Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card
Nov 12, 12, 4:42 pm
#2371
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 956
I'm curious as to why the other reloads (Paypal, Greendot, etc...) have not taken off in terms of popularity. Why is it?
Does Paypal shut you down for cashing in and withdrawing?
Is it because the points earning is not as high as 5X on IB?
Or is it difficult to use a CC with these alternative reloads?
Are there any other catches that we should know about?
Does Paypal shut you down for cashing in and withdrawing?
Is it because the points earning is not as high as 5X on IB?
Or is it difficult to use a CC with these alternative reloads?
Are there any other catches that we should know about?
Nov 12, 12, 4:57 pm
#2372
Join Date: May 2003
Location: CA
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,879
Has anyone checked to see if OD will still let you purchase other $500 PP cards with a CC? I figure even with $5 for buying the PP card at OD, $4 for a Vanilla at CVS (paid for with the OD PP card), you are still coming out significantly ahead if you use the Ink card ($9 for 2,500 points). Not as good as just purchasing the Vanilla at OD, but much better than not getting any miles.
Nov 12, 12, 4:59 pm
#2373
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 916
does anyone know if best buy in oc or la have visa or amex prepaid gift cards? i'd like to max out my freedom best buy bonus category. pm me if needed. i went to the one in downey and they only had best buy and itunes. thanks.
Nov 12, 12, 5:00 pm
#2374
Formerly known as cagalindo
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: MCO TPA
Programs: Citi AA/HH/TYP Amex SPG/HH & Chase SP/PC
Posts: 1,334
Yes netspend/paypal/etc. are a pain to not get shutdown.
Nov 12, 12, 5:05 pm
#2375
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
Originally Posted by philemer
Stopped at local Walgreens today & they just received the VR a couple days ago. Took one to the register & the screen said "...cash only..". I asked the lady to call a manager over & she said "no way around it...have to pay with cash". I'll try another Walgreens in a couple days & see if it's the same. 
Wish we had CVS in Idaho. I may have to wait til January when I'm in Hawaii.
Wish we had CVS in Idaho. I may have to wait til January when I'm in Hawaii.I've been able to get around cash/debit only by buying other items with it at other stores in Canada.
(Sobeys comes to mind where I bought thousands of $$$ in itunes cards using GCs that I had got 10% off with a promotion for $25 worth of credit for $20 and turning around and selling at $19.)
Nov 12, 12, 5:21 pm
#2376
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 24 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,511
Originally Posted by QL_714
Just went to OD and was told no more icecream. Has something happened?
Nov 12, 12, 5:22 pm
#2377
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
Originally Posted by Rommie2k6
I'm curious as to why the other reloads (Paypal, Greendot, etc...) have not taken off in terms of popularity. Why is it?
Does Paypal shut you down for cashing in and withdrawing?
Is it because the points earning is not as high as 5X on IB?
Or is it difficult to use a CC with these alternative reloads?
Are there any other catches that we should know about?
Does Paypal shut you down for cashing in and withdrawing?
Is it because the points earning is not as high as 5X on IB?
Or is it difficult to use a CC with these alternative reloads?
Are there any other catches that we should know about?
Yes
Sometimes depending on store/cashier
Nov 12, 12, 8:16 pm
#2378
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Northwest, United
Posts: 2,976
Originally Posted by AA_EXP09
They have CVS in nearby WA.
All the Walgreens I've been to (tried about a dozen so far) required cash for VRs. I'm not feeling very encouraged on this.
Nov 12, 12, 8:24 pm
#2379
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 89
just an observation on the vanilla cards. the cards from od are slightly different from the ones from cvs (appearance-wise). also, the ones from cvs has the amex logo on it.
Nov 12, 12, 9:15 pm
#2380
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 289
Don't lose hope. In my experience it is just a treasure hunt.
Do a little hunting..and you'll find the gold!
Do a little hunting..and you'll find the gold!
Originally Posted by nwflyboy
Actually, no they don't. According to their website, no CVS in WA, ID, OR, or WY - closest to someone in Idaho would probably be Montana - could be a long way from the OP's stomping grounds.
