An expired debit card can’t be used to buy things anymore, but that doesn’t mean that someone can’t still use the information. It is important to dispose of an expired debit card properly.
When disposing of an expired debit card, run a magnet along the magnetic strip and cut up the card so the name, account number, and any other personal information are unreadable. Expired debit cards can also be used for cleaning, scraping ice off a windshield, or arts and crafts projects.
There are some steps you need to take to make sure that your information is not stolen when you throw your expired debit card away. You also can use an expired card for other purposes instead of throwing it away.
Disposing of Expired Debit Cards
Before doing anything with your expired debit card, make sure that you have received a new one. Most banks replace your debit card automatically and will send a new one before the old one expires. If you haven’t yet received a new debit card, get in contact with your bank and have them send one to you.
Before just throwing your debit card away, it is important that you make sure that no one can use it anymore. An expired debit card will not work, but it’s possible that something might have gotten messed up and the card can still be used. To avoid letting someone steal and use your card, run a magnet along the magnetic strip (the black stripe on the back of the card). This will void the magnetic strip and make it impossible to use.
Your expired debit card will no longer work to purchase things, but if someone pulls it out of the trash, they can still use the information on the card. Debit cards typically have your name, bank account number, the card’s expiration date, and your signature. You will need to cut up your debit card so that all of this information is impossible to read. Cut each line of information in half horizontally and then into smaller bits vertically. Make certain that it is impossible to glean any information from any one piece of the card.
You also need to cut along the magnetic strip and cut up the area with the chip. Neither of these should be usable, but better safe than sorry.
Once your card is cut up, throw the pieces away in separate places. You don’t want anyone to have the opportunity to put the pieces back together. Make sure that the pieces are separated enough that a full line of information will not be in the same place.
This might seem like overkill, but having any of this information stolen would be very bad. Making sure that your information is protected and impossible to steal is very important. Taking these precautions is the best way to ensure that your personal information is safe and your money is not stolen by using your expired debit card.
Reusing Expired Debit Cards
You can throw your expired debit card away, but there are a lot of ways that you can reuse your debit card instead of throwing it away. Recycling your card in an environmentally conscious way is better than creating more waste. Additionally, you can use expired cards in very helpful ways that can make your life a little bit easier, even if they are only in a few simple situations.
You can keep expired cards in your car to use as an ice scraper. If you don’t have an ice scraper and you need to get going, you can use an expired card to scrape off a thin layer of ice from your windshield so that you can see. It is a lot harder to use than a normal ice scraper, and it won’t work on thick layers of ice, but it can be helpful in a pinch.
You can also use a card for cleaning. Walls, floors, and appliances will often get gunk on them that is hard to remove. An old debit card can be a really helpful tool to scrape this gunk off. You can also use the card to scrape the gunk off of dishes or scrape wallpaper or paint. You can even use the corner of the card to clean underneath your fingernails. An old debit card is a very helpful cleaning tool that would be very helpful to have around.
Expired cards can also be used for arts and crafts projects. You can cut one up and create a little planter, an earbud holder, or a handy bookmark. You can make mosaic art projects or jewelry. You can build a little doll house or create a cable organizer. There are endless possibilities for the kinds of art projects that you can do with an expired debit card.
There are lots of other uses for expired debit cards too. You can cut the card up and glue it underneath an uneven leg on a table or chair, or cut one into the right shape for a battery cover. You can use one to unlock your front door if you lock yourself out. You can create an ID label by cutting out the section of your name. There are so many ways that you can use an expired debit card instead of throwing it away. The only limit is your creativity and imagination (and your actual artistic ability).
When you use an expired card for an art project or other function, you have to make sure that you still take precautions so no one can see the information on the card. Deactivate the magnetic strip and black out the information with a marker. If you use it in a way that requires you to cut it up, try to use sections without information, and dispose of the rest of the card the same way as suggested in the section above. Take care not to lose the card, because someone could potentially use it or the information. Make sure that you are reusing the debit card safely and responsibly.
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