Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card
Feb 24, 2013, 1:12 pm
#7516
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 359
This weekend I purchased two cards from my local CVS. No issues with paying with CC, but the clerk indicated that each card needs to be handled as a separate payment (with the same CC).
Didn't really matter to me as everything worked fine, I was just surprised that they wanted to charge is as separate transactions. Anyone else ran into a similar situation? Is this some new policy or just in this one location?
Didn't really matter to me as everything worked fine, I was just surprised that they wanted to charge is as separate transactions. Anyone else ran into a similar situation? Is this some new policy or just in this one location?
Feb 24, 2013, 1:19 pm
#7517
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: South Florida
Programs: UA Gold (1MM), Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 302
Yes, $500 each. There was no mention from the clerk that the reason for the separate transaction is due to the limit. He just said the he needs to run it separately and since I didn't particularly care I didn't inquire any further.
Feb 24, 2013, 2:36 pm
#7518
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
Just went into a different CVS tonight that I frequent occasionally not expecting to find any cards as I haven't had luck of late. Well I found the holy grail. Not only one little rack of cards but four racks full of cards. Must have been close to 75 cards! Now I know what its like to feel like a kid in the candy store again. 
Feb 24, 2013, 2:43 pm
#7519
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,396
Curious about all of your thoughts on this plan:
Until now, I've only been buying VRs for bills that cannot be paid with credit card. That has meant only 1-2 VRs per month. I'm thinking of increasing my VR use for points accumulation, but obviously I want to avoid too much suspicion from card issuers. I was thinking the best way to do this would be to buy 1-2 VRs per card issuer (i.e., 1-2 each on Chase, Amex, Citi, Barclay). My concern is that my Citi and Barclays cards are not highly used. I don't want VRs to be the only purchase on any given card - does anyone else force yourself to put a few other transactions on an account to make it less obvious? Has anyone been putting only VRs on their card, or close to it?
Curious what everyone else's plan, and mix of spending is.
Until now, I've only been buying VRs for bills that cannot be paid with credit card. That has meant only 1-2 VRs per month. I'm thinking of increasing my VR use for points accumulation, but obviously I want to avoid too much suspicion from card issuers. I was thinking the best way to do this would be to buy 1-2 VRs per card issuer (i.e., 1-2 each on Chase, Amex, Citi, Barclay). My concern is that my Citi and Barclays cards are not highly used. I don't want VRs to be the only purchase on any given card - does anyone else force yourself to put a few other transactions on an account to make it less obvious? Has anyone been putting only VRs on their card, or close to it?
Curious what everyone else's plan, and mix of spending is.
Feb 24, 2013, 4:09 pm
#7520
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 359
Curious about all of your thoughts on this plan:
Until now, I've only been buying VRs for bills that cannot be paid with credit card. That has meant only 1-2 VRs per month. I'm thinking of increasing my VR use for points accumulation, but obviously I want to avoid too much suspicion from card issuers. I was thinking the best way to do this would be to buy 1-2 VRs per card issuer (i.e., 1-2 each on Chase, Amex, Citi, Barclay). My concern is that my Citi and Barclays cards are not highly used. I don't want VRs to be the only purchase on any given card - does anyone else force yourself to put a few other transactions on an account to make it less obvious? Has anyone been putting only VRs on their card, or close to it?
Curious what everyone else's plan, and mix of spending is.
Until now, I've only been buying VRs for bills that cannot be paid with credit card. That has meant only 1-2 VRs per month. I'm thinking of increasing my VR use for points accumulation, but obviously I want to avoid too much suspicion from card issuers. I was thinking the best way to do this would be to buy 1-2 VRs per card issuer (i.e., 1-2 each on Chase, Amex, Citi, Barclay). My concern is that my Citi and Barclays cards are not highly used. I don't want VRs to be the only purchase on any given card - does anyone else force yourself to put a few other transactions on an account to make it less obvious? Has anyone been putting only VRs on their card, or close to it?
Curious what everyone else's plan, and mix of spending is.
