We’ll start out with some general, steadfast rules for anyone interested in self-publishing, in print or online. In the end, which route you choose will be up to you, and either way know that you’re signing up for some major work.

But when you’re feeling overwhelmed or a little disheartened, just remember what author Philip Unwin said: “The long-lived books of tomorrow are concealed somewhere amongst the so-far unpublished manuscripts of today.”

So get cracking on that manuscript!

Getting Started

1) Determine your goal. Decide who you want to read your book and how many copies you’ll need. Do you want just enough to hand out to co-workers, family, and friends, or are you going for a larger audience? Of course you’ll have to decide whether you even want printed copies, but that’s coming up…

2) Make sure you’re not repeating something. Take a look around at different books in your genre to make sure A) you haven’t just come up with something that is already on the market, and B) how books similar to yours are selling. If you’ve written the latest and greatest Fiction about a family of cats, for example, but the market is not responding to Fictions about families of cats, well, you might want to re-think your story, or at least how you present it to people.

3) Determine your format. Okay, now you decide: hardcover, softcover, or eBook. Hardcover and softcover are your typical printed books. EBooks are online only and can be downloaded on peoples’ computers, tablets, phones, or eReaders.  So here’s the lowdown on your options:

• Printed books are slower to reach the market. It can take weeks or months until they become available to major book resellers
• EBooks books have a huge variety of formats
• Either way, if you’re a self-published author, you’ll need to be ONLINE to promote, promote, promote, and then promote some more, because with self-publishing, you are essentially a one-man team.

If you go with eBook option…

We’ll go over the two options that seem to be the most widely used, the easiest, and generally most beneficial to authors (they both offer their authors up to 70% in royalties.) Those options are Amazon’s Kindle and the iBookStore.

How to Publish with Amazon’s Kindle

1)   Sign up at KDP.amazon.com. Here you can use the same username and password you ordinarily use with Amazon, or you can create a new one.

2)   Add your title.

3)   Add your book’s information (author name, subtitle, genre, etc.)

4)   Add your book files. Here you’ll upload your book file and your cover art. Kindle accepts PRC formatted files, and if you’ve never heard of it, don’t worry. Just check out the Kindle formatting guide and they’ll walk you through it.

5)   Establish your price, distribution rights, and royalty level.

*A Tip on Price from CNET’s David Carnoy, an eBooker himself: “You should sell your e-book for less than $4.99. Most successful e-book authors are finding the greatest success in the $0.99-to-$2.99 range.”

Royalty Options: 35% royalty or 70% royalty. The 35% applies to titles under $2.99 and the 70% applies to books between $2.99 and $9.99

6)   Wait for publication. That’s it: you’ve published a book in 5 steps. Now you just have to wait, usually a couple of days, and then there it will be available to the public in the Kindle bookstore.

How to Publish to the iBookStore

According to eBooker and CNET reporter, David Carnoy, getting your book into the iBookStore is becoming increasingly important, with the rise in the iPad’s popularity.

1)   Create an Account. Click here to create an account with the iBookStore in order to upload your books. Read over the initial requirements, make sure you can meet them, and proceed.

2)   Enter your basic information. In this next step you’ll need to enter your first and last name and your Apple ID and password (the same one you use for app downloads, iTunes, etc.) If you don’t have an iTunes account, click here to create one.

3)   Enter more basic information. Here you’ll enter information like your name, address, and tax ID number (which is your social security number.) They’ll need this because the revenue you get from selling books is a bit different than the revenue you get selling apps or other things online.

4)   Upload your Book. The tool they use to help you in uploading your book is called iTunes Producer, an app produced by Apple. According to eBook-writer Dragos Roua, the process is very simple and easy to follow

5)   Enter your book’s information. This will include title, subtitle, genre, etc. Easy peezy.

6)   Wait for review. Once you’ve submitted your book to the iBookStore, Apple will review it. According to Dragos Roua, this process can take some time (for him about 2 weeks), but once it is done, barring any complications or big red flags, your book will be published and ready for purchase in the iBookStore.

*With the iBookStore, you will make 70% of the royalties and Apple will make 30%.

And that’s it! For more on self-publishing, in print or online, check out this great article with 25 things you need to know. Happy writing, everyone!

Have you written a book, or are you interested in doing so? What are your thoughts on self-publishing?