All the Walgreens I've been to (tried about a dozen so far) required cash for VRs. I'm not feeling very encouraged on this.
All the Walgreens I've been to (tried about a dozen so far) required cash for VRs. I'm not feeling very encouraged on this.
Nov 12, 12, 10:06 pm
#2381
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 138
Originally Posted by Rommie2k6
I'm curious as to why the other reloads (Paypal, Greendot, etc...) have not taken off in terms of popularity. Why is it?
Does Paypal shut you down for cashing in and withdrawing?
Is it because the points earning is not as high as 5X on IB?
Or is it difficult to use a CC with these alternative reloads?
Are there any other catches that we should know about?
Does Paypal shut you down for cashing in and withdrawing?
Is it because the points earning is not as high as 5X on IB?
Or is it difficult to use a CC with these alternative reloads?
Are there any other catches that we should know about?
Nov 12, 12, 11:36 pm
#2382
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,612
Question about GreenDot... I bought some MoneyPaks (5x$500) at a Rite-Aid today. When I enter the MoneyPak number online, I get a message saying the balance of the MoneyPak is $0! ...??
I bought the MoneyPaks about 3 hours ago. Do I have to wait some period of time before GreenDot "recognizes" that the card is active and has money on it?
I went back to the store and the manager went over everything with me and it really does look like the purchases processed properly. He even showed me receipts from other purchases where the card wasn't properly activated -- the purchase won't even go through and the receipt prints and error. My receipt, on the other hand, looks all correct.
I've only scratched off one MP number, because I don't want GD to yell at me if there's some error...
Thoughts/advice?
I bought the MoneyPaks about 3 hours ago. Do I have to wait some period of time before GreenDot "recognizes" that the card is active and has money on it?
I went back to the store and the manager went over everything with me and it really does look like the purchases processed properly. He even showed me receipts from other purchases where the card wasn't properly activated -- the purchase won't even go through and the receipt prints and error. My receipt, on the other hand, looks all correct.
I've only scratched off one MP number, because I don't want GD to yell at me if there's some error...
Thoughts/advice?
Nov 13, 12, 12:10 am
#2383
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: S Cal
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, United Silver, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 1,119
A comment about Citimortgage:
I have my Citibank mortgage on Autopay. Payments are collected automatically from my checking account on the 9th of each month.
I have not changed my Autopay plan at Citi. But I made a test payment of $10 to Citimortgage to see what would happen. The Citi website shows that the payment was received on Nov 6 and listed as "Additional funds received." However, that $10 was not immediately applied to my mortgage.
Instead, I now see that Citi withdrew the usual monthly payment (in full) from my checking account on Nov 9. Also, on Nov 9, Citi proceeded to credit that $10 from Bluebird as additional principal toward my loan.
So it appears that, perhaps because I have Autopay turned on and set for the 9th, Citi will hold any funds that I send from Bluebird until my normal payment date and then credit the payment from Bluebird on that date.
I'm curious what the experience has been of others, especially anyone who already has automatic mortgage payment in place.
I have my Citibank mortgage on Autopay. Payments are collected automatically from my checking account on the 9th of each month.
I have not changed my Autopay plan at Citi. But I made a test payment of $10 to Citimortgage to see what would happen. The Citi website shows that the payment was received on Nov 6 and listed as "Additional funds received." However, that $10 was not immediately applied to my mortgage.
Instead, I now see that Citi withdrew the usual monthly payment (in full) from my checking account on Nov 9. Also, on Nov 9, Citi proceeded to credit that $10 from Bluebird as additional principal toward my loan.
So it appears that, perhaps because I have Autopay turned on and set for the 9th, Citi will hold any funds that I send from Bluebird until my normal payment date and then credit the payment from Bluebird on that date.
I'm curious what the experience has been of others, especially anyone who already has automatic mortgage payment in place.
Nov 13, 12, 12:54 am
#2384
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Yes.
Posts: 441
Mortgage worked fine for me. I have BoA.
Nov 13, 12, 1:06 am
#2385
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,363
Wait 24 hours try again
Last edited by johndoe123; Nov 13, 12 at 10:33 am
