Default judgement against me - can I use a prepaid card and not risk garnishment?

[Majakat]

So there will be 2 default judgements against me soon, so most all of my money is in cash at the moment. It would make life easier to be able to pay utilities etc online and not go to the offices to pay them, is a prepaid card a safe alternative? Like going down to walmart and loading a card with 1500, would this put me at risk for losing it to garnishment, can it be located to seize?

Catherine

[GoingDown]

There are a bazillion threads on this issue, but yes, pre-paid debit cards are generally safe from bank account seizure because they are not really checking accounts.

The only way they will know about your pre-paid debit card is if you tell them about it, so don't tell them about your pre-paid debit card. Okay?

I have a judgment against me, and I use the Wal-Mart Money Card to pay things online, and have never had any problems with it.

I still keep the majority of my money in cash in a well hidden place, just to be on the safe side. Once you have a judgment against you, it is safer at my home than it is inside a checking account.

[Majakat]

Does the walmart card let you "pay at the pump" for gas?

[DYLAN150]

GoingDown: Can you use that prepaid card to pay creditors that you owe or could they take more than you authorized? Like to pay rent what do you do?

[free2breathe]

I wouldn't use the card to pay a creditor other than utilities and the like. And yes, Majakat, the Walmart money card has the Visa logo and can be used anywhere they accept Visa.

[treehugger1]

Often times if you use a debit card to pay-at-the-pump you will see a temporary $50 - $75 hold placed on yoru account until the debit clears (24 - 72 hours later.) The onl creditors I pay with my prepaid card are utilities, etc. For rent or mortgage, you cna get a money order or two. You can purchase money orders at the Post Office using your prepaid card. You might be able to purchase MO's at Walmart with a prepaid card.

[GoingDown]

Does the walmart card let you "pay at the pump" for gas?

Yes, you can.

I don't do that because I don't want to tie up that much cash on my Money Card. I just use it to pay utility bills online and to make purchases online such as at Amazon.com, etc.

I just use cash when I pay for gas. It's not that big of a deal to go inside and pay the cashier and then go back if there is any change left over.

You'll be suprised how much money you save when you use mostly cash to pay for everything. There is no more impulse buying when you use cash.

[GoingDown]

GoingDown: Can you use that prepaid card to pay creditors that you owe or could they take more than you authorized? Like to pay rent what do you do?

Rent can be paid with a money order. You can get them at Wal-Mart, too, or at most grocery stores, convenience stores, and at the post office.

If you use your pre-paid debit card to pay a creditor or debt collector, they will have your account number, and you might as well ring the dinner bell. Yes, debt collectors have been known to take more money out of the account than you authorize. If you must pay them anything [I don't pay them anything, by the way] then I would use a money order and send it to them in the mail.

[GoingDown]

Often times if you use a debit card to pay-at-the-pump you will see a temporary $50 - $75 hold placed on yoru account until the debit clears (24 - 72 hours later.) The onl creditors I pay with my prepaid card are utilities, etc. For rent or mortgage, you cna get a money order or two. You can purchase money orders at the Post Office using your prepaid card. You might be able to purchase MO's at Walmart with a prepaid card.

Yes, that is true. There will be a temporary hold if you use it to pay at the pump.

Yes, generally pre-paid debit cards can be used to buy money orders, but I since I load them with cash anyways [I don't have the kind of employer that does direct deposit], it is easier and cheaper for me to just buy the money orders with cash.