Sources: SelfPublishingResources.com, SelfPublishingAdvisor.com, WritersServices.com, Dragosroua.com, Reviews.cnet.com

What, you didn’t do those things? You don’t have any idea what a Betamax tape is?! Well that is probably because each one of those items mentioned was a big, fat, product failure.

If you’ve ever considered creating a product, please take a look at this multi-million dollar lessons that are absolutely free – brought to you by Mango Check it out.

10) The DeLorean Car

Yes, just like the one in Back to the Future, except without any of the stuff that made the car cool (like that whole time travelling bit.) The car debuted in 1981, and two years later when the company went out of business, they had only sold about 9,000 vehicles total. Why did it fail? According to CNN, the car was too pricey for the quality, and consumers were just not interested in this car with its odd wing-like doors.

9) Pepsi A.M. and Crystal Pepsi

Have you ever been eating your breakfast and thinking to yourself, “You know what would go great with this? A soda!” Me neither. That’s exactly why Pepsi’s “Pepsi AM,” released in the early 80’s was such a flop and was quickly removed from the market—people simply didn’t equate soda with a breakfast drink. A few years later, the company tried again with Crystal Pepsi, which was just a clear version of Pepsi, and again, had to concede defeat. Why? Apparently with the lighter color, customers were expecting the drink to also taste lighter and crisper (like Sprite, for example) and when it didn’t, sales came to a halt.

8 ) Betamax Tapes

If you are one of the majority of people who doesn’t even remember what this was, well, it was Sony’s version of a VHS tape. In the late 70’s JVC released the VHS and around the same time Sony released the Betamax. The two duked it out for a few years, but by the early 80’s, the battle was lost and Betamax was no more. Why? VHS had taken over the market; there was simply no room for poor Betamax.

7) Bic’s “Disposable Underwear”

Bic is known for all things disposable: razors, lighters, pens… and apparently, in a brief blip of bad decision-making, underwear. Why did it fail? The product flopped, not only because women weren’t keen to buy “disposable” underwear, but also because there was no connection in the products. It just didn’t make sense.

6) Colgate Kitchen Entrees

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I can’t get the idea of toothpaste out of my head here, and a microwaveable meal that tastes like Spearmint doesn’t exactly sound appealing. Why did it fail? Customers didn’t “bite” simply because, honestly, how appetizing does “Colgate Spaghetti” sound?

5) Harley-Davidson Perfume

Harley fans are known to be loyal—they sport the jackets, they buy the helmets, and they are Harley fans true and true. But even these loyal fans didn’t jump on board when Harley released their perfume line. Why not? When you think of perfume by Harley, do you imagine the smell of gasoline and bikers, or something sweet and floral? Exactly.

4) McDonald’s Arch Deluxe

The Arch Deluxe was introduced in the late 90’s as an alternative for adults with more sophisticated tastes. Why did it fail? People go to McDonald’s, not for a gourmet meal, but for something quick, inexpensive, and basic. Needless to say, the Deluxe didn’t make it to the new millennium.

3) Cheetos Lip Balm

In 2005 Frito-Lay introduced this lip balm, which did, in fact, taste like Cheetos. Why did it fail? Even the biggest cheese lovers don’t want to taste it on their lips all day—imagine how thirsty you’d be! Ultimately Frito-Lay’s foray into cosmetics quickly came to a close.

2) The Ford Edsel

This car is actually sometimes referred to as the “Titanic of automobiles” in the car world. It was released with a lot of hype in 1957, but in just a few years, sales fizzled and they pulled it from the market. In the end, Ford lost $355 million on the project—about $2 billion today. Why? The Edsel was not only rumored to be poorly crafted, but was also an expensive car for during a recession when other carmakers were discounting last year’s models.

1) New Coke

In the 70’s Coke began facing some stiff cola competition and so to stay in the game, they thought they’d release “New Coke.” They stopped production on the classic recipe, switched to the new, and fans were outraged. Why? Coke has been a staple of soft drinks for over a century; needless to say fans have gotten used to their beverage tasting a certain way. Coke quickly went back to the old classic, and since have done well to remember the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Cheers!

Can you think of any other huge product failures or flops? Share them below!

