When it came time for my husband and I to pick out our wedding bands, we were both markedly clueless about the entire process, let alone knowing anything about jewellery in the first place. The only thing I’d ever been sure of when it came to jewellery preferences was that I did not, nor have I ever very much enjoyed yellow gold coloured baubles. If I was wearing jewellery, it was going to be white gold or platinum. Other than that, I was pretty much walking around in the dark trying to figure out just what exactly one does when buying wedding bands.

That’s why I have always been so happy with retailers who have well-maintained and detailed websites. ReveDiamonds.com is a great example of this. Instead of waltzing into a jewellery store and declaring my utter lack of knowledge and experience, or awkwardly and hesitantly peeking into display cases hoping not a soul would realize my inexperience, I started my education online–comfortably.

Reve Diamonds, for example, has an online gallery of beautiful diamond wedding bands, but it also has very detailed descriptions, and even sections in which the company outright teaches you what you need to know. Explanations about the diamonds themselves, explanations about the different types and styles of band, explanations about engraving and personalization–everything!

By the time my husband and I were ready to actually go shopping in the physical retail world, we didn’t have that apprehension or that creeping sense of inferiority. And knowing what you’re both looking for and looking at is incredibly helpful! No one was pulling the wool over this gal’s eyes, that’s for sure!

My engagement ring is a square setting atop a channel band, so the diamond wedding band option that would be most compatible with my engagement ring is a channel diamond wedding band. Now, with channel bands, the diamonds are usually small and are always inset into the actual band. There are two types of channel bands–a full and a half. The difference being that a full channel band has the diamonds inset around the entire circumference of the band, while the half channel, pretty obviously, only spans half the band.

And because I was armed with this information, I was able to make an informed, reasoned, tasteful, and cost effective purchase, for both me and my husband. My husband’s style is much more traditional. So, he prefers yellow gold, and a solid, expansive, manly-looking wedding band. A small amount of filigree at the very top and bottom of the ring aside, it is a very sturdy-looking ring sans any diamonds, personalization, or engraving. He’s happy, so I’m happy. I’m happy, so he’s happy. And it all started with some good, old-fashioned research on high quality jewelry. Thanks for all the hard work–it paid off, at least for us!

To read more on topics like this, check out the blog category.

Aging dogs tend to develop specific health concerns that significantly affect and even impair their quality of life. Here are the main issues you’ll want to address early to make sure your dog is comfortable, sharp and happy.

If your dog growing older, there are numerous age-related issues that could become serious and debilitating if left unmanaged. Here are the most significant health problems you should discuss with your vet if your pooch is either in or near their golden years.

• Joint degeneration. Some breeds are more susceptible to joint issues even while they’re relatively young. If you notice that your dog isn’t as eager to jump or climb stairs, they might be experiencing diminished joint function. Talk to your vet about possible strategies that may allow you to slow or even reverse joint deterioration.
• Gum disease Periodontal disease can lead to major health issues – not to mention tooth loss, pain and difficulty eating – if left unaddressed. Make sure to schedule dental cleanings for your dog to reduce their risk of developing dental problems.
• Kidney failure. If your dog seems to have difficulty urinating or is experiencing excessive thirst, those could be signs of kidney problems that need medical intervention ASAP. While there is no cure for kidney failure, it can be successfully treated with certain medications and a healthy condition-specific diet.
• Heart disease. When it comes to heart disease, managing your dog’s diet is one of the most effective preventative measures. Highly nutritious dog food will help forestall heart problems in your pup if you adopt a consistent feeding schedule. No matter whether you choose Pedigree, IAMS or Zignature, DCM is something that, with a dedicated plan and a vet’s guidance, can be reversed.

While dog lifespans are markedly shorter than human lifespans, it is possible to prolong your dog’s days for years – sometimes more than a decade. Always consult with your vet to learn the most effective solution for keeping your dog healthy and happy at any age.

