Apr 3, 2013, 11:44 am
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:
*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
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:
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.
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.
Bluebird prepaid debit, now with FDIC insurance and paper checks (2013-2014)
Jun 3, 2013, 11:41 am
#871
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: LAX, SNA
Posts: 359
I've never bill pay myself through the BB website, I have written 2 checks to myself totaling 2.5k since BB made personal checks available. I stopped doing that after I noticed that BB has an electronic image of who the check was written to. However, I do not think it would be an issue unless they start to monitor accounts closely, which I think has not started yet.
Jun 3, 2013, 12:07 pm
#872
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 672
Is your account number to billpay to AmericanExpress just your actual credit card number? I want to pay my Delta Amex Reserve. Not sure I want to start paying that bill with Bluebird considering it's where I buy 5K in VRs every month but I might as well set it up.
I haven't had any problem paying chase or buying VRs with Amex so I'll probably keep that system going.
I haven't had any problem paying chase or buying VRs with Amex so I'll probably keep that system going.
Jun 3, 2013, 12:35 pm
#873
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
Is your account number to billpay to AmericanExpress just your actual credit card number? I want to pay my Delta Amex Reserve. Not sure I want to start paying that bill with Bluebird considering it's where I buy 5K in VRs every month but I might as well set it up.
I haven't had any problem paying chase or buying VRs with Amex so I'll probably keep that system going.
I haven't had any problem paying chase or buying VRs with Amex so I'll probably keep that system going.
Jun 3, 2013, 12:41 pm
#874
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
I don't see the point in using BB for anything except paying off credit cards, plus issuing a few random paper checks to other folks just to mix things up. If you fund BB with GCs paid for with CCs, your credit card bills will always equal, or probably greatly exceed your BB balance.
Jun 3, 2013, 12:59 pm
#875
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 939
Agreed.
Unless you want to use the $$$ for something else (creating your own cash advance) then the path of least resistance is to load the BB with funds from CC and pay that CC with BB Billpay. Rinse/Repeat every month.
Unless you want to use the $$$ for something else (creating your own cash advance) then the path of least resistance is to load the BB with funds from CC and pay that CC with BB Billpay. Rinse/Repeat every month.
Jun 3, 2013, 2:06 pm
#876
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 672
I don't see the point in using BB for anything except paying off credit cards, plus issuing a few random paper checks to other folks just to mix things up. If you fund BB with GCs paid for with CCs, your credit card bills will always equal, or probably greatly exceed your BB balance.
Jun 3, 2013, 2:26 pm
#877
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
I don't see the point in using BB for anything except paying off credit cards, plus issuing a few random paper checks to other folks just to mix things up. If you fund BB with GCs paid for with CCs, your credit card bills will always equal, or probably greatly exceed your BB balance.
Jun 3, 2013, 2:59 pm
#878
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
Well, I pay for my auction house purchases, mortgage, electric utility, property taxes, and condo fees using BB. You can't usually use a credit or debit card for those bills, and in cases when you can, there is a hefty fee of 2% or more for the privilege of doing so. That's in addition to paying some CC bills (not Amex, even though I can) and getting free ATM withdrawals when I'm not near my own bank. How do you deal with any of those bills now?
For the bills you mention, you might as well cut a check from a real bank, same as always. The way I see it, you earn rewards points on GC purchases limited to $5K/month. You automatically have CC bills for $5K. It makes no difference, earnings-wise, if you pay CC bills with that $5K, or traditional bills.
Jun 3, 2013, 3:26 pm
#880
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
How do you get free ATM withdrawals with BB absent direct deposit? At WM?
For the bills you mention, you might as well cut a check from a real bank, same as always. The way I see it, you earn rewards points on GC purchases limited to $5K/month. You automatically have CC bills for $5K. It makes no difference, earnings-wise, if you pay CC bills with that $5K, or traditional bills.
For the bills you mention, you might as well cut a check from a real bank, same as always. The way I see it, you earn rewards points on GC purchases limited to $5K/month. You automatically have CC bills for $5K. It makes no difference, earnings-wise, if you pay CC bills with that $5K, or traditional bills.
Jun 3, 2013, 3:44 pm
#881
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
In addition to bills that charge a fee for paying with CC or don't allow you to pay with CC...
Jun 3, 2013, 3:46 pm
#882
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
How do you get free ATM withdrawals with BB absent direct deposit? At WM?
For the bills you mention, you might as well cut a check from a real bank, same as always. The way I see it, you earn rewards points on GC purchases limited to $5K/month. You automatically have CC bills for $5K. It makes no difference, earnings-wise, if you pay CC bills with that $5K, or traditional bills.
For the bills you mention, you might as well cut a check from a real bank, same as always. The way I see it, you earn rewards points on GC purchases limited to $5K/month. You automatically have CC bills for $5K. It makes no difference, earnings-wise, if you pay CC bills with that $5K, or traditional bills.
Jun 3, 2013, 3:47 pm
#883
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
I take a small dollar amount from my paycheck (an allotment) and have it direct deposited to my BB account. You don't need to deposit your entire check. And as I said, I do NOT pay all of my credit cards using BB. It is my fear (call it irrational if you must) that Amex is going to eventually shut down BB accounts that simply use it to pay off 100% of their Amex CC purchases of VRs. Citibank has shut down CC accounts of customers who are taking advantage of their CCs through manufactured spending alone. Once you lose Amex, you won't be invited back and I don't want to lose mine.
Jun 3, 2013, 3:51 pm
#884
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
I take a small dollar amount from my paycheck (an allotment) and have it direct deposited to my BB account. You don't need to deposit your entire check. And as I said, I do NOT pay all of my credit cards using BB. It is my fear (call it irrational if you must) that Amex is going to eventually shut down BB accounts that simply use it to pay off 100% of their Amex CC purchases of VRs. Citibank has shut down CC accounts of customers who are taking advantage of their CCs through manufactured spending alone. Once you lose Amex, you won't be invited back and I don't want to lose mine.
Jun 3, 2013, 3:57 pm
#885
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
The sentiment regarding Amex credit cards may be understandable, not so much others. But with Amex dropping the HHonors card bonus at drugstores, few others still offering drugstore category bonuses, and VRs hard to find or use CC's to buy, I'm not using Amex cards to purchase GCs much anymore. Chase is the biggest in this space with their no-fee GCs, and 5x Ink card purchases of $200 GCs at office supply stores.