Suze Orman Approved Debit Card: A List of Blog Posts

Suze Orman set off a firestorm by releasing her own debit card. Many people were disappointed that Suze's card charged many of the same ridiculous fees as other prepaid debit cards. And, unfortunately, Suze, who has long been seen as a consumer advocate who tells it like it is, muddied the waters a bit when it comes to prepaid debit vs. prepaid credit. (If you want to see the differences between prepaid debit and secured/prepaid credit, check out the prepaid debit card tip sheet we created to help you decide which is right for you.)

The way the card was marketed, many consumers might be forgiven for thinking that a prepaid debit card could help their credit scores. When it can't. Just because Suze's debit card will send information to TransUnion doesn't mean that data will be used for anything. And it won't be. Suze's web site, when you look closely, points out that the information won't affect your credit score, and it won't appear on your credit report. It's important to remember this: A prepaid debit card WILL NOT help your credit score. No matter whose name is on that card. (For a great post on how to create your own "prepaid debit" solution, check out a great post, How to Make Your Own Pre-Paid Debit Card -- And Suze Orman's Approved Card at Free From Broke.)

If you want to improve your credit, and you can't qualify for a "regular" credit card or a bank loan, you are better off getting a secured credit card. You will be able use it as credit, your payments will be reported to the credit bureaus, and you can begin to rebuild your credit. A prepaid debit card -- of any kind -- won't help you do that.

Sadly, the mainstream media is, for the most part, in love with Suze Orman's prepaid debit card because it is less bad than other cards of its kind. With personal finance bloggers, though, that doesn't cut -- nor does Suze's poor response to the criticism. If you are looking for posts on Suze's Approved prepaid debit card, here is a big list of places to start. (If we missed you, please add a link to your site in the comments.)

Blog Posts Reviewing Suze Orman's Approved Prepaid Debit Card

Here are the posts that break down the Approved card, and focus more on the nuts and bolts of the product:

• Suze Orman's Pre-Paid Debit Card Scam at Lazy Man and Money.
• Why Suze Orman's Approved Prepaid Debit Card is Terrible at Bargaineering.
• Suze Orman's Approved Card Gets Mixed Reviews and Controversy at Wise Bread.
• Suze Orman Shows True Colors With Her Approved Prepaid Card at Generation X Finance.
• Stay Away from Suze Orman's Approved Prepaid Debit Card at Everything Finance.
• Even if Suze Orman's Name is on the Card Prepaid Debit Sucks at Planting Money Seeds.
• Young, Gullible, and Broke: Suze Orman's Debit Card FAIL at So Over Debt.
• Suze Orman Releases Prepaid Card. Wait, What? at Beating Broke.
• Suze Orman's Approved PrePaid Debit Card: Bad for Consumers! at The Debt Princess.
• Suze Orman Prepaid Debit Approved Card: DENIED at Girls Just Wanna Have Funds.
• Suze Orman's Card is Not Approved by Me at Thousandaire.
• What We Need from Suze Orman Instead of Another Celebrity-Endorsed Prepaid Debit Card at PT Money.
• Suze Orman's Pre-Paid Debit Card Labeled "Cream of the Crap" at The Consumerist.
• Suze Orman's New Prepaid Debit Card: The Approved Card at Consumerism Commentary.
• Personal Finance Products Suze Orman Should've Endorsed Instead of Approved Card at Stupid Cents.
• Suze Orman's Approved Prepaid Card -- Bad Wine In a New Bottle at Money Cone.
• The Approved Card by Suze Orman: Not Such a Bad Product for the Unbanked at Go Banking Rates.
• Is Suze Orman's Approved Prepaid Debit Card Right for You? at Make Spend Save Invest.

Blog Posts Examining Suze Orman's Response to Criticism of the Approved Card

These posts are less about the Approved prepaid debit card and more about Suze's handling of the entire situation:

• Dear Suze Orman at Hi That's My Bike.
• Suze Orman Loses Her Sh*t on Twitter at Nerd Wallet.
• Suze Orman Teaches You How NOT To Handle Criticism at DollarVersity.
• Suze Orman's "Approved Card" Gets Denied; Thinks PF Bloggers Are Idiots at 20 and Engaged.
• Suze Orman, WTF? at Cash Flow Mantra.