On September 22, 2009 Western Union announced the availability of two new reloadable pre-paid cards. The cards offer the convenience of pre-paid debit cards without some of the fees traditionally associated with such cards. The Western Union MoneyWise card, and the Gold Card Visa offer many consumers the convenience and flexibility of a pre-paid card, while potentially saving customers hundreds a year.

Many customers turn to pre-paid debit cards for the convenience of using the ATM’s, without the need for a bank account or credit check. Western Union’s new offerings don’t disappoint, providing both of these services and many more.

Both the MoneyWise Card and the GoldCard are accepted online and, with the Visa Logo, anywhere that Visa is accepted. Customers can obtain the cards from Western Union, participating merchants, over the phone and online. Reloading the cards is also convenient, and can be done online or in person at over 46,000 Western Union locations nationwide. It is even possible to have your employer directly deposit your paycheck onto the prepaid cards, or to load Western Union transfers directly onto either card.

While the convenience and flexibility are important, the low fees are really what set these new prepaid card offerings apart. Michael Hafer, the Vice President of Product Management at Western Union, invites customers to compare the fees for these pre-paid cards with any of their competitors, while Tim Sloane, the Vice President of client services for Prepaid Advisory Service, touts the cards as options which

“finally deliver the value proposition consumers have been long waiting for in this market.”

The minimal fees, combined with the convenience of prepaid debit offered by Western Union, make these cards an exciting new addition to the world of prepaid debit. Read more about the exciting new offerings here.