...Visa Debit Card seems like an amazing idea...
no prob; it is usually taken at most stores that take Visa, sometimes some have trouble processing it, but is mostly because the cashier is not properly trained in how to process them. They usually cost $~5, don't know what's the limit for them, some charge you for every little thing you do while others only charge you the first time and then for every month you don't use it after X amount of time, so if you are going the Visa GiftCard/Prepaid Card make sure you read all the rules of using it. It is much safer than carrying thousands of dollars in cash to all those places. ATM's will usually charge you some $X of Visa fee. I have used several Visa GC from my bank rewards program and it works in 90% of the places I have gone to eat or buy; I think my mother once told me she had some issues at JCP with the card I gave her and had to pay w/ her normal card.