Photos Courtesy of: I – Ful Images

Sources: DailyFinance.com, AllThingsMundane.Wordpress.com, MentalFloss.com, BrandFailures.BlogSpot.com

Even Stephen King and J.K. Rowling talk about their years of rejection until that one publisher decided to take a chance. But what about those writers out there who won’t settle for years of hearing “no?” What about those who just get fed up? Well, for some, self-publishing has been the answer. So check out this list of the self-published superstars of the past and present.

Past

Edgar Allan Poe: Tamerlane and Other Poems

In the early 1800’s Poe turned this first public work over to a local label and flyer printer after being rejected by several publishers. Only about 50 copies were printed of the 40-page book and today, at only about 12 copies still in existence, these are considered one of the rarest first editions in American Literature.

Beatrix Potter: The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Several publishers rejected this classic children’s book initially, but in 1901 Potter decided to print the book and distribute it herself. After some success, Frederick Warne and Co. began printing it as a trade edition and in the years that followed multiple reprints were issued. Today with over 45 million copies sold, this self-published book is one of the bestselling of all time.

Irma Rombauer: The Joy of Cooking

Today this cookbook is in just about every kitchen, and so it might surprise you to find out that it started as a privately published book. In 1931 the label maker AC Clayton printed just 3,000 copies of the cookbook. In 1936, the publisher Bobb-Merrill picked up The Joy of Cooking and since, it has sold more than 18 million copies.

Present

John Locke: The Lethal Series

Locke became the first author to sell more than a million e-books without a publishing deal—in just five months. He used Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing platform. The Lethal Series includes nine books and Locke has published several others as well, including one book aptly called How I sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months! (Check it out for tips on your own book!) Today the publishing company Simon & Schuster sell print editions of the books.

Michael Prescott: Riptide

Three year ago, Michael Prescott’s debut novel, Riptide, was rejected by about 25 publishers. Disheartened, he turned to self-publishing as a last resort. And boy did it pay off. Today he is one of a handful of self-published authors whose e-books made the lists of 2011’s bestsellers. E-books are generally sold at about 99 cents per download, and with all of those downloads going on, Prescott says he earned about $300,000 in just a year.

Amanda Hocking: The Trylle Trilogy

This latest and greatest in the world of self-publishing, wrote 17 books, all of which were rejected by agents and publishers. As a last resort, Hocking decided to publish one of those books, the first in The Trylle Trilogy, on Amazon. Today, these paranormal books are being printed online and in print by St. Martin’s Press and have even been optioned for adaptation as a series of movies.

And writers around the world, take heart: if they can do it, so can you. Tune in next week when we’ll go over just how to publish your own writing. Who knows, you could be the next Edgar Allen Poe!

Have you or somebody you know ever self-published something? Spread the word on your book and share your experience below!

Photos Courtesy of: kandinski, mansionwb,  snigl3t ,sakamencho, TheCreativePenn

Sources: KDP.Amazon.com, Guardian.co.UK, OnlineCollegeCourses.com, USAToday.com, Amazon.com, ExpertMessageGroup.com, Reviews.Cnet.com,

Check out today’s infographic with the rundown: who bought what, when, and for how much. The ten most expensive sports team purchases ever.

[Click Image to Enlarge]

Which sports team would you most love to own?

Sources: World-most-expensive.com, Forbes.com, MLB.SbNation.com, JewishVirtualLibary.org

Remember the days when a resume was all about presentation? When we’d spend painstaking hours finding the exact right font, the perfect layout and design, and then spend a bundle to print it out on that perfect cardstock paper? Finally we’d hand it over to our potential employer like some kind of gift, smile, and hope that our careful presentation would pay off. Well it seems as though those days are coming to an end. When was the last time you actually printed out your resume on nice paper? When was the last time you actually mailed it or handed the physical copy to a person?

These days, resumes are sent in via E-mail more often than not, and I hate to break it to you, but computers also usually look them over before human eyes ever take them in.

Yes, we’re in the era of machines, and those machines are critiquing your resumes.

So how do you write a resume to wow… a computer? Check out these seven tips.

1)   Include a target job title and include it high up on your resume. This portion of your resume is favored by computers’ algorithms, much like it would catch the eye of a person (if one was actually reading it.) It sounds simple, but many times people forget to include a target job title at the very top of the page.

2)   Include a performance profile just below your job title. This will describe your ability to do the job.