I’m a dog lover, dog parent and dog blogger. My hobbies include binge-watching YouTube videos of crufts agility competitions and styling sublimely cute photos of my pooches.

 

To read more on topics like this, check out the blog category.

When it comes to motorcycle gear, the most important piece of equipment is your helmet. We all know that a helmet that can protect you is vital, but many motorcycle riders do not consider their helmet’s ventilation. There are many different ways a helmet’s ventilation affects the quality of your ride. Ask any biker who has owned a helmet with poor ventilation. They will have a list of reasons why it completely ruined their experience. Learn what you need to look for in a helmet and other cheap motorcycle riding gear tips.

Benefits

There are essentially three reasons why you need a helmet with good ventilation:

• Comfort
• Visibility
• Cleanliness

The most obvious and straightforward reason is comfort. It can get hot in your helmet, and ventilation keeps the internal temperature low. Not only is comfort essential if you want to enjoy riding your motorcycle, but it also allows you to focus on the road so you can stay as safe as possible. Secondly, and more importantly, proper ventilation keeps the glass from fogging up. This is especially important when it is humid or raining. It can be downright dangerous if you helmet’s glass fogs up and you cannot see. Finally, the ventilation helps keep the interior lining from smelling bad. You will need to clean the lining of your helmet occasionally no matter what, but proper ventilation greatly extends how long you wait in between cleanings.

What Makes for Good Ventilation

There are a few things you should look for when looking for a motorcycle helmet sale. First and foremost, make sure the helmet designers actually considered ventilation when they made the thing. If there is at least some system in place, it will be miles better than helmet with no vents at all. Second, a great feature to look for is vents you can open and close. When it gets cold out, you will be happy you can close those vents and conserve as much heat as you can.

When it comes to ventilation, more vents is not necessarily better. It is more important that the vents are in the right spots. A vent on the top of the helmet is usually considered the most effective. There should also be vents on the chin area to prevent fogging. Vents on the back of the neck are the perfect spot for the interior air to leave. Essentially, you want in-vents and out-vents.

Helmets With the Best Ventilation

Enough with vague details. Which actual helmets and other casual wear are best? You should always check online reviews to see which helmets are best, but typically there are four manufacturers that are considered the cream of the crop. These are:

• Klim
• AGV
• HJC
• Bell Helmets

If ventilation is one of your top priorities, you should start your search with one of these four manufacturers. If it is at all possible, you should take a helmet for a test drive before you buy. This is not always necessary, especially since shopping online can yield some great deals. As long as you keep ventilation in mind when you browse, you should be just fine.

 

Onboarding new employees is a time of promise for everyone involved. Yet, that can all come to a screeching halt if the onboarding process is bad. In fact, a new hire is twice as likely to look for new opportunities if they have a negative onboarding experience.

Don’t cut the excitement short— take your onboarding to the next level! Build a sense of connection with new hires that boosts employee retention and productivity.

Let’s look at 8 ways to give a great onboarding experience for your employees.

1. Start Before Day One

Successful onboarding should start before the new hire walks through your door on their first day. Orientation should actually start during the hiring process.

Throughout interviewing and recruiting, inform all potential employees about company values and policies. It not only helps them get a better understanding of your business environment, but it also makes the onboarding process easier.

Then once you extend a job offer, have HR or the recruiter start the first onboarding phase. Explain what the next steps will be, answer all questions, and send them any forms that need to be filled out.

Doing all this before their first day will give them a head start. Plus, it will help them feel more comfortable in knowing what to expect.

2. Prepare for Their Arrival

Not only do you want to get your new hire ready for the first day, but you need to prepare as well.

Nothing will make your new employee feel more like a last-minute thought than walking in to find you scrambling to get them set up. It looks as if you almost didn’t expect them at all.

That doesn’t look good on your company or give the onboarding experience you want them to take away.

Before they show up, make sure their workstation is set up with everything they will need. Inform other employees of their start date. They could even make a welcome banner to make your new hire feel important and valued.