Feb 24, 2013, 4:42 pm
#7521
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
Curious about all of your thoughts on this plan:
Until now, I've only been buying VRs for bills that cannot be paid with credit card. That has meant only 1-2 VRs per month. I'm thinking of increasing my VR use for points accumulation, but obviously I want to avoid too much suspicion from card issuers. I was thinking the best way to do this would be to buy 1-2 VRs per card issuer (i.e., 1-2 each on Chase, Amex, Citi, Barclay). My concern is that my Citi and Barclays cards are not highly used. I don't want VRs to be the only purchase on any given card - does anyone else force yourself to put a few other transactions on an account to make it less obvious? Has anyone been putting only VRs on their card, or close to it?
Curious what everyone else's plan, and mix of spending is.
Until now, I've only been buying VRs for bills that cannot be paid with credit card. That has meant only 1-2 VRs per month. I'm thinking of increasing my VR use for points accumulation, but obviously I want to avoid too much suspicion from card issuers. I was thinking the best way to do this would be to buy 1-2 VRs per card issuer (i.e., 1-2 each on Chase, Amex, Citi, Barclay). My concern is that my Citi and Barclays cards are not highly used. I don't want VRs to be the only purchase on any given card - does anyone else force yourself to put a few other transactions on an account to make it less obvious? Has anyone been putting only VRs on their card, or close to it?
Curious what everyone else's plan, and mix of spending is.
Feb 24, 2013, 5:34 pm
#7523
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1
RDU-area people want VR?
Just found a CVS! Surprised Amex didn't block my first-time $1000 drugstore purchase.
Feb 24, 2013, 5:37 pm
#7524
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,396
I ONLY put VR cards on my card when I purchase them. Adding extra items is fine but has no effect whatsoever on approval. It's the total amount of the purchase that triggers a fraud alert (usually). The only card issuer that has given me any trouble trying to buy VR cards is Barclays. Stay away from using a Barclays card (US Dividend Miles MasterCard & Virgin America Visa) unless you enjoy being embarrassed at the checkout counter with a required call by the merchant to the issuer's fraud department. American Express has been the best issuer to use - never once questing my VR purchases!
Good to know that Barclays is more bothersome than others.
Feb 24, 2013, 5:42 pm
#7525
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,396
You mean you put 3k-4k in total spend, relative to a couple of VR purchases, or 3-4k in VR each month so they think it is "normal" spend for you?
Feb 24, 2013, 6:02 pm
#7526
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Washington, DC area
Programs: Air: Many; Hotel: HH D, HY G, IHG P, MR S, RR
Posts: 504
Sending money between BB accounts
I searched in this thread and checked Bluebird information, but I didn't see anything about the time frames associated with the "Send Money" functionality, which can be used to transfer money between two BB accounts. I also was a little surprised that the page to initiate sending money did not have an area to enter a BB account number. It seems like they use the email address to contact the recipient rather than doing anything automated or real-time. I was hoping that someone who has used this feature can provide information about the amount of time between initiating the request to send money and having the funds available in the recipient's account. Thanks in advance!
Feb 24, 2013, 6:37 pm
#7527
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: BWI
Posts: 212
I've used "Send Money" between two different BB accounts two or three times and the transfer is pretty much instantaneous.
You enter the recipient's email that is linked to their BB account. Within a few seconds the recipient is emailed and said that they have been sent money.
The recipient then has to log into their own BB to claim the money that they were sent. The funds are posted and available immediately to the recipient.
This is one of the fastest and easiest functions of BB.
You enter the recipient's email that is linked to their BB account. Within a few seconds the recipient is emailed and said that they have been sent money.
The recipient then has to log into their own BB to claim the money that they were sent. The funds are posted and available immediately to the recipient.
This is one of the fastest and easiest functions of BB.
Feb 24, 2013, 6:38 pm
#7528
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 359
I do 5k VR each month spread amongst a few cards, a little AP, and then my other spend. The VR is typically going on newer cards I'm meeting the minimum spending on.
Feb 24, 2013, 6:39 pm
#7529
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
Programs: UA 1K, 1.3mm
Posts: 918
I searched in this thread and checked Bluebird information, but I didn't see anything about the time frames associated with the "Send Money" functionality, which can be used to transfer money between two BB accounts. I also was a little surprised that the page to initiate sending money did not have an area to enter a BB account number. It seems like they use the email address to contact the recipient rather than doing anything automated or real-time. I was hoping that someone who has used this feature can provide information about the amount of time between initiating the request to send money and having the funds available in the recipient's account. Thanks in advance!