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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 2264630 times)

Offline nutcase

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Usually work however I've gotten turned down a number of times because there's no name on the card to match  your ID or because you can't buy a gift card with another gift card.
+1 I had the same trouble a few times. they call over a manager....never got a manager approval. only success I had with buying vr with gift card was when you find an 18 yr. old clueless cashier they are the best, you show id with any of your real c.c and then when you swipe use the gift card.(some report if you sign the gift card it can help)YMMV

Offline ADanFan

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and btw ... all 4-5 transactions were on different cards .... 2 Southwest, 2 freedoms(In January) - yes... Ive paid with my wife's freedom

+1
You bought 2 VRs on both your's and your wife's Chase Freedom with the same cashier!?  8)

Offline yossi4k

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+1
You bought 2 VRs on both your's and your wife's Chase Freedom with the same cashier!?  8)
just did it as well...very easy. You first show them your cc and ID for the 1st vr then you give them your wife's cc for the 2nd ..works like a dandy ::)

Offline Reb Moshe

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I just picked up 2 @ CVS, i walk up to counter, place cards on the counter, cashier looks me in the eye and says, "500 each?"
My response is, "How did YOU know?"
Her answer, "All YOU guys take the cards with $500, so it was just an assumption."

Offline yossi4k

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I just picked up 2 @ CVS, i walk up to counter, place cards on the counter, cashier looks me in the eye and says, "500 each?"
My response is, "How did YOU know?"
Her answer, "All YOU guys take the cards with $500, so it was just an assumption."
where was this

Offline Reb Moshe

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Offline btab

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Bluebird: Now you can pay bills that don`t take credit card with a credit card
« Reply #1146 on: January 09, 2013, 01:43:39 AM »
100%
But it's coming from the type of guy who told me the daily limit is $500 but then let me buy a second VR because on the first one I only loaded $496.
I kid you not!

I have had different experiences in each cvs. one cvs told me the limit was 1000 per day per cvs including the fees. he put 500 on one card and 490 on the other (I even asked for 493.10 but was told no). another cvs let me buy as many as I liked on one or several cards did not make a difference to him. basically ymmv depending on store and cashier.
learning about churning

Offline Deal Guy

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My college doesn't accept cc, or charges 3%. Will i be able to send them an actual check via bluebird? Is there a 'memo' section, so i can write my student id number there so the college knows to credit me?
Anyone?

Offline yossi4k

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Offline DJE

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I am totally new to all this and have been reading thousands of posts to learn as much as I can. If someone can help me and lead me in the right direction I'd really really appreciate it. I apologize if I'm asking a question that has come up a million times. I have just been confused where to find the right answers to my questions.
Firstly, with this BlueBird thing, can I pay rent for an apartment I'm renting? I usually pay with a check but can I use BlueBird instead? How does BlueBird work? Is it like a Bank Account that I can set up automatic withdrawel to pay my rent just like I could do with my current bank account?
Secondly, I walked into my local Office Depot & saw they sold Visa giftcards by Vanilla. You can load between $20-$500 with a $4.95 fee. I keep readin about a $3.95 fee. Has it gone up? Also, is the point so someone can receive 5x the amount of points with a certain credit card? & to reach a certain spending limit?
Also, is this the Vanilla card everyone is talking abour or there is a different one with Vanilla reload? I'm a little confused.

Sorry again for posting a lot of questions already asked. Please just point me in the right direction if you can.
Thank you so much to hoever can help me. You're doing a huge Chessed.
And as always, thank you Dan for all that you do.

Offline aviz

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I am totally new to all this and have been reading thousands of posts to learn as much as I can. If someone can help me and lead me in the right direction I'd really really appreciate it. I apologize if I'm asking a question that has come up a million times. I have just been confused where to find the right answers to my questions.
Firstly, with this BlueBird thing, can I pay rent for an apartment I'm renting? I usually pay with a check but can I use BlueBird instead? How does BlueBird work? Is it like a Bank Account that I can set up automatic withdrawel to pay my rent just like I could do with my current bank account?
Secondly, I walked into my local Office Depot & saw they sold Visa giftcards by Vanilla. You can load between $20-$500 with a $4.95 fee. I keep readin about a $3.95 fee. Has it gone up? Also, is the point so someone can receive 5x the amount of points with a certain credit card? & to reach a certain spending limit?
Also, is this the Vanilla card everyone is talking abour or there is a different one with Vanilla reload? I'm a little confused.