3. Make Documentation Available Online

Besides the forms you want a new hire to fill out, making other documentation available for review is helpful. The easiest way to do that is online.

Use email or staff onboarding software to make information readily available. The documentation you’ll want to send out could include orientation schedules, benefits information, an employee handbook, and company FAQs.

Having easy access to this will prevent a new hire from getting piles of forms and booklets on their first day. It also gives them an opportunity to learn more about the company.

This will make their first day less overwhelming and feel more productive.

4. Create an Onboarding Checklist

To keep yourself and your new hire on track, you should have an onboarding checklist prepared. That way you don’t have to worry about getting distracted and forgetting a step. It’s all there in a checklist for at-a-glance review.

To help create a checklist, engage with recent new hires. Ask them about their onboarding experience and see If there’s anything they would change. They may also have ideas of things you could add to make the experience even better for incoming employees.

Have a checklist for each day of the onboarding process. Just don’t overdo it. Spread the orientation and new job responsibilities out over time to prevent them from becoming overloaded.

5. Make Expectations Clear

When a new employee finishes the onboarding and orientation process, will they know what’s expected of them when they sit at their desk? Part of a great onboarding process is making all expectations crystal clear.

Schedule an initial meeting with the new hire, supervisor, and other relevant co-workers. Be very specific with what the expectations are. Break it down into the first few weeks’ expectations, what should happen at the end of the month, and so on.

Your new hire should have a great understanding of what they need to do their first 90 days on the job. It gives them a goal to work towards, preventing them from feeling lost and just “winging it”.

6. Assign a Mentor

Everyone needs someone they can reach out to when searching for guidance or when questions come up. Your new hire is no exception.

Assigning them a mentor is a great way to give the onboarding experience a needed lifeline. It’s especially important into today’s sometimes chaotic workplace environment. It prevents a new hire from falling through the cracks and feeling forgotten.

This mentor should be a company veteran who knows the ropes. It doesn’t have to be a supervisor, just someone who can care and counsel a new hire in all aspects of the company and in job functions.

7. Make It a Team Effort

Another part of making a new hire feel important and a true member of the team is by holding a welcome reception for them. This can be either in person or virtually, depending on the schedule and set up of the team.

Many management teams have also been planning virtual team bonding events with their teams when onboarding new employees. Planning fun events like a virtual escape room with a site like escapely.com, or an ice breaker bonding session can help your new member really feel a part of the team.

Many companies get too busy to do this, only introducing a new person in a scattered way over a long period of time. This can look unorganized and feel off-putting. Not the kind of first impression one should be making if they want to build employee retention.

Plus, it’s beneficial to the team. Having a face to the name creates instant comradery for all team members.

8. Start Career Development Early

It might seem ridiculous to discuss career development while a new employee is starting their current role. Yet, it’s not only beneficial for the employee, but your business as well.

Employees engage more with companies that show nourishment in their careers. This includes having an early conversation with new hires in the first month of their role.

Ask them where they envision themselves in the company down the road. Find out what support and resources they’ll need to get them there. Then set measurable goals to help them.

This will get your new hire excited about opportunities within your company. And it gives them something to work towards, which means keeping hard-working, loyal employees for you.

Make Your Onboarding Experience a Success!

You made a great decision by hiring the best people for your business. Now show them they landed their dream job by giving them an onboarding experience that will set them up for success.

Looking for more workplace advice? Check out the posts located on our Business blog!

Ninety-four percent of small business owners get their business consultants from LinkedIn!

Many small business owners often underestimate the power of consultants. Small business consultants can help with accounting, marketing, content production, and search engine optimization.

Well, some business owners employ unqualified consultants. As a result, they put their business at risk. So, when your small business is making losses, check if you hired the right person.

How do you find perfect small business consultants? Use this guide to find the best!

Check Their Portfolio

An excellent small business consultant should have ready material that shows his/her track record. Before hiring the consultant, check previous work records.

How long have the consultants been in the industry? How many small businesses attest to their services? What do they bring on board?