3)   Include a description of your professional skills next. According to CareerCast.com, placing these skills near the top improves your performance with those search engine algorithms…”

4)   Include these skills over, and over, and over… This is sometimes hard to wrap your head around when your whole life you’ve been taught that being too repetitive is bad, but when a computer is doing the reading, it is looking for repeated keywords. So further down when you talk about past employment experience, repeat these key skills as often as you can.

5)   Include nouns rather than verbs. When hiring managers search through the database of resumes, they search by keyword, and usually they search by nouns. EX: it is easier for them to search “Database programmer” than “designed and implemented databases.” Make sure that you use these noun keywords to describe your industry.

So what are these magical keywords that you should be using? Well it is different for everyone depending on what kind of job you are applying for, but there is a pretty simple method to finding the ones that are right for you. Check it out.

6)   Include text only in your resume. Bullets, tabs, italics, etc. will do nothing to impress the computer scanning your information; in fact, it might just confuse the poor thing.

7)   Include a font that is easy to read. Stick with something simple like Times or Ariel, size 12. Even if you hand in a physical copy of your resume, businesses these days usually scan them in, then have the computer search for keywords, and then hand them over to a person. Fancy fonts and symbols will blend together in these scans and might turn up as misspelled words.

For a great resume example, click here and simply open the PDF.

And remember, these 7 steps will help you get past the computers, but that is just the first part; after that it’s all about acing the interview. Check out our posts on how to dress and show up for an interview. Happy hunting, everyone!

What do you usually focus on most when applying for a job? (Resume appearance, resume content, cover letter, etc.)

Sources: PSU.edu, Squawkfox.com, CareerCast.com, Hunklersearch.com, CNBC.com

That’s a lot of education walking around.

Here’s another fun fact: right now in the United States, about 8.3% of working-age adults are unemployed— compared to an incredibly low 2.5% in 1950 and 6% in 1980.

Now I know I’m throwing a lot of numbers at you, but I am trying to illustrate a point: Despite the increased number of college graduates these days, in a tough economy, even many of the most educated people remain unemployed.

As of late, this topic of higher education has been on many peoples’ minds. There are articles claiming less people should go to college; others that state just the opposite. People argue employers should be more exclusive; others counter that they should be less so. Even President Obama has given his two cents stating, “ In this economy, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a good job.”

But these days, a college diploma doesn’t even seem to guarantee a good job, or a job at all. So what can we do? Well, for one thing, we can toss that old idea of “it doesn’t matter what type of degree you get, as long as you get a degree” right out the window. Because these days, more than ever, the type of degree you get does matter. And it may well mean your employment—or not.

So check out this infographic. We’ve listed not only the most profitable majors (which can be very profitable!), but also the ones that are most likely to get you a job straight out of school.

Now these aren’t necessarily the most popular majors (FYI: Business Administration is the most popular major), but they are the ones that will make the most, and/or actually earn you a job.

And isn’t that what we’re after?

[Click on image to enlarge]

Comment below and let us know what you think: Does choosing one major over another better ensure your chance for a job or money?

Sources: SSDan.net, QuickAnded.com, BLS.gov, DailyMarkets.com, Time.com, WSJ.com

But what about those businesses out there that have done the same? Do they not deserve the same recognition; do they not garner the same inspiration? Well, here at Mango, we certainly think they do. After all, Mango is a business. We are made up of individuals, each with our own lives, our own emotions, our own desires; but we come together each day to serve, not just the company at large, but also the individuals: you.

And so in today’s post we thought we’d take a look at some of those other businesses out there who do a valuable service to their customers, but started with the humblest of beginnings. Just think of these guys as the “rags to riches” stories of businesses.

Whole Foods

Just like Mango, this business started out with the dream of two men in Austin, Texas. In 1978 20-somethings John Mackey and Rene Lawson Hardy saved up and borrowed to start a small natural foods store in Austin, Texas. Within a year of opening the business, they were evicted from their apartment for storing store items at home. Without another place to go, they decided to save some money and move into the store (imagine: no shower, no beds, etc.) Two years later, the two finally moved out when they merged with another natural foods store to create the first Whole Foods Market. Today, Whole Foods has expanded to cities all over the country, has billions of dollars in revenues and assets, and is ranked number 273 on the Fortune 500 List.

