Canadian Prepaid Providers Organization

5 Mother’s Day Gifts for the Purposeful, Practical Mom

April 28, 2017 By Lena

Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

We all know one of them. You know, the mom who is almost impossibly hard to shop for because she’s so… damned… PRACTICAL.

“I don’t need anything!”
“Honestly, don’t spend your money on me. Save it for yourself. That’s what makes me happy.”
“I have everything I want!”

Ugh.

I know this woman well – heck, I AM this woman – which is why, if you’re stressed about what to buy mom this upcoming Mother’s Day, I’m here to solve your shopping dilemma. You’re welcome.

And so, I present to you: 5 Mother’s Day Gifts for the Purposeful, Practical Mom.

1. Upgrade her mobile phone. Practical moms are conservative when it comes to their cell phone needs, and we all know an upgrade is a luxury that most moms won’t prioritize. But who wouldn’t LOVE a newer model? Chances are, based on how long mom has had her current phone, she may already be eligible for a sizable chunk of savings if she chooses to extend her plan along with her mobile upgrade. Do a little digging and surprise mom with a gift she’ll love (to text you with!).
2. Purchase a monthly subscription box. Why give her one gift when you can give her twelve? There is simply no shortage of monthly subscription boxes that are based in Canada (or ship to Canada). Choose from beauty, food, crafts, wellness and more! You can select the subscription which most closely matches your practical mom’s interests, and watch her delight in goodies that she’d normally never spoil herself with. I found a neat blog based out of Vancouver – Canadian Subscription Box Addict – where you can easily find a list of all available boxes to Canadians. …

It’s a Shopping Spree, on a Budget. It’s a Match Made in Heaven.

February 19, 2016 By Lena

I get it, I really do. It’s an oxymoron, I know. *How* could I treat myself to a shopping spree if I was on a budget? Aren’t the two mutually exclusive?

Folks, it CAN be done. With prepaid cards, it’s easy to splurge while sticking to a set spending limit! Think about it: open loop prepaid cards look and function like traditional credit and debit cards with a significant difference – they access funds that have been pre-loaded by a consumer or business. Therefore, they’re the perfect budgeting tool! They allow me to exert control over my spending and at the same time, avoid interest charges and overdraft fees (win-win-win!).

This past week, my good friend Zeba from Ella Pretty Blog and I went on a prepaid shopping spree. Armed with my American Express prepaid cards, we had a girls’ day at the mall with one mission in mind: spend the entire balance available to me (a whopping $500).

Which brings me to my second point: sure, you *could* spend a prepaid card on groceries (remember my previous post?), but I really want you to do something amazing, just for you. A prepaid card is often a gift – treat it like one! You only live once, and splurging on yourself is twice as nice.

Now, since Zeba is my official style advisor and the only person I trust to advise me on fashion and trends, you could say that we had way too much fun. But that’s the beauty of prepaid cards: you get to spend, spend, spend until the card runs out, and then, you walk away with amazing new things – not credit card debt!

Are you ready for the big reveal? Here’s what we bought!
AMEX IG Giveaway B Now I may be biased, but I think everyone needs a little Chanel, Minkoff, Spade and Kors in their life! Collectively, these are all items I would have coveted excessively but never had the gumption to actually purchase. Thanks to my American Express prepaid cards (which feel prestigious, almost luxurious, not gonna lie!) and a sweet shopping companion, I feel good about my purchases and know that I splurged the smart way. …

Online Shopping, Saving and Splurging… My Way!

February 1, 2016 By Lena

NOTE: The following contest is open to Canadians only.

So, you received a prepaid credit card (or two, or ten) over the holidays, and you’re thinking:

I should probably spend this on groceries.

STAAAHP. Just stop. I mean, you *could* spend it on groceries. Go ahead! Make my day. But if you do, you won’t be making the most of that magical little prepaid credit card. In fact, you’ll be doing a disservice to gift givers everywhere. Really.
Mastercard 2 Today, I’m here to show you all the possibilities of prepaid cards. And after our little discussion, if you’re still keen on using it to buy groceries, I promise I won’t hold it against you.

ONLINE SHOPPING. Because open loop prepaid cards look and function like traditional credit and debit cards, they can be used anywhere the card network (American Express, MasterCard and Visa) is accepted, including online, on the phone and around the world. So, if you’re shopping online for say, a new handbag at Michael Kors, using a prepaid card allows you to make a secure purchase while reducing the chances of fraud or identity theft. …