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Bluebird

The basics:

Sign up for a free account from Bluebird. Wait 7-10 business days to receive the card. If you have a Serve account, you will need to cancel it and then wait about 30 days before signing up. You need to wait for your physical BB card before you can proceed here.

Please note: As of the beginning of July 2014, you can load a maximum of $2500 a day at a WM register or ATM, up to $5,000 each calendar month into your Bluebird (hereafter: "BB") account. As of September 4, 2014, you can also load an additional $200/day with a debit card, up to $1000/month, though this might be risky, see below, II.4.

You can find answers to many questions here: https://www.bluebird.com/faqs?linknav=us-Prepaid-Bluebird-Home-Faqs#bluebird-checks And here: https://www.bluebird.com/ (just scroll down instead of clicking 'log in')

How to load it:

"Gift" cards (GCs)
Mastercard (MC) and Visa GCs have PIN codes that will make the cards function as debit cards. GCs may be used to load up your BB account in any Walmart, as will be explained below, or to get cash back when purchasing with them. Note that not all GCs work this way. Those from Metabank do, as do others. AMEX GCs are not capable of working with a PIN. They can only be used as gift cards. GCs for a specific business or store (iTunes or Home Depot or whatever) will never work in the ways described here. Note that 'Vanilla' brand GCs can no longer  be loaded to BB.

1. Buy Visa or MC GCs. The larger the denomination the better, since the fee-to-balance ratio will be better. Buy them anywhere, but you get the most out of this if you buy them with a CC that pays more than 1 point per dollar at that store at that time.

2. You will need a PIN for each GC. If you bought a MC GC, call the number on the back of the card or go online to set a PIN. If you bought a Visa, the last four digits of the card number will usually work, as long as you have not used the card yet. If you have used it, you had to set a PIN, so use that.
The # for US Bank MC Gift Cards is 1-866-952-5653. 1/2/<16 digit cc>#/<3 digits from back>#/3/PIN#/PIN#.

3. Go to Walmart (WM).

There are two suggested ways to load the GCs to BB at WM. Via a MoneyPass ATM (preferred) or via any cashier. Neither method charges an additional fee to what you paid when you bought the card. Please do not go to the service desk. Certainly do not refer to the GCs as gift cards, as they are, in fact, debit cards.

3a. MoneyPass ATMs

Not all WMs have MoneyPass ATMs, and MoneyPass ATMs at non-WM locations will not work to load BB. You can search for MoneyPass ATMs at WMs here: http://www.moneypass.com/atm-locator.aspx

Some report that MoneyPass ATMs in WMs near areas with high concentrations of DDFers seem to be permanently out of service. You may need to go farther afield or use the other method, mentioned below.

Follow the instructions on the machine to load your BB card. In some cases, the "WM Money Card" option will work for BB as well. Be patient and careful with your card swipes, as the machines are often slow or touchy. Each GC will be a separate transaction. Remember, the maximum of $2,500/day per BB account always applies.

If you are using high-denomination GCs, have found a very quick ATM, had a fellow BBer ahead of you, or are just experienced and able to complete each transaction very quickly, it is possible that you will complete $2,000 of transactions within about 10 minutes, which locks up the ATM for a while. Take a walk around the store and come back to let the machine unlock.

3b. Cashier

Please remember to be friendly, considerate and compassionate in all your interactions.

Ask a cashier to load your BB account from a debit card. If they don't know how, tell them to use 70 action code (they may need to type 70 first, followed by "action code") and follow the instructions on their screen. They are able to split a single transaction into up to four different cards, but it can be simpler to add one GC at a time, especially with people waiting behind you on line. You can then go back around to the same or another cashier to add other cards. Again, the $2,500/day per BB account applies.

This method should work at any WM - as intended by the BB product - but there are many stores in which some or all of the staff and management are suspicious of such transactions and will not do it. Your chances of convincing them to do something they think will risk their jobs is slim to none so if you encounter such resistance, please: Do take no for an answer and leave courteously to try another store or another day.
You want to stay under the radar as much as possible, so if things start getting complicated, tell them that you just remembered that you need to pick your kid up from school or whatever (have a good excuse ready beforehand) and that you need to leave, but you'll be back later. Th is way they forgot about their suspicions much faster.

