(Des Moines, Iowa – October 29, 2012) – The Members Group’s (TMG) ATIRAreload prepaid card has been ranked the third most affordable prepaid card by NerdWallet.com, an online financial planning resource. Available to consumers through the financial institution clients of TMG, the ATIRAreload card can be used to make purchases almost anywhere Visa® debit is accepted. The ranking is based on a comparison of ATIRAreload’s fees with other prepaid cards on the market.
ATIRAreload is a personalized, reloadable prepaid card offering cardholders several benefits, including a safer alternative to carrying cash, a way to stay on budget and an attractive option for parents who want to monitor teen spending. When funds are low, the card can be reloaded for free at the cardholder’s financial institution branch, by direct deposit or on the web. ATIRAreload cardholders can also load cash via Visa ReadyLink merchants for a fee.
TMG also keeps ATIRAreload fees low by enabling surcharge-free ATM transactions from all Interlink ATMs. Consumers can also access cash by requesting cash back at the point-of-sale (POS). What’s more, the monthly maintenance fee is waived when ATIRAreload cardholders spend down the balance on the card each month.
“The NerdWallet.com ranking allows ATIRAreload national recognition for its many advantages over other prepaid options in the market,” said Konrad Christensen, TMG retail payments product manager. “Another huge advantage for ATIRAreload cardholders is the card ties to their financial institution, which can provide them with the education, resources, products and services they need for ongoing financial responsibility.”
NerdWallet.com’s interactive prepaid card comparison tool standardizes prepaid cards’ disclosures, fee structures, terms and conditions to give consumers a tailored, at-a-glance understanding of each card’s cost structure. It makes recommendations to consumers based on: Card use, including both signature and PIN transactions; ATM use, including withdrawals and balance inquiries; Reloads, including cash reloads; and Direct deposit and monthly loads “So many prepaid cards profess to have ‘low’ or ‘affordable’ fees, but leave out substantial third-party fees such as cash reload or ATM surcharges that can really deplete consumers' funds," says Anisha Sekar, VP of Credit and Debit Products at NerdWallet. "ATIRAreload offers cardholders truly free cash loads and surcharge-free ATM use, so when you compare it to 'low-fee' cards without those features, the difference is clear."
To see how ATIRAreload compares to other prepaid card options, visit: http://www.nerdwallet.com/prepaid/
To learn more about issuing ATIRAreload, visit: http://www.themembersgroup.com/products/innovative-solutions/prepaid/atirareload/
About TMG The Members Group (TMG) is dedicated to creating customized, technology-driven card processing and payment solutions for credit unions and community-based financial institutions across North America. Innovations in fraud management, loyalty programs, alternative payment systems and analytic reporting, and the competitive advantages they create, have helped TMG forge a new standard in offering cutting-edge credit, debit, ATM, prepaid card products and a P2P payment solution. For more information, visit www.themembersgroup.com.