Have you ever wanted to try sign up for a free trial, but not want to give out your credit card information? Here is a tip that allows me to sign up for free trials without fearing they may charge my card if I cancel.
I purchase the smallest denomination prepaid Visa or Master Debit/Gift Card I can. I use the gift card, but leave about $5.50 on the card. I then use this Visa/Mastercard to sign up for free trials – if I decide to keep the trial – I just update the credit card before the trial expiration is up.
If I don’t want the product/service, I can cancel it — without fear of being charged. About 90% of the free trial programs I have used have accepted a prepaid Visa giftcard. Just be sure that it has a valid Visa or Mastercard number – Visa should start with 4 and Mastercard should start with 5. It should have a CVV code (three digit code on back of the card). Also, try to buy a card with a very long expiration date.
Do you have any other tips for signing up for free trials?
Rick James says
I ran a free trial program once. Over 99% will get the product and when the subscription is up, and the full bill is due, the card gets decline and the customer gets away with free product, where they should read that it’s a “free trial” and not “free” program.
So doing this method only encourage unethical practices against the companies involved.
John says
I can already see you order a bunch of tangible products, using a prepaid/giftcard, and not paying for it if you DO like it… With most Free Trial products, you would have to return the product if you dont like it, but this way — you keep the product for virtually free. Way to publish an article to “protect yourself” — while at the same time, its telling people how to abuse the system and be unethical to legitimate companies.
Chandra says
Dude i dont know how far this prepaid visa gift card works. But i heard that NetSpend Virtual Card will works for doing free trial offers in ZNZ. But this prepaid visa gift card wont work for doing trial offers in ZNZ freebie money program. Please let me know what do you say about it. Thanks.
ruben says
what if i dont cancel a trial? if i have $3 left and start a trial and dont cancel what will happen?
william says
want to know if you could try free trial offers with a netspend prepaid card and do you have to have the amount of the offer on the card to get the offer to go threw
Chandra says
@william: Hey william! Chandra here. Are you sure that Netspend Virtual Card works well for doing free trial offers in ZNZ freebie money program? Please reply me.Thanks.
Chuck says
Shannon,
Hi! You should check your own credit card’s website to see if they let you create a “Virtual Credit Card” It’s amazing. It generates a faux credit card number that expires the following month, and you can cancel the number/invalidate it whenever you want. It’s the best. I use it for all my online shopping. I have a Citicard Visa. Check it out. Won’t regret it!
Shannon says
Chuck,,
Awesome.. would you mind if I used this idea for another post?
Chuck says
@Shannon,
Sure, why not?
It’s a great way to shop securely online. Has a unique CVV and all! You can even cancel the charge # right after you submit (and before the funds are actually charged to your account). Meaning, once the charge is instantly authorized, go ahead and cancel the Virtual Credit Card #. The merchant will still get their $$ (if applicable), and no one can ever use the number again.
Shannon says
@Chuck,
sweet! :)
OneBlonde says
That is so clever.. Totally gonna use, i always forget to cancel out of things i don’t like.
GetDebit says
@s — there are starting to be quite a few prepaid cards that don’t have a monthly fee. The Mango card is one great one. Check out the list at http://www.getdebit.com.
Also, Shannon, I think the days of being able to use a gift card for these free trials is going to come to an end sooner or later… we’ve spoken to a number of merchant banks, and they tell us that merchants are aggressively starting to use “BIN blockers” that identify prepaid gift cards before processing an order — you’ll start to get declined, and asked for an alternative form of payment. (although its absolutely worth trying until they totally stop it!)
coralie says
sounds like a great idea to me. when rite aid has one of those deals for free, i will be sure to grab it up!
s says
I have been looking for a prepay card with no monthly fee, does anyone know of one.
Thanks
Leighann says
When I sign up for a free trial, I determine when the trial is going to end and then I put a note for the week before the end date on my calendar to re-evaluate the status of my free trial. If I like what I’m trying (say, Netflix) and want to keep it, I don’t do anything. If I don’t like the free trial, I go ahead and cancel it the week before it’s due to charge me. By putting it on the calendar, I’m making sure that I don’t go over the date and thus don’t get charged. Using a prepaid card sounds like a good idea, too.
Tina says
I’ve found that many of the prepaid cards charge fees to use them or a “maintenance fee” after so many months so be careful which one you choose.
Shannon says
@Tina,
There are many that don’t and also many states that don’t allow that either — so be sure to read the fine print. I have had the same card for 18 months – no fees
s says
@Shannon,
Hey Shannon:
What card did you use that didn’t have a fee, i’ve been looking for one .
Thanks
Shannon says
@s,
what state are you in?
Jen T says
Great idea =) Thanks for the tip.