4. It is apparently possible to load up to $200 per day to BB from debit cards on the BB web site for free, up to $1000 per month. Please note that people have had their BB accounts frozen or shut down for using GCs to load BB online, and that the BB site clearly says that any debit card used must be in the BB account holder's name. You have been warned.

Using A MC GC
Frequently a MC is declined at WM

When using the moneypass ATM, press the button ABOVE the BB button.  It may work without the following workaround.
The workaround is to:
1. Swipe MC
2.If you have the black and green screen press Cancel.If you have the white screen with colored touch icons, then right after you swipe a yellow 'change payment' button well pop up for a second, press that (you have to be fast).  You can also push the physical yellow button on the keypad. It does the same thing.
3. Select Debit
4. No Cash Back
5. Enter the PIN

Also seems to work if only $99 loaded.  or 99.99, too.

What to do with the money on your BB:

On the BB site, money can be sent to pay bills that don't normally accept CCs (think rent/mortgage, tuition, insurance, car payment, gas bill, even pay your cc bill) or to anyone in the U.S. for free. Use the 'pay and transfer tab'.  Checks sent online this way are delivered within 5 business days. (It may be prudent not to use BB to directly pay the CC on which you purchased the VRs/GCs that funded BB, but, once again, YMMV.)

Some people would rather use the free physical checks that you can order from BB. Please note that these checks need to be pre-authorized by you online, and a number written on them, before you give them to the person/institution you are paying. For checks of more than $2,000, authorization will require additional information and time. You need to provide the information and wait for confirmation before the check will be valid.

The money in your BB account can be withdrawn directly to a linked bank account, which, if done too much, may be seen as risky by BB, but in moderation should be fine. You can also send money to your bank account online by check, same as any other payee, but this might be risky from the perspective of the bank (not BB) if you bank and have CCs at the same institution.

Useful organizing techniques:

It can be unwieldy and confusing when standing in front of the WM ATM with a BB card or two and a bunch of GCs, some used, some not. The last thing anyone wants is to end up throwing away several hundred dollars on a perfectly good GC because you mistakenly thought it was drained. I'm sure there are contributors to this thread who have woken up in a cold sweat from just such a nightmare. Plus, being unorganized costs you time, and may make it more likely that some employee thinks you are up to something. Here are a few strategies for how to be organized.

1. Cargo pants, or other clothing/accessories with plenty of different pockets. Use different pockets for GCs yet to use and used GCs.

2. If you have more than one BB card, shuffle them into the stack of GCs at the appropriate spots for how many GCs you plan to load to each card. That way, you can just work through the stack and finish/begin each new BB card in turn.

3. A Sharpie marker works well for marking off GCs or BBs that you're done with. The marks even come off the cards with a little alcohol. Careful not to mark yourself or your clothes though.

4. Sort your GCs in ascending order of last 4 digits.  That makes it easier to keep track of which GCs are used.

To Close Your Bluebird:
While logged into your BB account, open this page: https://secure.bluebird.com/Profile/CloseAccount   

This no longer works and the only way to close your account is to call
For more details, including how to close family accounts, see (FM writeup)
« Last edited by justmeha on January 11, 2020, 11:55:46 PM »

Author Topic: Bluebird: Now you can pay bills that don`t take credit card with a credit card  (Read 2642953 times)

Offline Shmelly

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Did you count all the "white people"?
Yes, its not that hard.
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. - Dr. Seuss

Offline googleyeshivabocher

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Yes, its not that hard.
They didn't have many where I went it was a mixed bag

Offline Smartypantz

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OK I found a CVS that has a bunch of MVD left:) how do I go about doing the max allowed? Can I buy 4 at one time?

Offline TC610

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You can buy as many as you want, but you might have to split them up in to multiple transactions and you're limited to $1000/day in VR loads to your BB card.

