Visa prepaid cards are a way of controlling spending for your company. So many purchases require the use of a credit card number these days, such as hotel bookings and online purchases, that you could call them a necessity. However, if you want to avoid incurring debt for your business, then a prepaid card is probably the best choice.

Regardless of your industry, there are a number of areas where using Visa prepaid cards can help you to keep your business more organized. Remember the following ways they can help:

1. Keep employees’ spending under control with prepaid Visa credit cards.

2. Motivate employees with incentive programs that offer Visa prepaid cards as a metaphorical pat on the back.

3. Help employees with medical expenses with prepaid visa debit cards.

Action Steps
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Limit employee spending with prepaid Visa cards for business

If you have concerns about your employees using a company credit card or don't want to deal with the hassle of reimbursing them for purchases, a prepaid credit card may be the best option. Put together a form that employees must fill out to request a prepaid card for business supply purchases, dinner with a client or a business trip. Put a set amount on the card, based upon the need, and make it policy that anything spent over that amount is the employee's personal responsibility. They will still need to turn in receipts for tax purposes.

I recommend: Use TravelMoney Visa prepaid debit cards for business trips. Gaebler.com provides recommendations for making sure your employees use their business funds.

Offer Visa prepaid cards as employee incentives

Incentives always get employees more motivated to perform at their best. Consider implementing an incentive program where a job well done not only gets a pat on the back but a Visa gift card that employees can use at any retail location they choose. It's like a pay bonus, but the employee will be more likely to use it as a treat rather than pay bills, and that's what he or she deserves.

I recommend: Use the Visa GiftCard Lab and upload your company logo as the gift card image, so that your employees advertise your business every time they use it. Entrepreneur.com advises how to choose the right incentive program for your employees and recommends giving noncash incentives, such as gift cards, so they stand out from a typical paycheck.

Provide healthcare benefits with prepaid Visa debit cards

Visa healthcare cards allow you to implement programs that help your employees save money for out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, such as copayments or prescriptions. With the Visa Flexible Spending Account (FSA), a predetermined amount of pretax income goes into the account with each pay period. The Visa Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), which is often necessary when employees have high-deductible health insurance, is a preset amount of funds that you set aside for your employees to access for out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. With either program, employees simply present the card to approved healthcare retailers as if it were a credit card.

I recommend: Visa provides detailed information about both of these program cards on its website. U.S. Department of Labor provides information regarding the process and limitations of these programs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Another option for Visa prepaid debit cards is to use them for payroll. The Visa Payroll card is a reloadable card that reduces payroll costs and increases efficiency. It works just like direct deposit, except that the employee's earnings go on the debit card directly, rather than a checking or savings account.

Prepaid Visa cards for business, small and large companies help you manage such things as health care benefits, payroll, customer incentives and employee rewards. Businesses use Visa prepaid debit cards to improve productivity and the bottom line.

1. Find Visa prepaid cards for employee benefits.
2. Choose Visa for customer promotions.
3. Decide how much you want to load onto the cards.
4. Set up a business account online at Visa.
5. Distribute the Visa prepaid debit cards.

Prepaid visa cards are a secure way to distribute funds for businesses or individuals to use around the world.

Action Steps
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Pick prepaid Visa debit cards for a small business

Small businesses have several choices when it comes to Visa prepaid cards. Whether you're looking for an incentive for workers or an employee expenditure card, prepaid cards are a great option.

I recommend: Reward your employees with Visa prepaid debit cards. Distribute the cards like you would a bonus or incentive for good work or a completion of a big project. Small businesses can also use prepaid visa cards as employee expense accounts.

Large companies and corporation have options with prepaid Visa

If you're looking for payroll solutions, Visa prepaid debit cards are a good choice. For mid-size and larger corporations Visa also offers health care card solutions and incentive cards.

I recommend: Offer your employees Visa prepaid debit cards in the form of payroll cards. The payroll cards help reduce payroll expenses and make funds readily available to employees. Large and mid-size business also have access to all the great incentive cards offered by Visa.

Use Visa debit cards to help employees with health care expenses

Small or large businesses benefit by offering their employees prepaid Visa Healthcare Cards. The cards help keep health care account paperwork to a minimum, and allow easy access to funds for employees.

I recommend: If your company offers a health savings account, the prepaid Visa Health Savings card will give your employees instant access to their funds. Visa Flexible Spending Account cards also work well for business health expense programs. Acting in a similar way, the Visa Health Reimbursement card allows employers to contribute to their employees health expenses directly through the debit card.

Use the prepaid Visa card as a rebate or incentive for customers

Promote your business with cash back rewards for purchases using Visa Incentive cards. Drive people to your business by offering free money in the form of Visa debit cards.

I recommend: Draw more customers and eventually sales by offering prepaid Visa cards with purchases. Advertise Visa prepaid cards as incentives for viewing or trying out your product, and get the word out about your business at the same time.

Carry prepaid Visa debit cards as an individual

Prepaid cards aren't just for businesses. Many individuals are finding the benefits of a credit card accepted virtually anywhere with no bills or credit risks.