It’s incredibly crucial that your preferred small business consultant be well-conversant with the new technological trends in the industry.

Any successful business relies on well-formulated plans for a successful market takeover.

To get more details, check the blog posts on their website. It’ll give you a brief idea of the services offered. Besides, it enables you to gauge his/her proficiency in handling specific business problems.

In short, your preferred small business consultant should have excellent entrepreneurship skills. He/she should analyze business opportunities and come up with a masterplan of investing resources for revenue generation.

Look Out for Testimonials

It’s relatively easy to get recommendations for an excellent small business consultant. Benchmark with fellow business owners and gain insight on the consultancy services they used for success.

A few of them will refer you to a better small business consultant. Henceforth, do a thorough research of the preferred candidate and be sure that they’ve exemplary qualities.

Another quick way is checking the testimonials on their website. What do previous clients say about his/her consultation services? Does he/she give value for client’s money?

You can also find testimonials from LinkedIn referrals. The platform enables you to find top-rated small business consultants that you can hire for the success of your business. By checking their profile, you’ll get a general idea of the qualifications that they possess.

Don’t be in a hurry to pick a small business consultant based on testimonials.

You should do extensive research to ensure that he/she has a consistent work ethic. Otherwise, you’ll hire someone who hasn’t handled enough small business operations, and this is extremely dangerous for your business.

Check out this article by Universal Creative Solutions to get more details about the benefits of small business consultants.

Check Out Their Resume

It’s dangerous to hire someone based on what you’ve heard about them. Substantially, it can cost your business a lot of money if you don’t hire a professional.

So, always request for the candidates’ resume to know more about their educational background and any other essential certifications. Besides, the resume gives you an overall view of your candidate’s experience within the industry.

In general, a candidate who has a rich work experience will bring workable ideas to your small business. He/she has been in the industry for quite a while and thus can give instigative advice for business success.

Also, check on their resume to see if they’ve any ongoing learning activities. Those who’re willing to learn new ideas are the best to hire. They’ll bring in new ideas that if applied to the business, they’ll propel it to success.

A resume is also essential in determining the personal achievements of your preferred candidate.

Only hire a small business consultant with an active resume. The professionals come with the much-needed experience that’s critical for the success of any small business.

Research on Their Consulting Fees

Before hiring a small business consultant, it’s essential to know how much they charge for specific services.

Business consultants charge differently based on the services that they offer. However, most of them have a standard charge for the different services provided.

They can either charge a retainer, hourly fee or based on the project at hand.

It’s, therefore, crucial to do a quick search on google to scout for similar rates. You’ll find other small business consultants who’re along the same line of industry.

Also, consult with your mentors to know the defined cost for a specific consultation offer. They should give you the median payable fee based on your preferred small business consultancy services.

If you’re working for an organization, pose a question about small business consultancy services. Your colleagues might have detailed information about different types of consultancies.

Maximize this opportunity and get all the details about small business consultancy services.

Want to Hire the Best Small Business Consults? Use a Specific Niche

What’s your target market? How many employees do you have? What’s your target income?

Many small business consultants need specific information about your type of business. They need to know if they can handle the pressure to ensure positive results. Therefore, you need to be more specific about your goals and targets.

On your website, clarify the types of services that you need. Most small business consultants prefer working for clients with less than 50 employees. So, always ensure that your kind of business meets the required standards.

Using a specific niche attracts qualified small business consultants who’ve worked with different clients within the same industry. They bring with them experience and skills that are essential for effective business management.

Besides, this helps you to filter out unqualified small business consultants. Remember, your main goal is to make a profit. Therefore, only hire a candidate who’ll bring the relevant skills for the success of the business.

Check Their Schedule

Most successful small business consultants have a busy schedule. It’s absurd to assume that they’ll be available by a simple phone call or email. Therefore, do research and determine their schedule.

It’s advisable to make early bookings so that you aren’t inconvenienced with their busy schedule. The aim is to hire a qualified small business consultant, so, reserve their services early enough.

