With buying my wife the Suburban and myself the Tundra we’re in the trial period of OnStar and XM/Sirius. I ignore most of their calls and communications but I keep getting emails to extend for 3-6 months for a $2 processing fee.
Also I plan to use the GM $20 data plan during the month we travel.
Never had a prepaid card but figure just keep a few bucks on it and give these folks that card in case I forget to cancel and I don’t waste an extra months money.

What is the best easiest way to reload them??

Why not a regular credit card?

Visa has a prepaid reloadable card, Visa Link

Greenlight has a reloadable card that's especially marketed to parents for kids. You can control the card, monitor the spending, and reload as you wish.

There are others but these 2 might be a good place to start.

Walmart also has some sort of the same thing but I'm not familiar with it.

Ironically, funny you should mention this, I was just talking to a friend about this same topic, he wants a "fun card" that he can load with his "fun money" to spend for his fun things and keeping it separate from his regular credit and debit cards. The advantage of this, instead of fun cash money stuck in an envelope, is that he can order things online and not have to worry too much about getting ripped off by someone stealing his credit card info. I think he wants to keep around a couple hundred in his fun money on a fun card. It's what he wants to do.
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quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:
Why not a regular credit card?

Because that is what they want. You pay the $2 processing fee now for 3-6 months added to your trial but will default to the regular price and charge to the card after the trial period.
That way if life is busy in 6 months and I forget to cancel I am not out any money.
Or I get busy after vacation and forget to drop the data subscription.
Or if they are a pain to cancel I don’t have to shut down my whole card.

Black -- Are you familiar with virtual cards?

Does your card issuer offer this feature?

I was thinking Wal Mart offered one of these. I

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
Black -- Are you familiar with virtual cards?

Does your card issuer offer this feature?

Never heard of them so can’t say if they offer them or not.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:
Why not a regular credit card?

Because that is what they want. You pay the $2 processing fee now for 3-6 months added to your trial but will default to the regular price and charge to the card after the trial period.
That way if life is busy in 6 months and I forget to cancel I am not out any money.
Or I get busy after vacation and forget to drop the data subscription.
Or if they are a pain to cancel I don’t have to shut down my whole card.

Setting up a prepaid card seems like a lot more hassle than canceling a membership when you're done with it.
'
Your bank surely offers a pre paid credit card. It will be easier to get money into it if it is at the same bank with your other accounts.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

Black -- Are you familiar with virtual cards?

Does your card issuer offer this feature?

Never heard of them so can’t say if they offer them or not.

My Capital One QuickSilver card has this feature.

You could think of it as a sub-account of your main credit card. You create it online, with a couple of clicks. The virtual card has its own credit card number, CVV code, and expiration date. It is valid ONLY for the merchant that you create it for, so even if the card number is stolen, it will be declined if there is an attempt to use it at any other merchant. I can create as many of these as I want, there is no fee associated with this.

Each virtual card can be turned on or off with one click. You can also destroy (delete) any virtual card.

I have virtual cards for online insurance payments, for various bills like cable, electric and water utilities, online merchants like Midway USA, etc.

But they would still be getting their full amount if I forget to cancel until I realize it is still going. If I use a prepaid and there is not enough in the when they auto draft it will bounce back and they will certainly send me a reminder and I can decide what to do or just continue the radio silence until they send me another discount offer.
I like SiriusXM but certainly not enough to pay nearly $100 a year (the cheapest option I have been offered).

quote:

But they would still be getting their full amount if I forget to cancel until I realize it is still going.

For something like this, I generate a virtual card, make a payment, then turn the card off.

If I want to make the next payment, I can turn the card on for that, then turn it off again.

Rinse, repeat.

this is what I pay XM and I've been with them since 08. just tell them that is all it is worth to you. $77.94 per year after tax/fees

Sirius Select (1 Year - Promo) 12/17/2019 - 12/17/2020 $60.00
SiriusXM Video (1 Year) 12/17/2019 - 12/17/2020 $0.00
U.S. Music Royalty Fee $12.84
State & Local Taxes $5.10
Subscription Credit

SiriusXM plans are auto renew, you must call to cancel. If they can't charge your card they'll eventually turn the debt in to collections. I'd check the terms and conditions of accepting the free trial especially if you have to give them a CC to do it. No biggie really, you'll just have to be responsible for making the call to cancel. That's where they pitch the discounted rates to stay subscribed.

Sclass nails it. If I fuck up it costs me but that has only happened once and I caught it within a few days. Now it is on my daily reminder calendar a few days before expire.

I have XM send me a bill which I pay by check. Not going to give them open access to a CC.

quote:

Originally posted by Powers77:
I have XM send me a bill which I pay by check. Not going to give them open access to a CC.

You can’t pay the “processing fee” via check. Must use a CC.
You get 3 or 6 months added to your trial for a $2 processing fee. They hope you forget and they have your info to enroll you at full price then make it a nightmare to cancel.

I am just trying to beat them at their own game. But looks like all the prepaid cards have a $5 monthly fee so that does not make it worth my wife either.

I have a Quicksilver card so I’ll have to look into the Virtual Card V Tail is talking about.

I don't deal with anyone that tells me up front that they are out to play games to cheat me.
That's how I beat them at their own game.

I use a Walmart MoneyCard for exactly this purpose.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:

I have a Quicksilver card so I’ll have to look into the Virtual Card V Tail is talking about.

"Eno" is the Virtual Assistant on the website, to help you get it set up.

Once you have figured out the first one, any additional virtual cards for different merchants are really simple.

Initial setting up of any card does not work with the Safari browser on Apple devices, I need to use Chrome to set up a virtual card, but once it is set up I can manage it and use it with Safari (this refers to the Capital One QuickSilver card. Might be different with other card issuers).

It isn't a nightmare to cancel and if they don't offer a price you are willing to pay canceling service is how you get the best price.

I cancelled my Ridgeline several years back and after a couple months received a please come back special for $5 a month. That is what XM is worth to me.

When I call to renew/cancel I start the conversation with "I'm getting a promotional rate and it is about to expire. I will renew if I can get the same rate otherwise cancel my service." This has always worked for me