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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 2263889 times)

Offline ItzikJones

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I've been looking for an answer on the forums but haven't come across it...

What exactly is considered a safe amount of spending at CVS for VR cards?
Is there a lower 'limit' for purchasing using an Amex card?

I'm in an area for a few days with plenty of VRs and won't be after this, but I don't want to rush through 5k of spending at CVS in one day (I can buy multiples here in one shot if I want to) if its going to trigger a FR.

Also I ordered a BB card but it hasn't come yet, and I want to load the VR cards I have before the end of the month n Sunday. Can I go to Walmart and just get a temporary BB card, or will that make more problems since they already set up a BB account for me and my card is on the way? Thanks!

As to what is a safe amount, I can only speak from personal experience but I just finished up 10K spending on my AMEX Business Gold card to get the 75K bonus and I was spending 2.5K per month on the card and only completed the full 10K in the fourth month I had the card. Just take it slow and you should be fine.

Offline Yitz

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I am Visiting Cleveland so I went to CVS and bought 2 MVD cards. Tried loading them my self had a problem, I called CS and they said that being that last time I used the money immediately I will not be able to use MVD cards again and I have 48 hours to take the money out of the card.

Offline itsyehuda

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Pardon my ignorance, but this thread is 295 pages long. I am looking to pay my Amex bill with BB. I have a loaded BB ready to go, just want to make sure I pay my Amex bill correctly. Can someone help me out? I will also be trying to pay other various CC bill's, but Amex is due on 7/5.
Just add a payee , look for American Express, then you will be able to add your account number.
I remember when a coke was a nickel, and you could buy VRs in OD.

Offline Yitz

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Bump with a question
"I am Visiting Cleveland so I went to CVS and bought 2 MVD cards. Tried loading them my self had a problem, I called CS and they said that being that last time I used the money immediately I will not be able to use MVD cards again and I have 48 hours to take the money out of the card."
What did I do wrong and can I purchase Vanilla Reload (VR) even if they do not let me buy MVD.

Offline itsyehuda

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Bump with a question
"I am Visiting Cleveland so I went to CVS and bought 2 MVD cards. Tried loading them my self had a problem, I called CS and they said that being that last time I used the money immediately I will not be able to use MVD cards again and I have 48 hours to take the money out of the card."
What did I do wrong and can I purchase Vanilla Reload (VR) even if they do not let me buy MVD.

A) This is in two threads, so likely a double post

B) VRs shouldn't be a problem as they are anonymous.
I remember when a coke was a nickel, and you could buy VRs in OD.

Offline RT

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Just add a payee , look for American Express, then you will be able to add your account number.
Account number as in my CC #?

Offline Yitz

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A) This is in two threads, so likely a double post

B) VRs shouldn't be a problem as they are anonymous.
Yes it is. I was hoping to get a answer. Thanks

Offline ckmk47

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I'm in an area for a few days with plenty of VRs and won't be after this,

Also I ordered a BB card but it hasn't come yet, and I want to load the VR cards I have before the end of the month n Sunday. Can I go to Walmart and just get a temporary BB card, or will that make more problems since they already set up a BB account for me and my card is on the way? Thanks!
I don't know how much you should spend at cvs, although I agree with previous posters that you should be careful.

As far as not having  your permanent BB card:  buy VRs when you can, and save them until you have your permanent card and then load them $1000 / day.  Having them in your pocket for future loading is better than not being able to get them at all.
My favorite cause: cssy.org

Offline Moes Tavern

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I don't know how much you should spend at cvs, although I agree with previous posters that you should be careful.

As far as not having  your permanent BB card:  buy VRs when you can, and save them until you have your permanent card and then load them $1000 / day.  Having them in your pocket for future loading is better than not being able to get them at all.
+1.
I came upon a CVS that had a huge stash of VR and grabbed a bunch of them. Now I have no issues with trying to find them. I did get a stare from the CVS employee, but he didn't say anything to me.
"I've done some things I'm not proud of, and the things I am proud of are pretty disgusting"

Offline Nitantnel

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+1.
I came upon a CVS that had a huge stash of VR and grabbed a bunch of them. Now I have no issues with trying to find them. I did get a stare from the CVS employee, but he didn't say anything to me.

They let you take more than two?

Offline Moes Tavern

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 I grabbed about 12 and walked out.
"I've done some things I'm not proud of, and the things I am proud of are pretty disgusting"

Offline ckmk47

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I grabbed about 12 and walked out.
Grabbed as in paid for with (different) credit cards, or grabbed them as taken unactivated and going to activate them slowly close to home.
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Offline LA2NYC

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You were able to just walk out of the store with them?

Offline Moes Tavern

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Walked out with 12 unactivated cards so that I can have them for July's $5K BB limit and an extra 2 for August.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2013, 12:56:09 AM by Moes Tavern »
"I've done some things I'm not proud of, and the things I am proud of are pretty disgusting"

Offline LA2NYC

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Did the employees/manager know you were doing this?

Is this allowed?

Offline Moes Tavern

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The guy didn't say anything to me, I think he was more surprised to see someone walk out with 12 cards that are pretty worthless right now.

Here is my 12.
"I've done some things I'm not proud of, and the things I am proud of are pretty disgusting"

Offline LA2NYC

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He saw you had all 12 at the register though?

May I ask what city this was in?

Offline Moes Tavern

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Bridgewater, NJ

I walked into the CVS headed for the Gift Card Rack grabbed a bunch, said Good morning to the guy standing in the front and left.
"I've done some things I'm not proud of, and the things I am proud of are pretty disgusting"

Offline LA2NYC

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Am I the only one who thinks this at least looks like outright shoplifting? lol.

Yes, I know the cards have nothing on them but still...

IE would the manager have allowed it?

Offline Moes Tavern

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Am I the only one who thinks this at least looks like outright shoplifting? lol.

Yes, I know the cards have nothing on them but still...

IE would the manager have allowed it?
It did feel weird.
"I've done some things I'm not proud of, and the things I am proud of are pretty disgusting"