Start the Journey Today

If you own a small business, you don’t want to make costly mistakes in your venture that can limit growth. Therefore, use the services of small business consultants for better results.

Check out our blog for more invaluable information on small business consultancy.

 

Is your startup getting ready to launch? Congratulations on your first step. You’re in for a fun time.

You’re in good company too. Thousands of people start new businesses every year.

There are things you need to watch out for though. Liability is one of those.

Below are five types of liability you need to prepare your startup for.

1. Co-Founder Trouble

If you’re a sole-founder, you can avoid this problem. But more often than not, we have a co-founder working with us to start a business.

Things usually start out fine, but that doesn’t mean they will stay that way. Make sure you have a contract in place for when this happens.

You need to account for every situation.

• Who owns what?
• What happens if one partner leaves?
• What happens during a disagreement?

When you prepare for these issues beforehand, you can handle them better in the future.

2. Worker Safety

If you plan to bring on employees, you need to provide a safe work environment for them. Things might be safe enough for you, but you can’t predict what will happen to other people.

Make sure you keep your office free of potential hazards. One of the most common issues are slip and falls. Keep your walkways clear to avoid this.

You will need to buy workers compensation insurance to help with this. Without it, you will be facing legal trouble if an accident happens.

Make sure you learn more about safety skills to get ready for potential safety problems.

3. Property Damage

If you own a home, you know the benefits of home insurance. This doesn’t change if you own a commercial property.

You need to be careful of property damage at your business. If you go without any insurance, you’re going to be paying for things out of pocket.

Make sure you buy coverage that covers any situation.

4. Product Liability

If you sell any products, you need to make sure they’re safe. That doesn’t always happen, though.

Sometimes accidents happen. You need to have product liability insurance for when this happens.

Product liability insurance will protect you in these cases. Your insurance will be customized based on the type of products you sell. You’ll need to talk with an insurance provider to learn what you need.

5. Business Interruption Insurance

It doesn’t matter how much you prepare. Sometimes problems come up that make it impossible for you to do business.

You can lose power, the internet, and phone service. In cases like this, business interruption insurance can help.

This insurance will compensate your business for situations like this.

Make Sure You Learn About Types of Liability

Running a startup is hard enough on its own. The last thing you want to do is expose yourself to liability that you could have avoided.

Learn about the types of liability you’re at risk for in your business so you can take steps to prepare for it.

Are you looking for more advice on getting your business running? Head to our blog to read our latest business advice.

There’s nothing better than showing up to a special event in style. Depending on your specific personality, maybe to you the word “style” means rolling up in a Rolls Royce, or perhaps a sleek limousine is more your taste. We asked about what “riding in style” means to Atlanta locals, and many of them answered with the same thing: a mini bus.

It doesn’t matter what your upcoming event is, there is nothing quite like hitting the streets in a decked out mini bus with all of your closest friends. Whether you’re heading to senior prom or making memories on your wedding day, here’s what you should consider before booking the right mini bus rental.

Browse Around

When you Google search “mini bus rental Atlanta”, there are quite a few pages of results. This is probably the case no matter where you live (if it is considered to be a major city). The first step is to browse through your options. A great way to gauge which ones are the best mini bus providers are to read reviews.

If a rental company has not reviews to its name, try to avoid booking with that one. The more reviews, the better. And obviously the more positive the reviews are, the best. Don’t trust reviews that come solely from the company’s website, but try to see what’s up on a variety of sites. Reviews on the company’s private website are often fabricated.

Consider Amenities

What’s the point of renting a mini bus if you aren’t given an experience of luxury? Once you’ve narrowed down a few rental company options by reading reviews, see what the actual mini buses are like. What’s included with the rental? Is it strictly a ride from point A to point B (or access to rides for a certain number of hours) or is there more to it?

