David didn't like carrying cash around after pay day. He wanted a different way to pay for things. But he didn't want a bank account or credit card, so David decided that a prepaid debit card would solve the problem. He could load money on the card and use the card to buy things.

David found a bunch of prepaid cards at the store. He chose the card recommended by his favorite singer. He loaded $200 on the card and went shopping.

But when David checked his balance a few weeks later, he got a surprise. He didn't know he paid $10 to activate the card, $12 a month to maintain it, $3 every time he bought something, $6 to check his balance, $3 to get cash from an ATM, $4 to get his statement in the mail, $2 to talk to a customer service agent, and $3 to reload the card. David loaded $200 on the card, but got to spend only $157.

So David did some research and found a prepaid card with lower fees. He got rid of the first card and switched to the new one. He's much happier now.