• Share on Facebook
  • Tweet This Post
  • Share on LinkedIn

Information and tips from a veteran oDesk freelancer

Melisa Sukman EpandMelisa Sukman Epand
March 4, 2014

We were recently contacted by veteran oDesk freelancer and Payoneer account holder Lois Eva Adongo, regarding her experience using Payoneer as a payment solution for oDesk. Lois offers affordable business plan writing services on oDesk and is also the digital content strategist at the “Make a Living Freelancing” blog.

This is what she shared with us:Lois

My name is Lois Eva Adongo. I am a thirty something Kenyan currently living in Yangon, Myanmar. 

I have  hands-on experience with startups as well as with established organizations; in the conceptualization, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of mobile, telecommunication, and branchless banking services in emerging economies including Uganda, Haiti, Afghanistan, and Kenya. An MBA graduate, I have also been providing small businesses with affordable and high quality business plan development services.

In April of 2009, I decided to move my business plan consultant services online through the oDesk platform in an effort to utilize knowledge from my MBA days. Almost immediately, I started getting contracts. But the greatest challenge I had was how to get paid for my freelancing services.

Initially, I used to request for electronic bank transfers to my Kenya shillings account. This proved to be a very costly option; so naturally, I started hunting for alternatives. Before long, I landed on Payoneer’s Prepaid Debit Mastercard. I applied for a card and in less than one month, I had received it.    

 Are you satisfied with Payoneer? Do you have any comments?

Sure. No regrets whatsoever. I’m an avid traveler who is also a risk taker. I have travelled to 30+ countries and lived in some very difficult ones. But one thing I love about Payoneer is that it never failed me even once. Anywhere there is a Mastercard logo, I have been able to use it. Even while I lived in Afghanistan back in the day, I was able to use my card. Additionally, when I wanted to verify my PayPal account, I used my Payoneer card. Thank God by then I had earned some cash from oDesk so I didn’t have any problem with topping it up.

Would you recommend Payoneer to other oDesk freelancers? If so, why?

Absolutely. So far, Payoneer is the cheaper option when it comes to withdrawing funds from oDesk.  In Kenya for instance, to receive your oDesk earning via bank transfer costs a whooping US$30, while with Payoneer, it can cost as little as US$1 if you are patient to wait for 2 working days. Otherwise, it only costs US$2.50 for immediate loading. And the best part, you get your money in US$, so no foreign exchange losses incurred.

Besides, Payoneer offers a safe and convenient way to pay for online purchases. I use Payoneer all the time to book my airline tickets and hotel accommodation.

Last but not least, Payoneer through its Refer-a-Friend program is an opportunity for earning extra income for telling others about the card’s benefits. Personally, I have earned substantial commissions by promoting the card to my blog’s visitor.

This is my 5th year of using Payoneer Prepaid Master Debit Card and I have nothing negative to say about it.

Would you also like to share your experience or interesting story with the Payoneer community? We’d love to hear about it – let us know by sending an e-mail to community@payoneer.com, or post your comment below!
The content provided in this article including any information relating to pricing, fees, and other charges is accurate and valid only as of the date it was published. In addition, changes in applicable regulations, policies, market conditions, or other relevant factors may impact the accuracy of the mentioned pricing and fees and other associated details. Accordingly, it is further clarified that any information regarding pricing, fees and other charges is subject to changes, and it is your responsibility to ensure you are viewing the most up to date content applicable to you. Payoneer will provide the most up to date and accurate information relating to pricing and fees as part of the account registration process. Registered customers can view this information via their online account.

SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter

Thank you!