This help article is for community groups and organisers who need to pay for a one-off booking with a venue or for signing up to become a regular hirer for one of our Partnered Hosts.
What is a pre-paid cash card?
It is a card that looks like a debit card but instead of being linked to a bank account, it can just be topped up with cash. Examples of pre-paid cards include Prezzy Visa Cards and Currency Cards for travel.
Pre-paid cash cards allow you to pay in shops and online. They can be topped up online and in some cases in person. They are a good option for informal community groups who do not have a bank account as the organiser can collect cash from their community and use this to top up the card so that the group can pay for things they need.
How to get a prepaid cash card
In New Zealand
We recommend the WestPac Prepaid Currency Card. Although this is provided by a bank, it is not a bank account. Its primary purpose is for use abroad, however it can also be topped up and used with local currency. This card has no fees to top up and use in New Zealand. It's basically a way you can securely keep your cash balance on a card and have the ability to make online and EFTpos payments.
You can register for a card online and have it delivered to your home here. The initial top up required is $10. It takes about 5 days to be delivered.
In Australia
We recommend the Wise Travel Card however you can also check out other Pre-Paid cash card options via the Canstar website. Most of the major banks will provide a travel card for no extra charge and these can be loaded up with Australian currency.
Click on the links below to visit these sites for further information for non-bank prepaid options:
Regular Hirers Only
SpacetoCo offers two methods of payment for your regular bookings - direct debit or having a debit or credit card charged.
SpacetoCo recommends that using direct debit to pay for your regular bookings is the best method. This is because:
- Organisations who are accepting or managing payments should have a dedicated bank account. This is so that the liability and risk of managing the organisations finances is with the organisation and not an individual.
- Direct debit is easier to manage ongoing as you do not have to update card details if it gets lost or stolen.
However, if an organisation has no bank account and no one is willing to use their debit or credit card for bookings, then a pre-paid cash card can also be used.
Paying your monthly bill using a prepaid card
SpacetoCo automatically charges your card when your monthly invoice is finalised on the 7th of the month. Please make sure funds are topped up on the card before the 10th so that this payment does not fail. More info on how your monthly payments work is here.
⚠️ REMEMBER - your payment for your previous months bookings will be charged to your card on the 10th of the month. Please ensure there are available funds topped up on the card. You will be sent a bookings summary total on the 1st of the month and have until the 7th to query it.
More info on how your monthly payments work is here.
Additional Information
Prepaid cards offer various benefits depending on the type chosen. These can include the convenience of loading multiple currencies and fixing exchange rates before traveling. They also enable usage both in-store and online wherever Visa or Mastercard are accepted, providing security features like protection against loss, theft, or fraud. Additionally, some prepaid cards offer perks such as earning frequent flyer points or accessing free Wi-Fi.
However, prepaid cards also come with drawbacks to consider. Users may incur several fees, such as initial purchase fees, reload fees, ATM fees, foreign currency conversion fees, inactivity fees, and cash-out fees. Another limitation is the range of card limits imposed, which may dictate minimum and maximum amounts of money that can be loaded onto the card.
Overall, while prepaid cards offer flexibility and security benefits, potential users should be mindful of associated fees and restrictions that could impact their financial management.
However, prepaid cards also come with drawbacks to consider. Users may incur several fees, such as initial purchase fees, reload fees, ATM fees, foreign currency conversion fees, inactivity fees, and cash-out fees. Another limitation is the range of card limits imposed, which may dictate minimum and maximum amounts of money that can be loaded onto the card.
Overall, while prepaid cards offer flexibility and security benefits, potential users should be mindful of associated fees and restrictions that could impact their financial management.