Over a meal recently an old friend Anu who I met through the Business Women’s Group gave me an overview on what she’s working on and it happened to be a seminar focussed the inaugural Middle East Prepaid Awards organised alongside the third Prepaid Summit Middle East.

It is apparently an area that is increasing rapidly and as a consumer, I myself now prefer prepaid cards – whether its for phone or my internet USB flash key. I also decided to give my 11year old a prepaid credit card to buy apps for her ipad 2 and this was only possible because my bank had started a bling card that can be used by kids easily (Naturally I have had multiple heart attacks at the beginning when this chick thought using a card meant she could go crazy with it without mumsy knowing – but all the transactions came to my email and I soon put a stop to young NJD being plastic happy).

Apparently loads of banks and retailers were involved in the summit that was held at Westin. From AlShaya and Ibn Battuta gift cards to travel cards, it seems like the industry is going crazy over safe, controlled plastic money.

The inaugural Middle East Prepaid Awards was presented in association with Visa Inc, and recognised the most outstanding and innovative organisations and individuals operating within the industry when it came to prepaid cards…all I can say is that I’m glad my little tyke has plastic money with a limit on it or else I just can’t handle dealing with the expenses of another diva within the same house.