You’ve heard of FaceBook but Have You Heard of Facecard?

Disclaimer: My husband was just hired as CTO of this company (which is why we get to stay in Nashville!).  But I love the idea so much that I needed to spread the love your way…..

Let me set the scene: last Thursday night my husband and I are driving back to our house after dinner.  We realized that we were out of checks and had no cash and the babysitter needed to be paid.  We didn’t want to hit the ATM and we didn’t need to.  Why?  Facecard.  We have a Facecard and our sitter has a Facecard.  So, we just sent some money from our account to hers ONLINE and instantly the money was on her card.  Pretty cool huh?  AND- I got $5 off my Whole Foods fresh juice today just because I paid with my Facecard and I got $15 off my Zappos order a couple weeks ago because I used the FC.   I actually am SO IMPRESSED by this company that I am having trouble writing this post.  There is just so much to say!  But, I’ll try to pare down so I explain it well, because you NEED this card!   And right now this card is FREE…as in no charges EVER!  Keep reading…..

At the end of this post I’m writing about the great deals available to StyleBluePrint readers. So, don’t jump the gun to order this card until you read this through!

I am so tired of entering every store and having someone ask me if I want a new credit card.  NO!  I don’t want a new card.  I don’t want your 20% off (which cracks me up when Target asks me when my total is only $7…I mean wait until I’m at the over $200 mark and I might be weak…..)  I don’t want all these cards because we have enviable credit and I don’t want to mess that up.  Well, Facecard is NOT a credit card.  It acts more like a prepaid charge card but is far more usable and has far more benefits.  I’m just going to list them out now as I don’t want your interest to wane!  If this is too much, click here for a brief overview:

• Facecard is a Mastercard on which you download money online.  Prepaid charge cards, the kind you can pick up at the grocery store,  can not be “reloaded”, but Facecards can.  A great budgeting tool for adults and kids alike.  At age 13, you can have a Facecard, but you will never have an overdraft fee as when you are out of money, you are out (until you load up more).  When my kids turn 13, this is how they will get their allowance.  I’ll just sit down and download money from my bank account onto their card.  So much easier than cash, but they can get cash off the card if they need to (see next bullet point) Parents of teens and college students: your dreams have been answered!  I know my Mom wishes she had this for me when I was in college. (Middle of the night call and your child needs more money for an emergency?  Go online and get them some money from your account and emergency funds are there instantly. This works whether you are down the street or in China.  Brilliant.)

• You can use it at the ATM to get cash.  This is a big deal as prepaid charge cards can’t be reloaded and they can’t get cash from an ATM.

• You get all these “prewards” emailed to you that act like undercover coupons.  All you have to do is redeem the coupon online (which activates the coupon to your card) and then go get it.  For example, Old Navy had one last week for $12 off.  My total there was $37.53 which I paid, but SIMULTANEOUSLY, my account was being refunded $12 which I could see when I went home and looked up my account.  The cashier didn’t know I got a discount; no one saw me hand them a crushed up cut out coupon.  But, I got $12 off my bill!  The merchant pays FC based on how many people redeem the coupon, which begs the question: Why aren’t all the small businesses we write about using Facecard to send customers their way since these businesses only pay based off of redeemed coupons?  Talk about accountable advertising……Plus, I want more prewards!  Nashville businesses, take note!  I want some fashion and furniture prewards!  I want some sushi prewards!  I want I want I want…….

• I love this part.  So, the name Facecard comes from the ability to transfer money from one person to another.  Last Thursday night I got on my Facecard page and plugged in my sitters name.  Let’s say there had been three people with her name who had a Facecard.  Well, each would have a picture listed as well as a hometown.  I clicked on my sitter’s picture (think FB profile pic) and I entered the amount I wanted to transfer to her and VOILA!  Money sent.  Can you imagine how great this would be for friends and family who are always trying to get that I’ll-pay-you-back-money sent to someone?  How about for a birthday?  No need to deposit a check, just send money through your Facecard.

• You are not a recessionista unless you are budgeting.  I have never been able to budget…EVER.  But, I’m good with money.  Still, downloading money onto my Facecard for the week has been a lifesaver.  I am thinking through my purchases more and saving money as a result.  I tried the cash envelope thing and I just couldn’t make it work (I kept leaving home without my cash)…..but now, I just download my money and that is what I have for groceries, Target (it’s own category- and White Bridge Road Target had a $15 preward two weeks ago!), meals out and misc things….all debt free.  A friend of mine uses her Facecard for all of her coffee and lunch spending as that is her weak spot.  All my money leftover will go to my….. decorator!  Hmmm….she needs a Facecard as I’d get her her money more quickly……the world would just be easier if everyone had one!

So, why is NOW the time to get one?  Because Facecard is waving ALL FEES for the LIFESPAN of the card if you order one before September 7, 2009 (that’s Labor Day)  I mean, if you miss this date don’t stress out as the regular fees are a low $5 to join and $3 per month unless you download $100 per month, then the $3 is waived.  But, hey, I love FREE and right now this card is FREE!

Moe's tacos

AND- if you enter “blueprint” into the promotions box, YOU will receive a $5 Whole Foods preward (Green Hills) AND a $2 Moe’s Southwest Grill preward (good in Middle TN stores) that will be good until October 15th (remember to download those coupons onto your card from your Facecard page).  Don’t live in Middle Tennessee?  Never fear, the Facecard team will get you some special prewards.  Just put that “blueprint” in the promotions box and they’ll hook you up!  So, get going.  No fees, great for budgeting, undercover coupons, fabulous for teens and college students (at least from the parent angle…I’m sure those kids would rather have the never ending spending limit of a credit card!!)

If you are a business interested in getting in on the preward thing (can you feel all of us readers saying Please Please!  We want more digital coupons!) or you have a suggestion as to where you want a preward from, just email Constance Baker at [email protected]

Sign up here. Learn more about Facecard here.  Happy budgeting and have fun with the undercover coupons….I just like to say that, undercover coupons…..! -Liza

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