able to transfer money to.  
• Transfer your pre-determined $ amount for a pre-determined timeframe on that debit card.
• Consider the card to be for your "silly" spending temptation.
• Then, spend.  Think of using it like you would a credit card.
• When you've spent all the $ on the card, you can spend no more until the next timeframe when you set up your next spending amount.

Pro's of Prepaid Debit Cards:

• You only spend the $ you've pre-placed on the card
• They make great gifts.  Load $ on a card and the recipient isn't tied to any particular company to purchase from.
• This makes a great spending plan tool.  
• You can still get perks these days on debit cards, but it is harder.  
  • Some offer "loyalty points" in which you earn points to spend on items at a later date.
  • Some offer discounts with specific merchants.  
  • Some offer "cash back" to the holder as the card is used.  

Cons of Prepaid Debit Cards:

• Fees, fees, and potential fees from annual to transactional.  
• In years past, debit cards were often not as safe to use but more and more companies are offering unauthorized purchases and theft.

The Bottom Line?  Do just a bit of Homework (it is easy with these tools)

With the information we've listed above, you have a great starting point in beginning to select the best pre-paid debit card for you.  Each card is crafted differently and you can find the one that best fits your life and spending patterns.  Just to get you started here are a couple of articles you might find helpful.

Hat Tip - NerdWallet.com   

This article divides the research in to "easiest to load", "cheapest" and so forth.  Click on one suggestion that interests you and you will get the primary low-down on that debit card. Best Prepaid Debit Cards

Hat Tip - BankRate.com

This article was written a couple of years ago, but it clearly shows you in grid form many of the more popular options you have at your disposal and an indicator of the fees you might face with that particular card. Best Prepaid Cards For YOU

Happy and Safe Spending!

You CAN Have Success in the Middle of it ALL!

Pam Hardison, JellyGeneration