Try not to assume that every company is the same. Amenities vary greatly from company to company, and even from minibus to minibus within a company. Read into the details and specifics to see what’s included in the bus rental, like reclining seats, entertainment options (TV screens/DVD players), and luggage storage. Depending on the event, you might even have access to alcoholic beverages or the company might have a BYOB policy in place.

Safety Comes First

The rental company’s top priority should be on the safety of its passengers. Find a company that has nothing less than a 100% safety record. Many rental companies require their drivers to receive background checks as well as pass a series of driving tests before hiring, so make sure this is the case for the one that you choose.

Number of Passengers

Lastly, how many people are planning on riding the mini bus? Most mini buses can carry at least 16 passengers, but this is not always the case. Get a final head count for the number of people planning on riding and confirm with the rental agency that a bus is available that can cater to that amount.

 

Nearly half of the people who responded to a recent survey said they would start looking for a new job after only two payroll errors.

Replacing employees is time-consuming and expensive so it’s important that you manage your small business payroll properly. Let’s look at how to set up your company payroll.

Options for Managing Company Payroll

You have several choices for dealing with your small business payroll:

1. Manage it by hand
2. Outsource your payroll management
3. Use payroll software

1. Managing Payroll by Hand

Doing it by hand is the least expensive way to manage payroll, at least as far as the up-front costs are concerned. You won’t have to pay for software or pay someone to do the work for you. Instead, you’ll do all the calculations to figure out deductions, IRS remittances, and everything else you need to calculate.

This is also the most time-intensive option. Before you choose this option as a way to save money, think about what your time is worth. Is managing your payroll the best way to spend your time? And do you know enough about it to be sure you’re not making any mistakes?

2. Outsourcing Your Payroll

The second option is to outsource your payroll management, either to an accountant or bookkeeper or through a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) service. With a PEO service, the employee works for them and gets sub-contracted to your small business. That way they handle all the payroll work.

Outsourcing your payroll takes the least time on your part but is the most expensive option. It may be worth the cost though, considering the time you save and the fact that these professionals will be much less likely to make errors that can lead to lost employees and IRS fines.

3. Payroll Software

Payroll software is a middle ground between the first two options. You can manage your own payroll this way but the software does most of the heavy lifting for you. It calculates everything based on up-to-date payroll tables and if it’s tied into your accounting software, and it can generate all the necessary documents for the IRS and state tax departments.

You can also use a combination of different software packages to manage the various parts of your small business accounting. You might use a spreadsheet tracking system for most of it along with a service like The Pay Stubs to generate professional pay stubs for your employees’ paychecks.

Keep Good Records

Whatever solution you settle on to manage your company payroll, make sure you keep good records. If your business is ever audited for its payroll remittances, you need to be able to back everything up with documentation. The last thing you want to do is have to go back and reconstruct years of payroll information ahead of a meeting with the auditor.

Don’t stress over how to do payroll; spending some time researching your options before settling on a solution is time well-spent.

Check back often for more helpful posts like this one.

Surveys show that nearly 75% of prepaid credit users are very or even extremely satisfied with their cards. The fact that they can’t overspend combined with the convenience and safety of using a card instead of cash means there’s a lot to like.

Choosing a prepaid card can be a bit of a challenge, however. There are lots of different card providers with a wide range of fees. Let’s look at the best prepaid cards available today.

Advantages of Prepaid Cards

Prepaid cards offer several advantages over traditional credit cards, including:

• No chance of overspending
• Often no credit check is necessary
• Poor or no credit history won’t limit your options
• Limited exposure to fraud

All three major credit card companies offer prepaid cards – Visa, American Express, and MasterCard. You can use them anywhere that accepts those cards so they’re as convenient and easy to use as a credit card would be. You can even use them for online purchases, something that often isn’t possible with a regular debit card.

The following five cards are our picks for the best options.

1. American Express Serve Cash Back Prepaid Card

The Amex Serve cash back card offers a 1% cash back reward for every purchase. The reward gets added to your card immediately after the transaction is complete and you can redeem your rewards anytime.

