| Living without credit cards today is a very | | | | upside: You get a fully fledged Visa card |
| brave thing to do. You need them for | | | | with all the conveniences and wide acceptance |
| everything from checking into a hotel room to | | | | that goes with that - without a credit limit. |
| shopping on line and everything inbetween. | | | | Because it's prepaid, the bopo dosen't need |
| With the cards comes the temptation, and with | | | | to be attached to a bank account, you add |
| the temptation comes high interest rates and | | | | cash via the website or at designated 'top |
| charges that add up so fast. Fortunately | | | | up' locations. You keep track of your cash |
| there are alternatives: the debit card and | | | | by putting what you can afford to spend on |
| the bopo card. They both use your own cash, | | | | the card and keeping the rent money separate. |
| but in different ways. | | | | The bopo can store $1000 at a time or add |
| | | | $2000 over a 30-day period. A 100-point |
| Debit cards: This is the plastic card | | | | identification check will get you a storage |
| without the interest. The upside to this is | | | | limit of $25,000 - all you need is the cash |
| "No debt" You get to shop like a diva, | | | | to fill it. |
| flashing the plastic and carrying nothing but | | | | |
| glossy store bags. Buying online without | | | | The downside: Again,it's that you need to |
| having to print out that "pay me later" form | | | | have the money to spend it. If you are |
| and all you are paying is the actual price | | | | planning a holiday, it's terrific and a safe |
| not the 14,15 ot 17 percent extra it will | | | | way to carry money overseas. You get access |
| cost you by the time you add on the interest | | | | to the Visa network of ATMs and outlets. No |
| charges. This means you are living within | | | | more worring about traveller's cheques and |
| your means - there is no overspending when | | | | foreign exchanges - and if your card is |
| it's coming straight out of your account. | | | | stolen the thieves don't gain access to your |
| The bonus is you think twice or thrice about | | | | entire bank account as they would with a |
| those impulse purchases...they don't seem as | | | | debit card. If you link your card to other |
| vital when you're actually paying for them! | | | | family memembers they can even transfer money |
| Try it I did, it's the strangest feeling when | | | | to you via SMS or the bopo website in case of |
| you know it's your own money paying for it. | | | | emergency. |
| A big wake up experience. | | | | |
| | | | You must think I'm a genius! No - I Love |
| Now for the downside: Well, its simple you | | | | the sound of all this - just have to find the |
| need to have enough cash in your account to | | | | cash money first! This is one way to really |
| cover your purchases. This is both an | | | | curb your spending once and for all. I got |
| upside and a downside. It curbs your | | | | straight on to it and as I said earlier in |
| spending sprees,and it stops you spending! | | | | the piece, it's the weirdest feeling spending |
| The money you save on interest charges can be | | | | my own money - wish I had of done this years |
| popped into savings or spent on something | | | | ago - only they didn't have these facilities. |
| else. | | | | Now they have I hope to stay out of debt |
| | | | and stop paying all those expensive charges. |
| Bopo cards: Bopo is a prepaid Visa card. | | | | I was a shopoholic - now I think twice! |
| Put simply, you load it up with cash and then | | | | |
| off you go. With a traditional credit card | | | | I found all this info on my favourite ebook |
| your balance goes up as you shop - on this | | | | superstore cbdeluxe - you can too. |
| one, the balance goes down! Another bonus | | | | Goodluck! |
| is there are no annual or monthly fees. The | | | | |