I came in this thread expecting it to be a joke about how everyone's wallet gets a lot lighter after Steam sales, and calling the phenomenon "Steam Wallet".
I was disappointed.

That first link gave me a 404 (I think, didn't stick around long) and caused WoT to bring up a massive red warning flag, with people saying it was a phising site.
Not sure whether you meant to post that or something else, or whether it's just me.

Here is the Steam forums thread then.
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1429967
GOG.com forum is adding http to start of the first link. You must delete http to access.
Edit: Anyway I deleted the linking, you need to copy paste the link to access now.

Ah okay, that'll be it then.
Silly GOG forum and it's quirks.

Looking into how the PS3 works I see that there is a minimum purchase of $5 and anything less than that you must spend $5 and then the difference goes in your wallet.
I hope Steam does not adopt this tactic.

You're disappointed? I thought it was a new mod for Arcanum. ;)

I suspect this might be the first step in to eventually offering gift cards. Really, it makes too damn much sense for them not to do so, and Steam cards available at store checkouts along with those for iTunes and the like would probably do quite well.

I actually saw this a while ago, because I was on the checkout page and it said "You are out of funds" or something like that, and I figured it was a borked stored value thing.

Don't worry. Your neighbours does it too. That makes it alright.
Now that you can not only feel like a important member of your neighbourhood community but also contribute to your friendly city council by putting up posters we endorse you to vote, Vote, VOTE!
Sorry. My mind slipped.

Or the opposite, in which my mother guards my debit card and I need an alternative way to get around her constant eagle eye.

I'd be disappointed if I thought that as well.

So is that good or bad?

Let me put it like this....
Would you like it if you worked 30 hour weeks part-time and not be able to spend a dime of your paycheck because your mother thinks that spending money on games that are not at full price a waste of money and she blows your paychecks on eating out at restaurants?

That would be bad.
Unless your mother puts the money where you get good interest so you can get a lot of games later.
Also how are your relationship with your mother? I think your situation sounds, frankly odd.

The money is for, "Auto insurance and car repairs", when I can't legally drive and have no interest in doing so at the time. I know how much my insurance will cost since I'm a guy and therefore a 'shitty driver obviously,' and even though I'm an EXTREMELY frugal spender, she thinks I'll blow it all on video games. Ironically, I rarely have the time to play games and I can't even access the Internet to purchase them, plus I only spent $80 of the $3k I earned during summer break.
We have a good relationship, she just thinks I need to help support her when in reality she has the means to support herself, she just isn't ready to acknowledge her own spending habits are the reasons behind her inability to save more than $100 a week.
Am I coming off as a pompous ass of a teenager?