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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 2264161 times)

Offline David S

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So odd. Because when I did it again today, the teller would not give me back the cards. She said that since they did a cash advance the cards were hers.

I didn't really talk about it with the teller. But when I got home, I saw that the deposit was still pending (it posted and cleared the next day), so by right, I believe, I should receive the cards back in case something goes bad.

After I cashed the cards out, I checked the MVD website and it says I have a ($0.50) balance on each. I guess they should have thought about that before releasing the money ...

I tried to reload the MVD cards with the "alternative VR" cards at Family Dollar, but their registers would only allow using cash or debit cards. The manager didn't really understand why that should be so, but there was nothing he could do.

Anybody know if MVD keeps the SSN on file? Or just uses it to check against some database when you sign up? Any limit to the number that I could register in my name? (The local CVS sells the MVD via CC, but has not VR option).

Offline yossi4k

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Interesting note: When attempting to use 'bill pay' to pay things like electricity ; life insurance, BB asks for the zip code as appears on your bill This is not your zip code rather the billing company's zip code...

Offline AsherO

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Interesting note: When attempting to use 'bill pay' to pay things like electricity ; life insurance, BB asks for the zip code as appears on your bill This is not your zip code rather the billing company's zip code...

Never heard of this before...
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Offline A3

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Bluebird: Now you can pay bills that don`t take credit card with a credit card
« Reply #483 on: November 28, 2012, 10:27:12 AM »
Interesting note: When attempting to use 'bill pay' to pay things like electricity ; life insurance, BB asks for the zip code as appears on your bill This is not your zip code rather the billing company's zip code...

Wow. No wonder why it never worked to link my FPL bill.

Thank you for that info!!

Offline yossi4k

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Wow. No wonder why it never worked to link my FPL bill.

Thank you for that info!!
  Ha I just initiated an FPL payment. Billing zip code is: 33188-0001  8)

Offline karen

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Never heard of this before...
Really? If you add your own zip code, it doesn't work. That will remind you to try payee's zip code.

Offline karen

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  Ha I just initiated an FPL payment. Billing zip code is: 33188-0001  8)
I like your little girl pic. -:)

Offline yossi4k

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I like your little girl pic. -:)
Thanx  :)

Offline MarkTelefono

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Today I cashed out 3 MVD cards at a teller at my bank account and paid no fees whatsoever. Even the teller wasn't sure why. I had told her that I didn't want to use the ATM because I would be stuck with money on the card that I couldn't get off. She was more than happy to help.

I think she treated it as a cash advance from the MVD cards, pulled the cash, and deposited it straight into my checking account.

I'm thinking that $3.95 for $500 seems to be just as good as BB (other than having to go to the bank and wait for a teller). Any thoughts?

I found MVD cards at a CVS in NYC that allowed using a CC to purchase.

Were these the temporary MVD cards you buy off the rack and load in the store?  Or the permanent ones they mail later?  If the temp ones from the store,  do you have to register first online?

Offline David S

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Were these the temporary MVD cards you buy off the rack and load in the store?  Or the permanent ones they mail later?  If the temp ones from the store,  do you have to register first online?

These were the temporary ones. I registered them first.

Offline MarkTelefono

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These were the temporary ones. I registered them first.

Doesn't registering them trigger the process whereby they send you the permanent ones, and... you need to pay the monthly charge for the cards?  I believe you are charged a dormancy fee of $3.95 a month unless you actively close the account. Does anyone have any personal experience with this?

Offline 3ZeroT

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Doesn't registering them trigger the process whereby they send you the permanent ones, and... you need to pay the monthly charge for the cards?  I believe you are charged a dormancy fee of $3.95 a month unless you actively close the account. Does anyone have any personal experience with this?

Once the balance is 0 I believe they don't charge the inactivity fee.  I imagine registering new cards repeatedly on the same SSN is probably going to get some negative attention from MyVanilla...

Offline YG

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Seems Im getting on the bandwaggon pretty late.  just made a BB acct.
Is it possible to deposit from VR to BB before my BB card arrives in ten days or so?

.....assuming i manage by some miracle to find VR cards somewhere for sale with CC

Offline Yehoshua

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Unfortunately there is not.  I had the same question a few weeks ago, but not to worry- you can always buy VR cards in advance and deposit them on BB when it comes (mine only took 1 week).

Offline YG

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 :(
Rent's due in 5 days and I just realized that the SW RR visa i just got has a min spend of 2k for the signup bonus.  I hadn't paid attention to that.  last time it was first spend of any amount.
Oh Well.
Guess I'll have to keep an eye out for MVD and deposit into checking account at the bank.
« Last Edit: November 29, 2012, 11:48:35 PM by YG »

Offline Dan

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So can you do a CA on a MVD before registering it?
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 YG

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I'm just getting my feet wet, I assume based on your question that the card needs to be registered before a CA. Is that an issue?

Offline Dan

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I'm just getting my feet wet, I assume based on your question that the card needs to be registered before a CA. Is that an issue?
If I knew the answer I would not have asked.
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 YG

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 :-\
Sorry. Assumed it was 'rhetorical'.
I have no idea, but after reading this whole discussion it sounds like VR are hard to come by with cc in NYC and in thinking that MVD might be easier to come by.

If the MVD does need to be registered, is it an issue?  Should I not just go ahead and get 2k worth if I can find them?  A few people here reported using them for CAs with no fees.

Offline MEIR613

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So can you do a CA on a MVD before registering it?

No. Just tried got declined.