Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card
Nov 1, 2012, 10:01 pm
#1336
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
I think the reloads are on the way. Last night, I spotted the elusive up to $500 Vanilla MC GC at my neighborhood WM. Today at my super WM, I found a bunch of the big dollar Visa GCs. Up till last night, I'd never seen anything loadable past $200 there. So they're starting to trickle in. But the big question is...will they take CC for the reloads, or will they go the Walgreens route: CC for the GC, cash for the reload. Sure hope it's the former!
Nov 1, 2012, 10:03 pm
#1337
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: MN
Programs: Lots of programs, dirt on all of them!
Posts: 11,938
This guy probably has more readers than any of the popular frequent flyer bloggers:
http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/frequ...w-opportunity/
If this thing is shut down before I even get my Ink card (applied almost two weeks ago and still waiting), I might as well buy a bottle of Scotch as my first purchase on the new Ink card and celebrate hours of time wastage.
http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/frequ...w-opportunity/
If this thing is shut down before I even get my Ink card (applied almost two weeks ago and still waiting), I might as well buy a bottle of Scotch as my first purchase on the new Ink card and celebrate hours of time wastage.
Nov 1, 2012, 10:13 pm
#1338
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Bellevue, WA
Programs: All main US FF programs basic level
Posts: 109
Including learning about this whole concept essentially from scratch two weeks ago, differentiating between vanilla reload and vanilla, business charge card versus business credit card, two Office Depot scouting trips, Amex prepaid versus Bluebird prepaid study, applying for Bluebird prepaid and Amex prepaid online rather than at a store, trying to figure out how to pay my rent with Bluebird, how to load Vanilla into Bluebird and much more.... at least 15-20 hours by now I would guess. Anyway, I was joking about the whiskey of course, and even if the time were wasted, it was entertaining to discover this whole new creative world.
Wish I had known MMS was going to do all of this work for me though. I would have been grateful for the baby step explanations back then.
As it is, I did purchase a few Vanillas in order to meet my minimum spending requirements for two other cards and I doubt I will get rejected for the Chase Ink despite going from pending to approved to pending.
Wish I had known MMS was going to do all of this work for me though. I would have been grateful for the baby step explanations back then.
As it is, I did purchase a few Vanillas in order to meet my minimum spending requirements for two other cards and I doubt I will get rejected for the Chase Ink despite going from pending to approved to pending.
Nov 1, 2012, 10:20 pm
#1339
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Plat, AA, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Choice Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,749
I think what you are missing here is that OD is NOT making money of the beans. The GM of the store in my town where I am well known and he would not lie to me told me they LOSE money selling them because the CC fee they pay is higher than the fee they get for selling them. Just sayin why some have gone to limit one
Nov 1, 2012, 10:23 pm
#1340
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Plat, AA, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Choice Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,749
just loaded some beans into PPC at www.vanillareload.com/, noticed the location dropdown has been expanded, now it includes W-mart. very interesting. 
Nov 1, 2012, 10:23 pm
#1341
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: On the Lake USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Hilton Diamond because they have nothing higher
Posts: 523
Called two days after web application, was approved and even given a credit line after 20-30 minute interview with a number of annoying questions. Called 10 days later to see why card was still not here and was told that application was pending! Seems like others have been having such a problem too per one of the threads in the credit card section of these forums, so make sure to call twice if the card is not here 10 days after application. Called a third time yesterday and was told that the delay could be because of the hurricane 
Nov 1, 2012, 10:26 pm
#1342
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: On the Lake USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Hilton Diamond because they have nothing higher
Posts: 523
Called two days after web application, was approved and even given a credit line after 20-30 minute interview with a number of annoying questions. Called 10 days later to see why card was still not here and was told that application was pending! Seems like others have been having such a problem too per one of the threads in the credit card section of these forums, so make sure to call twice if the card is not here 10 days after application. Called a third time yesterday and was told that the delay could be because of the hurricane
Nov 1, 2012, 10:50 pm
#1344
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: MN
Programs: Lots of programs, dirt on all of them!
Posts: 11,938
Including learning about this whole concept essentially from scratch two weeks ago, differentiating between vanilla reload and vanilla, business charge card versus business credit card, two Office Depot scouting trips, Amex prepaid versus Bluebird prepaid study, applying for Bluebird prepaid and Amex prepaid online rather than at a store, trying to figure out how to pay my rent with Bluebird, how to load Vanilla into Bluebird and much more.... at least 15-20 hours by now I would guess. Anyway, I was joking about the whiskey of course, and even if the time were wasted, it was entertaining to discover this whole new creative world.
Wish I had known MMS was going to do all of this work for me though. I would have been grateful for the baby step explanations back then.
As it is, I did purchase a few Vanillas in order to meet my minimum spending requirements for two other cards and I doubt I will get rejected for the Chase Ink despite going from pending to approved to pending.
Wish I had known MMS was going to do all of this work for me though. I would have been grateful for the baby step explanations back then.
As it is, I did purchase a few Vanillas in order to meet my minimum spending requirements for two other cards and I doubt I will get rejected for the Chase Ink despite going from pending to approved to pending.
In any case I am glad you are up to speed now.
Nov 1, 2012, 10:52 pm
#1345
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 367
Are these cards only available at Office Depot and Walmart, or is it just those stores that allow you to use a credit card to purchase and reload?
Nov 1, 2012, 11:53 pm
#1346
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 1,277
just loaded some beans into PPC at www.vanillareload.com/, noticed the location dropdown has been expanded, now it includes W-mart. very interesting.
Nov 2, 2012, 12:13 am
#1347
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 159
deleted. yeah...i know its been quoted, but I relinquish all responsibility and leave it to the other posters to edit their posts.
Last edited by DrSifu; Nov 2, 2012 at 8:08 am Reason: as requested.
Nov 2, 2012, 1:31 am
#1348
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: Delta silver, HH silver, IHG platinum, SPG gold, AMEX platinum
Posts: 400
Nov 2, 2012, 3:02 am
#1349
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Paris
Posts: 235
The ice cream list just doubled in size! Do others find it worth it to use a premier gold card at supermarkets? i.e. walmarts that come out as food stores
Nov 2, 2012, 4:19 am
#1350
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 367
That's why I asked about the availability and credit card acceptance at other locations.