If you are looking for a prepaid credit card, the Vanilla Visa card is an excellent choice. While the card does not offer rewards and cannot boost your credit score, the Vanilla Visa card is still helpful in situations in which you may not want to use a traditional credit card. Similarly, it can be a great option for children who do not yet qualify for debit cards because anyone can purchase a Vanilla card.
Unfortunately, prepaid credit cards can be difficult to use once funds run low. Since a transaction will be declined if the card does not have enough money left, it is important to keep a vigilant eye on your balance. Once the funds dip too low to reasonably use in a single purchase, the best option is to add more funds to the card. This can be done online via a bank account or by using a prepaid card refill service, which can be done in-person at a retail location. Depending on the card, users may also have the option to transfer funds from a secondary account, such as a checking or savings account. To ensure a successful transaction with a prepaid card, users should always make sure there are adequate funds on the card
In order to know how much the cashier should charge to your Vanilla Visa card, you will need to keep a close eye on your balance. Fortunately, it is easier than you might assume to check how much money is remaining on the card. Plus, you can check your balance in a variety of different options.
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Checking your Vanilla Visa balance online
Regardless of whether you have a Vanilla Visa or Vanilla Mastercard, you can easily check your balance online. Simply head to Vanilla’s website and enter your prepaid credit card details. You will need to enter your card number, expiration date, and CVV. At that point, you will be taken to a portal that will display your balance.
Read more about How to Live Without a Credit Card in Canada.
Checking your Vanilla Visa balance via telephone
In order to verify the remaining balance of your Vanilla Visa card, contact the Vanilla customer service line at 1-(844)-864-6951. Upon connection, you will be prompted to enter the prepaid card details, such as the card number, CVC code, and expiration date. This step is necessary for authentication, granting you access to the balance information. If you have any trouble with verifying the details of your card, the customer service representative can assist you further. With the correct details, you will be able to immediately receive balance information for your Vanilla Visa card.
Keeping your Vanilla Visa card secure
Since you do not need to create an account or set a password before using your Vanilla Visa card, anyone with access to the physical card can check its balance online or via telephone. Then, they can make a purchase that will empty the card of all its funds. To protect against unauthorized purchases, be sure to store your card in a safe place.
We also recommend that you write down the card number, expiration date, and card verification value (CVV) so that you can ask customer service for a replacement in the event that your card is stolen. Just be sure to also store this information somewhere safe.
Keep in mind that Vanilla Visa cards do not come with the same fraud protection that most standard credit cards do, so there is no guarantee that customer service will provide you with a new card. If they do, it is merely a courtesy. Although it is always worth a try to get your money back.
Read more about Five Prepaid Card Pro-Tips to Manage Your Finances According to Your Money Personality.
Transferring your Vanilla Visa balance to a new card
Like a normal credit card, your Vanilla Visa card has an expiry date. However, since the card has pre-loaded funds, there is a chance that the card itself will expire before you get a chance to use the entire balance.
Fortunately, you can request that the funds be transferred to a card with a later expiry date. If you find yourself in a situation when your Vanilla Visa card is expiring, you can call Vanilla at 1-(844)-864-6951 or dial the number on the back of your card. The customer service representatives should be able to send you a new card that will be pre-loaded with any leftover funds.
To avoid accidentally losing the money on your prepaid credit card, we recommend spending your Vanilla Visa balance as quickly as possible. If you end up taking longer to spend the card’s funds, you should keep an eye on your card’s expiry date.
Once you are several weeks away from the date, either call customer service for a replacement or make it a point to spend the remaining balance. That way, you will not lose out on your money—and in the event that you need to request a new card, you will have plenty of time to do so.
Read more about The 5 Best Prepaid Visa Cards in Canada.
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About The Author: Arthur Dubois
Passionate about personal finance and financial technology, Arthur Dubois is a writer and SEO specialist at Hardbacon. Since his arrival in Canada, he’s built his credit score from nothing.
Arthur invests in the stock market but doesn’t pay any fees because he uses National Bank Direct Brokerage online broker and Wealthsimple’s robo-advisor. He pays for his subscriptions online with his KOHO prepaid card, and uses his Tangerine credit card for most of his in-store purchases. When he buys bitcoins, it’s with the BitBuy online platform. Of course it goes without saying that he uses the Hardbacon app so that he can manage all of his finances from one convenient place.
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