I recommend: Individuals can load prepaid Visa credit cards with any amount of money. Visa cards can be loaded for travel or as gifts for friends and family. Visa also offers a prepaid card designed for teenagers called the Visa Buxx. Parents load the card online or by telephone, and have complete involvement in their child's spending.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Prepaid Visa cards for business can be printed with your business logo and marketing message, making them a great advertising tool.
• •  Visa prepaid cards are protected by Visa's Zero Liability policy protecting card holders from costs associated with lost or stolen cards.

Prepaid Visa cards for business can give you several advantages, such as limiting the amount of money employees spend on business expenses by preloading and requiring them to only use prepaid Visa debit cards. You can also offer prepaid Visa gift cards as incentives for excelling employees. The loadable prepaid Visa cards for health care give you the opportunity to help your employees save for their out-of-pocket medical expenses.

However, before you purchase Visa prepaid cards in mass, it would be best to determine which offer is right for your specific need. It’s also important to make sure that other consumers are happy with the customer service and prepaid options they receive. Use the following methods to obtain Visa prepaid cards advice and ratings before making a final decision:

1. Compare prepaid Visa credit cards to those offered by other issuers.

2. Access review websites to find out what other customers have to say about Visa prepaid cards.

3. Refer to blogs and expert websites for advice and tips on the usage of Visa prepaid debit cards.

Action Steps
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Examine what benefits a Visa prepaid card has over other offers

Comparative websites provide helpful information on all the prepaid cards offered by all the issuers, including, but not limited to, Visa. This gives you an opportunity to compare all of your options and make sure a Visa prepaid credit card is the best choice for you and your business needs. These sites also typically offer an online Visa prepaid card application, once you've made your final decision.

I recommend: NCBuy offers ratings and comparisons for several prepaid cards. Creditcards designated the AccountNow Prepaid Visa Card as its top pick in the prepaid card category.

Look around review websites before you buy a prepaid Visa card

Websites with customer reviews and overall ratings should be the first thing you look at before you purchase Visa prepaid cards. These will have the most reliable feedback. Many websites also offer editor ratings as the website host organization's recommendations. Hopefully, said editor has a bit of financial expertise and knows when a good deal is available. Typically, these websites rate the cards on a scale of one to five, often portrayed with stars, with five stars being the best.

I recommend: Read customer reviews and ratings for prepaid cards on the Prepaid 101 website. Check out this detailed customer review of a Visa prepaid card on Review Stream.

Obtain advice regarding the smart usage of a prepaid Visa credit card

Many financial bloggers like to discuss the cards they use, such as what they like and dislike about them. They also provide great advice on how to get the most out of your prepaid Visa card. They point out the best offers and how to get the most out of rewards and gain the most from their usage.

I recommend: Access the Federal Citizen Information Center for more advice on what prepaid cards are and how they work. Visit the blog hosted by Prepaid Card Expo for advice, tips and benefits of prepaid cards and details on the exposition. Read various articles and advice about the usage of prepaid cards on Prepaidcardforum.

Whether you need a convenient way to buy groceries, make purchases abroad or give someone a gift, Visa prepaid cards like prepaid Visa debit cards are a great option. The cards work just like any other credit or debit card, and you can use them anywhere that accepts Visa, meaning they're both incredibly convenient and flexible. Plus, they each come with unique benefits, like theft protection and toll-free loss reporting, which help you protect your hard-earned cash.

Visa prepaid debit cards differ from traditional debit cards in a few ways. First, they have not connection to your bank account, which keeps your money safe and means you don't need to open a new account just to get one. Second, they only allow you to spend as much money as you put on them, which can help control your spending. Before deciding to use one, keep these other Visa prepaid cards basics in mind:

1. You can reuse some Visa prepaid cards, while others you cannot.

2. You can deposit money to your card at a retail location or through direct deposit.

3. Visa prepaid features vary by card.

Action Steps
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Know which prepaid Visa credit cards you can reuse

Some Visa prepaid cards -- the Visa Gift Card, for instance -- are not reusable. Once you deplete the funds on these cards, you can only use them to return or exchange items that you bought with the card. Other cards, though, like the Visa Reloadable, allow you to replenish the funds. These cards are a better choice for consumers who shop frequently or want a long-term replacement for a traditional debit or credit card.

I recommend: Learn more about the Visa Gift Card and Visa Reloadable by visiting their pages on Visa's website.

Learn how to reload your Visa prepaid card

You can reload Visa prepaid cards two different ways: at a retail location, like a shop or store, or through direct deposit. If you use the card often, direct deposit might be the way to go, mostly because it's hassle-free and gives you instant monthly access to your earnings.

I recommend: CardReport provides information on different types of prepaid cards, including Visa gift cards. It tells whether you can reload cards and where you can do so. If you're interested in using direct deposit instead, read an introduction to the process at Bankrate.com before getting started.

Check the security features before you buy a prepaid Visa card

When you purchase Visa prepaid cards, know the security features. A prepaid Visa gift card doesn't have zero-liability, meaning Visa will not reimburse you if someone steels it. Other cards, though, like Visa Reloadable and Visa Travel Money, do have zero-liability, as well as other security features, making them safer for everyday use. These features are also a good idea if you're using prepaid Visa cards for business.

I recommend: A handful of Visa prepaid cards offer Zero Liability, and the Visa Payroll card even offers Purchase Security, which protects buyers against theft or other damages during the first 90 days of ownership. MarketProSecure examines the featuers of some of Visa's prepaid cards and includes information on some of the available security features.