Offline Thingywingy

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I know it might sound like a stupid question, but just wanna confirm. Is there a credit pull for appling for Bluebird?
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline AJK

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I know it might sound like a stupid question, but just wanna confirm. Is there a credit pull for appling for Bluebird?

No.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

Offline Thingywingy

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Thanks. I am trying to open a Bluebird account, and the 1st question they ask is if I bought a starter card at Walmart. If I would do that 1st would it get me up and running right away? as apposed to waiting for card in the mail? or do you anyways not need the physical card?
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline robi

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Thanks. I am trying to open a Bluebird account, and the 1st question they ask is if I bought a starter card at Walmart. If I would do that 1st would it get me up and running right away? as apposed to waiting for card in the mail? or do you anyways not need the physical card?
you anyways would need to wait for the card to come in the mail after registering. Sign up online and save 5$
"I'd rather be hated for who I am, then loved for who I'm not"

Offline Thingywingy

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you anyways would need to wait for the card to come in the mail after registering. Sign up online and save 5$
The starter card does not include a card?
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline ADanFan

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Only the VR loads onto Bluebird; correct?

The MVD's do not load onto Bluebird, right??

Offline MEIR613

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Bluebird: Now you can pay bills that don`t take credit card with a credit card
« Reply #670 on: December 06, 2012, 04:40:56 PM »
You want to hear a crazy story. I was in cvs buying vr and I wanted to use my wifes spg card instead of ine since I don't want so much spending on the AU. So I was about to swipe and the guy said I need to see I'd. So I told him its my wifes card. So he said I just need a manager to let me do that. He brought the manager and he said "no problem I always do it myself so why cant you" then I started to shmooze it up about GC VR it was pretty funny.


Offline HelpMe

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Here is some friendly advice to all of you. When you go into CVS keep your mouth shut. Stop trying to be a player. You are doing more harm than good. When it comes to talking remember this “LESS IS MORE”.
"Elvis Has Left The Building"

Offline Thingywingy

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Ouch!
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline myb821

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Here is some friendly advice to all of you. When you go into CVS keep your mouth shut. Stop trying to be a player. You are doing more harm than good. When it comes to talking remember this “LESS IS MORE”.
could not have said it better myself

Offline MEIR613

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Here is some friendly advice to all of you. When you go into CVS keep your mouth shut. Stop trying to be a player. You are doing more harm than good. When it comes to talking remember this “LESS IS MORE”.

You think I said " hey guess what I'm going home and paying my bill with these" what I meant was he started schmoozing with me about his credit cards and he one time got decliend for a dollar charge in FL. Nothing to do with VR (sorry if I wrote that, didn't mean. I thought if was funny that he said I could you use my wife's cc, that's it, nothing more.

Offline Dan

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Yes, its not that hard.
I think you need to get out of East Cleveland and the Heights more often...
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline googleyeshivabocher

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OK I found a CVS that has a bunch of MVD left:) how do I go about doing the max allowed? Can I buy 4 at one time?
i bought 3.5 k at 1 shot because had had an employee who was young and was getting ready to leave work because the store was going to be closing in a few minutes

Offline HelpMe

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You think I said " hey guess what I'm going home and paying my bill with these" what I meant was he started schmoozing with me about his credit cards and he one time got decliend for a dollar charge in FL. Nothing to do with VR (sorry if I wrote that, didn't mean. I thought if was funny that he said I could you use my wife's cc, that's it, nothing more.
My comment was right after your post but was not directed at you are any other individual. Just an observation on how this whole thread is progressing.
"Elvis Has Left The Building"

Offline chaimmayer

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Here is some friendly advice to all of you. When you go into CVS keep your mouth shut. Stop trying to be a player. You are doing more harm than good. When it comes to talking remember this “LESS IS MORE”.
YOu must not be too happy Dan wrote a whole post on the main page and didn't just PM everyone.

Offline rosie5442

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some help please
If you can only register 3 MVD cards to activate and get a pin #, how are you buying 4 or more and cashing out

I know chase did not ask me for my pin but my receipt showed my hm address