Sorry again for posting a lot of questions already asked. Please just point me in the right direction if you can.
Thank you so much to hoever can help me. You're doing a huge Chessed.
And as always, thank you Dan for all that you do.

-I have not got my physical blue bird card so I have not done it yet .. so someone can correct me if I'm wrong... but yes bluebird works like a a bank account/debit card... so you can pay with the card or set up payments with your online account... a little less sophisticated then a bank account as with a bank account (like chase) you can set up whatever payee you want - with blue bird they have a list of common payees (come ed.... ), so when you want to add a unique one (like the management company that collects your rent) , you can add the payee info .. and they will print and mail a check (so probably safer to do this earlier then bills paid directly from a real bank account) . 
-the visa gift cards you see with a 4.95 fee is not what you want ... in order to fund your bluebird account with money aside from direct deposit, and cash is buying Vanilla Reloads (VR) - the 3.95 fee (can be bought with a cc) ...  and yes the point is you can buy VR's with a cc at certain places and get 5x the points - ink cards at office supply stores and freedom at cvs/walgreens for the 1st quarter  of the year (up to $1500)..
-in terms of the vanilla gift cards - it could be that people have not found VR's at the office stores and bought gift cards and then used the gift cards at cvs to buy the VR's - I am not sure about this one as I havent done it since i havent got my ink card in the mail yet.  :)
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Offline Devorah

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Office Depot no longer sells VR.

Offline btab

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I have been looking around for places that sell VR. Every CVS and Walgreens I walk into has tons of them. The problem is that I am looking for VRs at grocery and gas stations. Anyone have any luck at 7-11? I have been looking for them all over but no luck. Also has anyone found them at any chains of grocery stores? Thanks!
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Offline noturbizniss

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Anyone know if there is danger in putting $1,000 into bluebird every day from VR and using it to just pay the CC? Would it be flagged by BB or by CC and shut down?  What about buying visa/amex/MC gift cards at office stores and using them at CVS/7-11, etc for VR cards? 
What's the general consensus on doing this to the max while not being flagged for abuse or the like?
TIA
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Offline gloreglabert

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Anyone know if there is danger in putting $1,000 into bluebird every day from VR and using it to just pay the CC? Would it be flagged by BB or by CC and shut down?  What about buying visa/amex/MC gift cards at office stores and using them at CVS/7-11, etc for VR cards? 
What's the general consensus on doing this to the max while not being flagged for abuse or the like?
TIA

If you're using the same card for all the VR purchases, then I think you're more likely looking at trouble from the card issuer than BB.  BB itself is somewhat limited by the 5k monthly load limit.

Offline MosheP

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I have a noob question;

I called a local CVS asking if they have Vanilla cards before I shlep down there. She said yes, but nothing re-loadable. What does that mean?

Offline Kvending

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I have a noob question;

I called a local CVS asking if they have Vanilla cards before I shlep down there. She said yes, but nothing re-loadable. What does that mean?

Why don't you call back & ask if they have specifically Vanilla RELOAD Card??


Offline myb821

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Why don't you call back & ask if they have specifically Vanilla RELOAD Card??
why dont u just go and see and not be so lazy

Offline Kvending

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why dont u just go and see and not be so lazy

It's not about lazy its all about money right??!! So therefore gas & time is also money. So if he goes for no reason then its a waste of money which he trying to gain. So it's kind of counter-productive!

Offline MosheP

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Why don't you call back & ask if they have specifically Vanilla RELOAD Card??

Are there other Vanilla branded cards besides for the reloads? What are the benefits of the reloads?