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Bluebird prepaid debit, now with FDIC insurance and paper checks (2013-2014)

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Old Apr 3, 2013, 11:44 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: markr33
Read the wiki before posting a question.

Check your BB load limits BEFORE asking in this thread about "tender not allowed" or any other errors.

Bluebird website. There's no need to buy a Bluebird kit in-store; sign-up free on the website.

The original FlyerTalk discussion thread is here: Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card

Bluebird Load Limits:
  • BB loading via VR or WM load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
  • Online Debit Card Load* - $200/day and $1,000/month
  • Checking/Savings Account - $2,000/month
  • Checks - $2,000/day and $10,000/month
  • ATM Withdrawals - $750/day and $2,000/month

*For online debit load, only use of bank-issued cards is allowed. The use of pre-paid debit cards (Netspend, Paypower, Univision, Paypal, etc.) and VGC/MGC/AGCs is not allowed. Your account will be flagged upon first/second attempt. If blocked, call Account Protection Services at 1-800-660-2454 to clear it (9am-8pm EST, Mon-Fri).

The day currently resets around midnight Eastern/11pm Central/10pm Mountain/9pm Pacific.

For online bill pay
  • You can pay the credit card that you used to buy reloads
  • Error 1302 means that you have 1 pending payment the same amount as the one you just submitted. For example, 1000 bill pay to sapphire preferred from Friday and then on Saturday you submit another bill pay for 1000 to sapphire preferred, you will get this error.
  • Tip: if using online bill pay to the same place multiple times, vary your amounts by $0.01 to make it easier to track since your confirmation number does not match the tracking number on your credit card statement


Loading with debit card at Walmart
Self checkout does not work for loading.

Many Walmart stores are enforcing a rule against the use of gift cards when loading, even though the register and the MCE do not enforce. Do not make your prepaid debit cards visible. Show them a bank debit card if asked. Otherwise, you may be asked by management to never visit the MC again to load with gift cards.

Loads at register over $500 will sometimes trigger ID requirement. There is a limit of four swipes per transaction; this means your card plus three payments.

If your card doesn't say "debit" on the front, it isn't a debit card.

Please see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...bit-cards.html for additional information on using prepaid debit cards.

Training a WM cashier:
  • If the WM cashier doesn't know how to load the card, advise them to enter "70" then press "action code".
  • If you are using a temp card that doesn't have your name on it, you can swipe the card from your side of the terminal. The WM rep never has to touch any of your cards. The screen will say "enter account." That is your prompt to slide the card.
  • The terminal will ask the WM employee if you are loading in multiples of $2000. Advise them to enter "no."
  • Avoid saying gift card. Always refer to your card as a debit card.

Error Messages:
DEBIT NOT AVAILABLE
Received when I used a card I thought I had activated but hadn't.

DEBIT NOT APPROVED
Received when the card's monthly load limit had been reached.

TENDER NOT ALLOWED
Card was incorrectly read, or wrong PIN entered .

HOST TIMEOUT
Connection problems. The GC may be drained but the transaction should reverse itself, and funds will become available again. Try again later.

UPdate Notice on Sept 15, 2014.
Some minor changes on the ATM limits and fees:
Out-of-Network ATM Fees:
Beginning October 30, 2014, the fee for withdrawing funds using out-of-network ATMs will increase from $2.00 to $2.50. ATM operator fees may also apply.
Free In-Network MoneyPass® ATMs:
Effective immediately, all Bluebird Customers can withdraw funds for free when using in-network MoneyPass ATMs. You can find one of the more than 24,000 MoneyPass ATMs below.
ATM Withdrawal Limits Increase:
We have increased your daily ATM limit, so you can withdraw up to $750 per day. Your monthly ATM withdrawal limit will remain at $2,000.

-----

•If you use Wal-Mart Savings Catcher, you can earn double rewards by redeeming to your BlueBird account <== Doubling of savings catcher amounts ended sometime in the summer of 2015.
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Bluebird prepaid debit, now with FDIC insurance and paper checks (2013-2014)