The Serve card offers free ATM withdrawals through any ATM in the MoneyPass network. Out-of-network withdrawals will have a $2.50 fee.

There’s no fee for adding funds to the card through direct deposit and cash reloads will cost up to $3.95, depending on where you are reloading the card. The card itself is free through Amex’s website or $3.95 to purchase in retail locations.

There’s a $7.95 monthly fee for the Serve card. If you spend more than $800 per month on the card, you’ll be ahead of the game with the cash-back rewards.

2. Starbucks Rewards Visa Prepaid Card

The Starbucks Rewards Visa card lets you earn Starbucks Rewards on every purchase. You’ll earn one star for every $10 you spend. You can redeem the stars at Starbucks to get free drinks, food, or other items. The stars you earn won’t expire as long as your account is active so you can save as many as you want to get higher-priced rewards.

The Starbucks prepaid Visa has no monthly or annual fees and doesn’t charge any reload fees. The main disadvantage compared to other cards is that you can’t withdraw cash through an ATM.

If you’re a Starbucks fan and aren’t concerned with being able to withdraw cash from your prepaid card, this is a hard one to beat.

3. Kroger REWARDS Prepaid Visa Card

The Kroger REWARDS prepaid Visa is another rewards card, this time for Kroger shoppers. You’ll earn points for every purchase, which will convert to a coupon that you can use at Kroger.

All purchases earn 1 point per dollar, purchases at Kroger earn 2 points per dollar, and if you buy Kroger store-brand items, you’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent. When you accumulate 1,000 points, a $5 Kroger coupon will automatically get applied on the card for your next purchase in the store.

You can load up to $5,000 on the card through direct deposit for free or up to $1,000 cash at Krogers for $3. A $10 “signing” bonus will be applied to your card for signing up for direct deposit as well.

There’s no credit check required to sign up and Kroger offers a free mobile app to manage your card. The monthly fee is $4.95 so if you spend enough to earn 1,000 points in a month, the $5 coupon will offset the cost of the card.

4. 24k Prepaid Visa RushCard

The 24K Visa RushCard doesn’t need a credit check and there’s no minimum balance required to maintain your account. The funds on the card are protected by Visa’s Zero Liability policy so even if you lose your card or it is stolen, your funds are protected.

The RushCard offers online bill payments as well as real-time alerts for activity on your account or when the card is getting low on funds. The real-time alerts are a great fraud protection feature since you’ll know immediately if someone is using your card without your permission.

You can reload the card through MoneyGram, Western Union, and direct deposit from other institutions like this bank. You can either pay a $7.95 monthly fee for unlimited transactions or if you only use the card occasionally, you can pay $1 per transaction instead.

5. FamZoo Prepaid Debit Card

The FamZoo prepaid Mastercard offers a unique spin on prepaid cards. Their prepaid cards are meant to be shared with members of your family, particularly kids. The goal is to help teach your kids how to manage their money properly.

These cards have less risk associated with them than a typical checking account would. You can create parent and child roles that limit access and features on particular cards. You can transfer money between cards and even set up recurring transfers, to manage your child’s allowance, for example.

Parents can lock specific cards for fraud protection or to control access to the funds available. You can even tie chores to rewards and penalties on your kids’ cards.

A paid FamZoo subscription (at $5.99 per month) provides you with four cards. You can add more for $2 each. There’s no reload fee for direct deposit and the fee for cash reloads varies, depending on the provider. There’s no fee to transfer funds between cards.

How to Choose the Best Prepaid Cards for Your Needs

The cards we’ve listed all have advantages and disadvantages. The best prepaid cards are the ones that suit your particular needs and lifestyle. If you want to put your kids on the right financial path, the FamZoo option might suit you better.

The key to picking the best prepaid card is to look at the fees and the benefits to figure out which combination suits you best. Most prepaid cards charge a monthly fee and those that don’t have other limitations. But if you choose wisely, the fee can be offset by your use of the card, making it free or even profitable to use.

Check back often for more helpful posts like this one.