Apple

Believe it or not Apple, arguably the most successful US business, started out in some guy’s garage. Steve Wozniack was an electronics hacker and he and his good friend, Steve Jobs, decided to create a personal computer. So being the innovators that they were, the two did just that and ended up selling 50 units to a local electronics store. And that was how Apple began. Today, Apple has a net worth of  $500 billion, and in 2011 alone earned a profit of $127 billion. That’s a long way from a garage project, don’t you think?

Starbucks

In 1971 two teachers and a writer decided to each invest $1,350 of their own money into starting a little coffee shop in downtown Seattle. They called it Starbucks. Starbucks started out mostly selling coffee beans, and it wasn’t until 1980 when Howard Schultz entered the picture, that the coffee shop began focusing on actually making drinks for customers. In 1992, Starbucks went public and with its success, it began expanding all over the country, at one point at the rate of opening one store per day. Today Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world with almost 20,000 stores in over 50 countries, including 12,781 in the US alone.

Nordstrom

The store began in 1887 with a 16-year-old boy from Sweden: John W. Nordstrom. He arrived in New York City with a few dollars to his name, a vague understanding of the English language, and a dream of success. He labored for ten years, at first in New York, and then continued to take on manual labor jobs that would move him further and further west. One day Nordstrom heard news of gold discovered in Alaska, picked up and moved, and after two years of hard labor panning for gold, he managed to save up $13,000. Back then this was no small change. Nordstrom moved to Seattle to invest the money and in 1901 opened his first shoe store. Over the 20^th Century, Nordstrom has grown from this one small shoe store to a multi-billion dollar retail empire located nationwide.

Mattel

The now famous company behind Barbie started out with meager beginnings, in the garage of Ruth and Elliot Handler just after World War II. Believe it or not, the business actually started out as a picture frame company, but shortly after opening for business, Handler began making dollhouse furniture with the scraps from the frames. With the baby boom and the serious lack of toys on the market at the time, the Handlers saw success fast in making toys, and in 1947 had their first big hit, the “Uke-A-Doodle.” In 1955 Mattel sponsored a new show; a little something called the “Mickey Mouse Club,” and in 1963 they released Barbie. I guess you can say the rest is history. Today, Mattel is the largest toy company in the world. Sorry, Santa.

Are you working on any business ideas?

Photos Courtesy of:  JD Hancock, Glyn Lowe Photos, Matthew Clark Photography & Design,  ModernDope (old account), Bill in DC, vikk007

Sources: Money.CNN.com, ModMyi.com, NYTimes.com, FundingUniverse.com, BusinessPundit.com

But even with this rising trend in spending, the average cost of a wedding still hovers around $30,000. And that is nothing. Well, not compared to some of the more lavish ceremonies out there. That’s why today we take a look back in time at the five most expensive weddings in history.

What do you think—would you spend this much money on a wedding… or buy a home… or fifty?

[Click on image to enlarge]

Sources: TheWeddingReport.com, TLC.com, EListMania.com, BusinessInsider.com, Leftos.com

As seen on TV products are an empire bringing in billions of dollars each year.

Infomercials have become famous, or perhaps infamous, for being over the top, sometimes cheesy, often times for selling unnecessary products. I mean, does anyone really need a knife that can cut through a quarter? I’d rather spend the thing than slice it in half. According to the Infomercials Inc. website, about 9 out of 10 infomercials are flops. But what about those select few who really make it? How much money do these “As on TV” products actually bring in? Check it out!

1)   Bowflex: Bowflex was first launched in 1986, and has promised buyers a “rock hard body” and the ability to go from “fat to fit” in each of its incarnations since. So far, over 2.5 million of these home gyms have been sold across the world.

2)   Proactiv: Proactiv wasn’t always the celebrity-endorsed acne product that it is today. When it first came onto the infomercial scene in 1995, the spokesman was Judith Light, the former “Who’s the Boss?” star. Not the worst candidate, but in the 2000’s Proactiv decided to start paying big bucks for younger, more popular celebrities like Jessica Simpson, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, and yes, even Justin Beiber. Their investment has certainly paid off, though. Last year alone, Proactiv brought in about $800 million in revenue.

3)   The George Forman Grill: This grill has used the face and name of the famous heavyweight boxer to its advantage since 1994 when it first came onto the scene. The grill markets itself as a “lean, mean grilling machine,” but it turns out, it’s also a moneymaking machine. In 2009, the George Forman Grill sold its 100 millionth unit after only 15 years on the market, making (or rather, remaking) the former heavyweight champion a millionaire many times over.

