Kardashian Prepaid MasterCard Review

Just when you thought there wasn't anything else the Kardashians could sell, here comes the Kardashian Kard.

• People who want a MasterCard without a credit check.
• People who want an alternative to a secured credit card.
• Big fans of the Kardashians.

Credit Rating Required

• No credit check required

Pros

• No credit check required.
• Free direct deposit.
• No activation fee.

Cons

• High fees.
• Doesn't build your credit history

Reload Limit

• Maximum load amount: $2,500.
• Maximum balance at any time: $5,000.

Rewards

• None.

Fees

• $59.95 for six months, $99.95 for 12 months, then $7.95 per month.
• ATM fee: $1.50 to withdraw funds, $1.00 to obtain balance.
• Bill pay fee: $2.00 per transaction.
• Customer service (live operator): $1.50.

When I first heard that Kim Kardashian was sponsoring her own prepaid card, I thought: What a ridiculous idea. Cosmetics, clothes, perfume, self-tanning gel, OK. But a MasterCard? But when I thought about it a little more, it made perfect sense: What better way to learn about profligate spending and wasting money than this card?

At $100 a year in fees - that's just for starters - this is one of the most expensive prepaid cards on the market. You get dinged $1.50 each time you withdraw funds at an ATM machine and $2.00 each time you pay a bill via bill pay. On the positive side, there's no activation fee and direct deposit is free, but that's true of most prepaid cards. There also doesn't appear to be a reload fee at retail outlets, but then retailers usually charge their own fees, usually $4.95.

With normal usage, I would estimate this card will cost you more than $200 a year, not $100. But hey, fame doesn't come cheap.

I'll admit the card is nice to look at, but that's about it.