Shopping online at retailers like Amazon.com and Walmart.com can get you some of the best deals out there. That can mean big savings for people with long holiday shopping lists. It also means you can shop around for the best deals from the comfort of your couch without worrying about busy malls, long lines, or driving around to find that one hot item that could be out of stock. You can even have gift purchases shipped directly to your loved ones for convenience.

While there are plenty of perks tied to online shopping, many of us are uncomfortable using credit cards or putting our bank debit card number on the internet. Luckily, there are a few easy ways to use your cash for last-minute holiday shopping. Let’s explore some of those convenient options.

Use a prepaid debit card to shop online

One easy way to shop at online retailers is with your prepaid MasterCard® or Visa® card. All you have to do is load cash to your reloadable debit card before using it as the payment method at checkout with online retailers.

If you don’t have a prepaid card yet, don’t worry. Getting one is quick and easy. Green Dot offers a very attractive reloadable debit card that’s easy to get and is sure to have no overdraft fees, ever¹. Green Dot even offers a Cash Back Visa Debit Card that gives you 5% cash back on purchases, up to $100 annually! It’s easy to get a card in the prepaid section at thousands of retail locations nationwide like CVS, Walgreens, or 7-Eleven. Best of all, you can even get a new card online here.

Once you’ve activated your prepaid card, there are plenty of ways you can put cash on it to start shopping online.

2 Ways to Load Cash on a Prepaid Debit Card

There are 2 convenient ways to add money to a reloadable prepaid debit card. Read more about the easy reload options below and pick whatever is most convenient for you!

Option 1: Reload @ the Register™

If you have your prepaid card with you, Reload @ the Register is by far the easiest way to add cash to your card. Best of all, it’s available at thousands of participating retailers nationwide, so you shouldn’t have a hard time finding a place to add cash to your card.

Adding cash to your card with Reload @ the Register is simple: just take your cash and card to the register and tell the cashier you want to reload your prepaid card. The cashier will collect the cash you wish to reload, plus service fee. Then, all you have to do is swipe your prepaid card to add the cash. The money you loaded will typically be available on your card within 10 minutes. Remember: There are card limits that could interfere with your reload, so be sure you’re not going over any limits first.

Option 2: MoneyPak®

For those reloading on the go, or those who may not have their prepaid card with them, MoneyPak is a good alternative to Reload @ the Register. Simply pick up a MoneyPak in the prepaid section of participating retailers and bring it to the register. Hand the cashier the cash you wish to load, plus service fee, and the cash will be available on the MoneyPak within 20 minutes.

Head over to MoneyPak.com to apply the MoneyPak to a prepaid card. For your first MoneyPak reload, you will need to create a Secure Login by verifying both your identity and mobile phone number before you can use MoneyPak.

Once your Secure Login has been created and your information has been verified, you’ll be asked to enter the 16-digit prepaid card number where you wish to load the money. MoneyPak.com even has a helpful feature that lets you to save up to 3 prepaid cards; making future reloads fast and easy. Finally, enter the MoneyPak number located on the back of your MoneyPak, and select “Add Money to Card.” Now you’re ready to start shopping!

Online Checkout with a Prepaid Card

Now that you’ve got cash on your prepaid MasterCard or Visa card, you can use it to shop online! To get started, simply shop around and find any items you wish to purchase. Add them to your cart and when you’re done shopping, hit the “checkout” button. Usually, you’ll be taken to your cart where you can review your purchases, select the shipping option of your choice, and enter your payment method.

When asked for your form of payment, enter your 16-digit card number, the security code (CVV) located on the back of your card, and your billing address. Once that’s done, simply submit your order and don’t forget to reload your card so you can continue shopping for the best deals online!

Use PayPal Cash to load cash to your PayPal account

Many online retailers also have an option to “Checkout with PayPal.” If you prefer to use your PayPal account at checkout, you still have the option to pay with cash. PayPal Cash is an easy way to turn your cash digital at thousands of participating retail locations nationwide.

To get started, download the PayPal app². Then, head to a nearby Green Dot retail location that offers PayPal Cash. These include CVS, Rite Aid, and 7-Eleven.

In the PayPal app, select “Manage Balance,” then “Add Money,” and “Add cash at a store.” You’ll be asked to select a retailer, and the app will give you a mobile barcode. Show the barcode to the cashier, and tell them you would like to reload your PayPal account with PayPal Cash. The cashier will collect the money you’d like loaded along with the service fee and the money will be available in your PayPal account within 10 minutes.

Use a gift card to buy online³

Did you know that most online retailers allow you to pay with a gift card? Gift cards are a simple and quick way to take advantage of online-only deals. For example, let’s say your favorite retailer has an online-only sale on an appliance you want. If you wanted to make that online purchase with cash, all you would need to do is pick up a gift card and enter that gift card number at checkout. That’s it!

Thanks for reading and we hope that these tips will come in handy during this hectic shopping season.

Happy holidays from Green Dot!

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¹ Other fees and limits apply.  See Deposit Account Agreement for more details.
² This blog contains links to the PayPal website and application.  Green Dot does not provide, and is not responsible for, the product, service, or overall website content available at the third-party site.  The Green Dot Privacy Policy does not apply to the linked website and you should consult the privacy disclosures on the third-party site for further information.
³ Green Dot prepaid cards are not gift cards.  Unlike gift cards, full use of Green Dot prepaid cards is subject to successful identity verification.