4)   P90X: Now this fitness program hasn’t been on the market nearly as long as the famous Bowflex, but it is rapidly gaining in popularity. P90X is an intense three-month combination of strength training, cardio, yoga, martial arts, and plyometric workouts. According to a recent New York Times feature, the product’s success lies in its drastic before and after photos. Since its debut in 2005, over 3 million copies of the workout have been sold, and the P90X Empire now brings in about $400 million a year.

5)   ShamWow: In just 4 years, the ShamWow has become one of the most recognizable infomercial products, largely thanks to the very recognizable pitchman, Vince Offer. Offer originally discovered the absorbent towels at a flea market, scraped together about $20,000, and began filming his own ad to sell the chamois. Though Offer won’t offer much information on his profits, we do know that the ShamWow has since sold millions.

6)   The Snuggie: This robe/blanket/ultimate garment for comfort or laziness first debuted in 2008, and was an immediate hit. In just the first five months of Snuggie’s life, it sold over 4 million units, and since, has become somewhat of a cultural phenomena.

7)   The Ped Egg: This little foot scrubber has climbed to success with a combination of clever marketing and a pretty reasonable price tag (just $9.95). The little guy uses 135 stainless steel micro-files to remove calluses and dead skin to “give your feet the incredible baby soft look.” Today, over 35 million Ped Eggs have been sold.

8)   Slendertone: Everybody wants that perfect body with those rock-hard abs, right? And what better way to get them than by doing… nothing? Well, that is what Slendertone says you can do with their product. This belt has an electronically stimulating pulsing system and comes with a price tag of $86.99. Does it work? Just ask the over 2.5 million people who have bought one.

Are you guilty of some late-night shopping? Which “As seen on TV” products do you have?

Photos Courtesy of: @heyamberrae, dno1967b, Ben Sisto, Official U.S. Navy Imagery, KAZVorpal, lindsayloveshermac, stevendepolo, bark, joelogon

Sources: Infomercialsinc.com, articlesnatch.com, MSN.com, ABCNew.go.com

So whether you’re a current Mangoer or not, check out these four differences between prepaid debit cards and credit cards and banks, and whether this seems like a good option for you.

1)   Prepaid Cards are not credit cards, but you can use them just as conveniently. Prepaid cards look like a credit card, can often be used like a credit card, but don’t be fooled—it’s a very different animal. You choose the dollar amount to put on the card, and as you spend, your purchases are deducted from the total balance. When your balance gets low, you can easily reload money, while at the same time having a clear idea of how much you’re spending. Prepaid cards are usually associated with one of the major card associations (Mango, for example, is associated with MasterCard), and so can be used anywhere a MasterCard debit is accepted worldwide. You can’t spend more than you have—which is a good thing: no overdraft fees and no debt—so just make sure that you have enough on your card for the purchases you plan to make!

2)   Unlike a credit card, you reload your prepaid debit card. Most prepaid cards give you four options. First, you can transfer money directly from a bank account or financial institution. Of course, like we said, many people use prepaid cards instead of banks, so that wouldn’t be an option. Second, you can have your employer direct deposit your paycheck onto the card. And finally, you can buy a MoneyPak card from Green Dot (at retailers like Walgreens, Wal-Mart, etc.) and use that to load your prepaid card.

3)   You can use your prepaid card instead of a checking account. Roughly 80 million people in the US would prefer not to deal with banks and more and more, these customers are turning to prepaid cards. Without linking to a bank account, a prepaid card allows you to do things that would require a credit card (booking a hotel room, for example.) Many banks offer debit cards that do this as well, but again, you’d have to have a bank account. With a prepaid card you don’t have to have a bank account at all. Prepaid cards use banks to keep your money, so your funds are FDIC Insured.

4)   Prepaid cards do not have overdraft fees. Oftentimes banks make their money by charging you overdraft fees. Of course many banks allow you to choose this option for yourself, but if you opt in, those fees can be high! (An average of $27—often much higher than the purchase itself!) Prepaid cards that are not associated with a bank account, however, will never charge such fees.

Do you use your Mango or prepaid card instead of a bank and/or credit card? What do you think?

Sources: CreditCards.com, BankRate.com, BankRate.com/.BRM, Netspend.com, StreetDirectory.com, MangoMoney.com