<prompt> Human: So I was thinking earlier about getting a secured credit card in order to help rebuild my already bad credit score of 595. Is having a card like this to be used for emergencies only say I have a secured cc with a 500 limit functionally any different than having a pre-paid debit card? I have my own bank account, so the concept of a prepaid debit card think Greendot is kind of silly to me anyway, but I still would like to know if there is a real functional difference aside from getting a statement and balance from the credit card company every month.  <response>: Prepaid cards are completely useless. Secured credit card helps you build credit, and typically after 6 months to a year of using it, your credit should be good enough to qualify you for a regular unsecured card. 