# Let's Talk Visa / AMEX / Mastercard Gift & Prepaid Cards **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [December 12, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722 "2012-12-12T17:29:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Onyx\_Z32](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/onyx_z32/32/7581_2.png) [@Onyx\_Z32](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Onyx_Z32)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/1 "2012-12-12T17:29:22Z")
It’s the ultimate lazy gift I know, but does anyone have experience with them? Know the positives and negatives? I was going to go with a Visa but remember hearing something about merchants like gas stations putting long holds on them? I also found a few prepaid options from AMEX that act more like credit cards: “Prepaid Card” : [https://www.americanexpress.com/us/content/prepaid/american-express-prepaid-card.html](https://www.americanexpress.com/us/content/prepaid/american-express-prepaid-card.html) Bluebird: [https://bluebird.com/](https://bluebird.com/) ^^ Might not be “gift-able” though. Haven’t looked at Mastercard or others just yet. ---
**Author:** ![ieatpaint](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ieatpaint/32/7311_2.png) [@ieatpaint](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ieatpaint)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/2 "2012-12-12T17:33:42Z")
I usually get a few amex cards as gifts and don’t have any problems using them. Never had any of the other brands though. ---
**Author:** ![BOBBYGRV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BOBBYGRV](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BOBBYGRV)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/3 "2012-12-12T18:09:07Z")
I get these through work a lot. Some don’t work outside the US. I found out the hard way while in St. Lucia and had to transfer money. Other than that, they spend just like a regular card. ---
**Author:** ![Onyx\_Z32](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/onyx_z32/32/7581_2.png) [@Onyx\_Z32](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Onyx_Z32)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/4 "2012-12-12T18:25:12Z")
> [@ieatpaint](#): > > I usually get a few amex cards as gifts and don’t have any problems using them. Never had any of the other brands though. Do you find the AMEX cards hard to use because not as many places accept them? ---
**Author:** ![LZ1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LZ1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LZ1)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/5 "2012-12-12T18:34:30Z")
I have a corp amex for work I have only come across 1-2 places that don’t accept them and usually its some really random restaurant. Seems like most stores accept AMEX. Places hate AMEX because AMEX sides with customers 99% of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Joe](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/joe/32/7219_2.png) [@Joe](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Joe)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/6 "2012-12-12T21:34:20Z")
Just found out Dollar General doesn’t accept AmEx today :lol: EBT is more their target demographic anyway. ---
**Author:** ![08GT500](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/08gt500/32/5417_2.png) [@08GT500](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/08GT500)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/7 "2012-12-12T22:51:56Z")
> [@Joe](#): > > Just found out Dollar General doesn’t accept AmEx today :lol: EBT is more their target demographic anyway. I see what you did there. ---
**Author:** ![RobtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/51bf81/32.png) [@RobtC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RobtC)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/8 "2012-12-12T23:05:42Z")
Amex is accepted nearly everywhere now and is probably your best bet. I’ve had nothing but good experiences with Amex for just about ten years now. ---
**Author:** ![ieatpaint](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ieatpaint/32/7311_2.png) [@ieatpaint](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ieatpaint)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/9 "2012-12-13T03:33:50Z")
Like everyone else said, it’s pretty rare to find a place that won’t take AMEX. I use my credit amex card pretty regularly too with no issues, the rewards are better than my evans bank credit card too. ---
**Author:** ![itsJim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@itsJim](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/itsJim)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 6:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/10 "2012-12-13T06:31:58Z")
I’ve had problems where restaurants will take AMEX but not AMEX Gift Cards… Really fucking annoying ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 6:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/11 "2012-12-13T06:48:07Z")
Never had an issue with AMEX or Visa cards. I get them from work all the time and they spend just like cash. ---
**Author:** ![boxxa](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxxa/32/5045_2.png) [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 6:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/12 "2012-12-13T06:54:05Z")
> [@Joe](#): > > Just found out Dollar General doesn’t accept AmEx today :lol: EBT is more their target demographic anyway. ![http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UGRayDoak9M/T14W9zCtAqI/AAAAAAAAI0Q/3gvxV26kC3o/s1600/wisdom_of_Obama.jpg](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/3X/a/4/a4333328cd1c8d7eb6aa784a829e7602246e2b6e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![theblue](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/theblue/32/5074_2.png) [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 7:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/13 "2012-12-13T07:03:53Z")
why not give cash? (unless mailing) ---
**Author:** ![Garick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8797f3/32.png) [@Garick](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Garick)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 10:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/14 "2012-12-13T10:03:43Z")
A lot of small businesses do not accept amex ---
**Author:** ![JustinH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JustinH](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JustinH)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 10:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/15 "2012-12-13T10:14:01Z")
Usually a place that doesn’t take amex is a place that I don’t want to do business with (usually)… I give amex gift cards and everybody likes them. If you are buying gas, you need to prepay inside with the cashier to avoid holds on the card. ---
**Author:** ![POOPRA](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/poopra/32/7188_2.png) [@POOPRA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/POOPRA)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 10:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-visa-amex-mastercard-gift-prepaid-cards/227722/16 "2012-12-13T10:19:08Z")
The universal gift card is cash, it works in every store