You may be familiar with prepaid reloadable cards. These cards became famous in the past couple of years, giving people the chance to shop, dine and receive money with just the use of a single card. Also, these prepaid cards are beneficial for freelancers who need a card to be linked to their Paypal accounts who do not have a bank savings account (or having a hard time applying for one) as they can just purchase it and link it to their Paypal account instantly.
I know this is a not-so-new prepaid reloadable card, but I got the chance to try the YAZZCard by Metrobank.
The YAZZCard is a prepaid card released by Metrobank. It is VISA-powered (and also ANZ) card that has an EMV chip already for a more secure transaction. The YAZZ Card adds up to the prepaid card releases in the Philippines.
BPI – MyePrepaid (not available anymore) and AMORE Visa
UnionBank – EON card
Smart – Paymaya card
Globe – Gcash card
(and some others that I might know of)
I got mine at Robinsons Galleria Business Center for Php 300. I filled out a form, present IDs, paid Php 300 and let the staff do the rest. Afterwards, I was handed the kit and was reminded to call the Customer Service to set up my card’s PIN so I can do ATM withdrawal (I haven’t).
Also, the card is pre-loaded with Php 50.
Just like the other prepaid cards mentioned above, the YAZZ card also allows users to shop and dine without the use of physical cash as payment.The YAZZ Card can also be linked to Paypal to receive money.
While I may not have maximized the use of my YAZZ card and may have yet to discover more about it, I am sharing you some pros and cons of the basic uses of the YAZZ Card.
Pros
-easy to use because it is VISA-powered.
-quite a known brand so there’s no question about the card’s legitimacy
-it has an associated mobile application so you can check your current balance
-can link to Paypal and receive money
-account management via browser/online is similar to a bank account’s where you can access a Statement of Account (SOA) online via the YAZZ website. (plus the merchant name where you did/made the transaction)
-perks when used (check out the YAZZ Facebook page for this)
Cons
-The reloading is a big issue for me because it was a bit difficult the first time I did it. While the reloading stations are at popular places such as SM Bills Payment Centers, Robinsons Business Centers, Save More, SM Hypermarket and other malls and stores, what makes it inconvenient is that these places are too populated with queues, thus it takes long to get a reloading transaction done.
-Also, there is a dedicated tablet and app for this. Convenience stores would be an easy option, but even that was bad. I went to two Family Marts near my office but neither carries the tablet for reloading. I ended up loading it at National Bookstore at Robinsons Galleria.
-The reloading costs Php20. Surprisingly, there is an extra charge whenever you reload. (So when you want to top it up with Php1000, add Php20; otherwise the service charge will be deducted to the reloaded amount.)
-Can’t link to Grab and Uber for card payments.
-It’s an instant card, thus, the owner’s name is not printed on it.
-Fund transfer is limited to Yazz to Yazz account(or maybe Metrobank to Yazz transfer as well? not sure)
Great for Paypal linking, cashless shopping and dining, and online transactions that accept a debit VISA card). Not my favorite prepaid card to use, though. 🙂