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Old May 25, 2013, 10:05 pm
  #751  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 939
Originally Posted by Explore
Today I revisited my closest Safeway in the SF Bay Area to buy Visa Prepaid cards ($5.95 for up to $500 in value). Unlike the previous visit two weeks ago, I was told I'd need to pay cash or use a debit card. Is this a systemwide Safeway change, or a one-off?
Which cards are you buying again? Reloadable prepaids (one vanilla, netspend) or visa GCs?
KYBOSH is offline  
Old May 25, 2013, 10:18 pm
  #752  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 218
Just went to WM today and tried to buy MOs with BB. It turned out to be that BB is not the debit card as they advertised and the transaction didn't go through. Anyone here know how to buy MOs using BB?
DziVang is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 1:18 am
  #753  
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE, AA EXP MM, UA Gold MM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, HH Dia, IHG Plat
Posts: 4,777
Originally Posted by KYBOSH
Which cards are you buying again? Reloadable prepaids (one vanilla, netspend) or visa GCs?
Not reloadable. Metabank Visa GCs.
Explore is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 6:42 am
  #754  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,499
Originally Posted by DziVang
Just went to WM today and tried to buy MOs with BB. It turned out to be that BB is not the debit card as they advertised and the transaction didn't go through. Anyone here know how to buy MOs using BB?
Why do you want to do this?
ma91pmh is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 8:24 am
  #755  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 187
Originally Posted by Explore
Today I revisited my closest Safeway in the SF Bay Area to buy Visa Prepaid cards ($5.95 for up to $500 in value). Unlike the previous visit two weeks ago, I was told I'd need to pay cash or use a debit card. Is this a systemwide Safeway change, or a one-off?
I was told the same by my SF Safeway yesterday. Any variable load cards require cash, while those with single denominations (up to $100) can be bought with credit.
jlgrandam is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 10:20 am
  #756  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 218
Originally Posted by ma91pmh
Why do you want to do this?
Because I want to cash out my dad's BB but he does not have a checking account.
DziVang is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 10:32 am
  #757  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MKE
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold,
Posts: 639
Originally Posted by DziVang
Because I want to cash out my dad's BB but he does not have a checking account.
Order checks... They are free
phdtomd is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 10:56 am
  #758  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 939
Originally Posted by Explore
Not reloadable. Metabank Visa GCs.
That sucks...

No such Tomfoolery over in my neck of the woods though...

Seems like your local stores are making up new rules.
KYBOSH is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 11:30 am
  #759  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 218
Originally Posted by phdtomd
Order checks... They are free
Okay thanks. I guess I have to wait till the checks got home.
DziVang is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 11:58 am
  #760  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: UA MPE, BA Blue, AA, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Silver, HHonors Silver, National Exec, Avis First
Posts: 553
Originally Posted by phdtomd
Order checks... They are free
Definitely! ^

Checkbook order fees are waived until 08/13/2013. While fees are waived, you are limited to one order.
Bender464 is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 1:34 pm
  #761  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: AA, SPG, UA, CSP
Posts: 338
Originally Posted by FlightNurse
I got my parents a BB card as well as my Sister, so I have 4, my partner has done the same thing. So we have a total of 8, I just found 4 more stores that sell Visa gift cards that take CC which has really helped, one of the bloggers told me to be a detective when I'm out shopping which I have and keep finding stores that sell these gift cards.
So you arent only getting the VRs - moved to the pin gc's to fund BB?
Also - are you able to hit the 20k threshold you have each month?
arsenalman is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 2:01 pm
  #762  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 5,015
Originally Posted by DziVang
Because I want to cash out my dad's BB but he does not have a checking account.
I hope your Dad knows you are taking his money.
DCBob is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 2:11 pm
  #763  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,396
Originally Posted by arsenalman
So you arent only getting the VRs - moved to the pin gc's to fund BB?
Also - are you able to hit the 20k threshold you have each month?
8 x 5 = 40k threshold for the couple. Honestly, sounds pretty risky to me unless there is a very substantial income to support that level of spend. Even if you divide that spend equally among several issuers the spend per issuer would be pretty high. Not to mention that the fees for all those cards, even at $3.95 per would run to $316! At some point, the logic of buying miles, even cheaply, starts to erode.
CFFrost is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 4:20 pm
  #764  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: AA, SPG, UA, CSP
Posts: 338
Originally Posted by CFFrost
8 x 5 = 40k threshold for the couple. Honestly, sounds pretty risky to me unless there is a very substantial income to support that level of spend. Even if you divide that spend equally among several issuers the spend per issuer would be pretty high. Not to mention that the fees for all those cards, even at $3.95 per would run to $316! At some point, the logic of buying miles, even cheaply, starts to erode.
agreed - but its 20k per person. And i am easily hitting 10k using 5 cards. 2k per card isnt substantial. So maybe he/she is putting it on 6+ cards. Would love to hear if opening the account was because she/he can easily hit that level of spending and what product(s) is being used to achieve this spending.
arsenalman is offline  
Old May 26, 2013, 10:46 pm
  #765  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 218
Originally Posted by DCBob
I hope your Dad knows you are taking his money.
Well, I loaded my GCs into his BB account. He never wants to get into this game but I bet he'll appreciate me on his trip to Bali next year
DziVang is offline  


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