Table of Contents
It is essential to know how much money you have on your debit card and how much of the total balance is available to spend. In addition, checking your debit card balance frequently helps you maintain good management of your finances, as well as detect potential problems (such as fraud or errors) before they get out of hand.
Table of Content
- Why check my debit card balance?
- Method #1: Call customer service
- Method #2: Log in to your online banking account
- Method #3: Go to an ATM
- Method #4: Go to a bank branch and talk to a representative
- Method #5: Download the bank’s mobile app
- How to check the balance of a prepaid debit card
- Tips
Why check my debit card balance?
When you check your debit card balance to see how much money you have left to spend, you’re really looking at your associated checking or checking account balance.
Bounce a check has never been fun, aside from the embarrassment, there are often additional fees to deal with. One way to deal with this type of situation is to hire overdraft protection from your bank to cover yourself.
There are different ways to check the balance of a debit card, but regardless of all of them, you will need to have certain information, such as the card number and the PIN (Personal Identification Number) code, on hand.
Method #1: Call customer service
One way to check your debit card balance is to simply call the bank.
After you provide the customer service representative with your account number and personal identification number (PIN), they should be able to tell you the current balance on your card. Also, it’s common for banks to have automated systems that will tell you the balance of your checking account (and therefore your debit card) once you’ve confirmed your identity.
Method #2: Sign in to your online banking account
If you have an account with your bank’s online banking platform, checking your debit card balance through it is probably the easiest way to do it . To do this, go to the financial institution’s website and enter the login information (usually a username and password).
Create an account on the online platform
If you don’t have an account, you can create one by clicking a link that probably says something like “create an account” or “sign up.” You’ll need to enter some information, such as your account and routing number, your name, address, and date of birth, and then you’ll be prompted to create a username and password.
Take a screenshot of the home page
For most banks, the home page that appears when you log in includes your bank account information (including your current balance, which is linked to your debit card), as well as any other account or instrument information financial you have.
So make sure you know which account you’re looking at when you go through this getting started section. For example, if you have a savings account linked to the same bank, that account will likely appear on the home page as well; so you want to make sure you know which is which before you go ahead with anything else you’re going to do on the platform.
Sign Out
It’s extremely important that you make sure to log out of any website that contains personal and/or private information, especially if you’ve connected in a public place (although it’s best to avoid connecting to a private account from WiFi in the first place).
Method #3: Go to an ATM
If in addition to checking your debit card balance you also need to withdraw money, then going to an ATM is your best option.
You can search your bank’s website for ATMs in your area. On the other hand, you will likely be charged a fee to use an ATM at a bank other than your own, although most banks will at least allow you to check your balance from an external ATM for free.
Insert the card into the ATM slot
To check the balance and withdraw money, you must insert the debit card in the indicated slot and follow the steps described on the screen.
Select the balance inquiry option
Banks may have slightly different home screens for their ATMs, but most have a button that says something like “balance inquiry” or “bank balance” that you can select to view your balance. Depending on the bank, the balance will be displayed directly on the teller screen, printed on a receipt, or both .
End the session
Some ATMs automatically log you out, but you should always make sure the screen has returned to the home page before leaving an ATM. After all, you just entered all of your account details there, so being a little careful doesn’t hurt.
Method #4: Go to a bank branch and speak to a representative
In this case, the representative will ask for information such as your account number, PIN code, and possibly a government-issued ID. In addition, you can also withdraw money or make any other request or transaction that you need.
Method #5: Download the bank’s mobile app
Another way to check your debit card balance is through the bank’s mobile app. In a similar way as with the online platform, when you enter your user name, the application will show you a home screen with your account information, including the balance.
How to check the balance of a prepaid debit card
Go to the card issuer’s website
For example, if you want to check the balance of a Walmart card, go to the website and log in with your user. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create one, for which you’ll need information like the card number and security code. This code is usually three to six digits long and is located on the back of the card, under a stripe that you have to scratch off or peel off. As for the card number, it consists of 16 numbers and is located on the front or back.
Go to an affiliate store
A quick way to check the balance of a prepaid debit card is to use it at a site where it is accepted. For example, if you have a VISA prepaid debit card, a teller at a place that accepts VISA can show you the balance.
Enter the issuer’s mobile application
Some card issuers, mostly large chain stores and credit companies, offer their customers mobile applications. For example, Walmart has Walmart Moneycard and Bluebird from American Express has the Bluebird mobile app. You can use the app to register the card and then log in with the username and password of your choice.
Send a text message to the card issuer
Some issuers allow you to check the balance of a debit card through text messages. For example, to view the balance on a Walmart card, text “BAL” followed by the last four numbers on your card to 96411.But if you don’t know if the card company offers this option, go to their website and look at the available methods to check the balance. On the other hand, don’t forget that message and data rates may apply through your phone company.
Advice
- Be sure to use the official website of the bank/company/financial institution when you want to check your debit card balance or make any other transactions.
- Use ATMs in your bank’s network, as this ensures that you don’t have to pay fees to view your debit card balance.