How to reload your debit or prepaid card

When you're ready to reload your debit or prepaid card, head to one of the registers at the nearest store and have the cashier add either cash or a check to your balance. This typically requires a cashier and won't work at self-checkouts, but it only takes a few seconds for a cashier to handle the transaction for you. There are also a variety of debit or prepaid card types that can be loaded at the registers, so even if you don't have a Daily Saves MoneyCard or one of the other branded cards, you can often still load your card without leaving the store.

Swipe reload with cash at the register

Swipe reload with cash at the register lets you save time by making it easy to complete a shopping trip and take care of a banking transaction in one stop. To get started, take your debit or prepaid card to the register along with the cash you want to load onto it. The amount you load can be anything from $20 up to $1,100, but if your card has a lower reload amount, you won't be able to load more than your allowable reload amount.

For Preferred cardholders, no extra fees are added to the transaction when you use the Rapid Reload process. Then, you can take your purchases as well as your newly loaded card and be on your way without losing time making another stop to manage your money. However, swipe reload with cash isn't available in the state of Vermont.

Swipe reload with a check at the register

Using swipe reload to deposit your check at the register is another way to save time by skipping a trip to the bank. You can do your shopping and get the things you need from the store and then ask the cashier at the register to deposit your check to your card account. Your check needs to be endorsed and you must have the proper valid identification, then you just pay the fee and have your check added to the debit or prepaid card.

Your money is then available on your card within moments, so you can use it right away. There are maximum amounts allowed for this check cashing feature. Most of the year, $5,000 is the maximum check amount you can cash this way at the register. During income tax season, however, that amount goes up to $7,500 to accommodate shoppers who have larger checks to cash. However, swipe reload with a check at the register isn't available in New York or New Jersey.

Cards that allow reloading at the register

There are more than 100 types of debit and prepaid cards that can be reloaded at the register using the swipe reload process. Check with your banking institution to find out if the card you've been issued will allow this type of transaction or check at the register when visiting the nearest store. The five most frequently loaded cards include:

• Daily Saves MoneyCard


• Green Dot


• American Express Serve


• PayPal


• NetSpend

Find a nearby store

If you're in an unfamiliar area and need to find the nearest store so you can reload your prepaid card, you have a few options for doing that. From the website, you can use the store locator feature. The results include the nearest stores, contact information for the nearest stores and a map so you can see how to get to the store from your current location.

From the Daily Saves app, click the four circles in the bottom center of the screen, then click the store locator icon in the upper right corner. Using your current location, the app shows you all the nearby stores. Click the one you would like to visit, then click the arrow icon at the side of the screen to begin navigation. The app will use its integrated GPS locator to provide turn-by-turn directions to get you to the store you've selected.

Fees to expect

There's typically a $3 fee for having the cashier do a cash swipe at the register, but if the card is a Daily Saves MoneyCard, the $3 fee is waived. The fee is $4 for checks amounting to $1,000 or less, but two-party personal checks can't be cashed if they're written for over $200, and the fee for cashing a two-party personal check is up to $6. The fee is up to $8 for checks between the amounts of $1,001 and $5,000.