May 27, 2015, 12:00 am
Last edit by: iflyjetz
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 discussion. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread.
For information on switching from BB to Serve, see the Serve thread wiki.
Bluebird Load Limits:
The cash load limit for a temp card is $1,500 total.
*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.
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 discussion. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread.
For information on switching from BB to Serve, see the Serve thread wiki.
Bluebird Load Limits:
- Cash loading via VR or WM load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
- Cash loading up to $1999.99/day at Walmart registers (tested by PedroNY in Post #525 and showed to not be enforced. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1501215-bluebird-prepaid-debit-now-fdic-insurance-paper-checks-2015-a-35.html#post25611848 )
- 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
The cash load limit for a temp card is $1,500 total.
*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.
Bluebird prepaid debit, now with FDIC insurance and paper checks (2015)
Nov 24, 2015, 4:39 am
#586
Join Date: May 2013
Location: RMS
Programs: DL Plat, UA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Credit Card Diamond
Posts: 8,789
I got my BB card today and successfully loaded $400 of VGCs I bought at Staples with my AmEx Business Open Cash card. I thought I read someone who transferred his BB account balance to his checking account and paid his AmEx bill from there. Is that possible or was that on Serve?
I couldn't find a link to add an external account to send money to on BB website.
I couldn't find a link to add an external account to send money to on BB website.
Pay a Bill
Add Payee
Search for American Express, select, enter your account number
Nov 25, 2015, 9:42 am
#587
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,784
Many of us have been doing this for years with AFAIK no reports of any problems from doing that.
Nov 30, 2015, 10:26 am
#588
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 11
I see that people have success just paying their credit card bill through Bluebird. Is this not advisable if you are paying off the credit card you are manufactured spending on? Also does anyone pay other bills using Bluebird, mortgage, utilities etc?
Last edited by Bostin; Nov 30, 2015 at 10:35 am
Nov 30, 2015, 11:00 am
#590
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 11
Great, thank you! I did my first $500 VGC purchase recently and was able to successfully load it to my Bluebird account at WM. If I am paying a bill through the Bluebird bill pay service, should I turn off the automatic payment for that particular bill I am guessing? That would seem logical to me, but I was hoping for advise from experts! 
Nov 30, 2015, 11:12 am
#591
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 201
But don't forget to pay it... @:-)
Nov 30, 2015, 3:20 pm
#593
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angles
Posts: 2,101
Now RedBird (target) is useless should convert back to BB or serve?
Nov 30, 2015, 5:10 pm
#594
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 117
I have 2 RB accounts, really enjoyed them, but now need to change back to BB or give Serve a try. Regarding Serve, I have 2 of the 'old' Serve temp cards, that came in the box, each with $10 on them. I haven't changed from RB yet, so I'm guessing a 30 day wait, once I cancel RB, B/F signing up for Serve?
Can I apply for permanent Serve on line?
Can I apply for permanent Serve on line?
Nov 30, 2015, 8:12 pm
#595
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: ATL
Programs: AA, AGR, DL, MR, WoH, UA
Posts: 951
I have 2 RB accounts, really enjoyed them, but now need to change back to BB or give Serve a try. Regarding Serve, I have 2 of the 'old' Serve temp cards, that came in the box, each with $10 on them. I haven't changed from RB yet, so I'm guessing a 30 day wait, once I cancel RB, B/F signing up for Serve?
Can I apply for permanent Serve on line?
Can I apply for permanent Serve on line?
Dec 1, 2015, 9:12 am
#596
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,784
Great, thank you! I did my first $500 VGC purchase recently and was able to successfully load it to my Bluebird account at WM. If I am paying a bill through the Bluebird bill pay service, should I turn off the automatic payment for that particular bill I am guessing? That would seem logical to me, but I was hoping for advise from experts!
As for turning off automatic bill payment, usually this is not necessary. The auto payment is for the amount due. If you have already paid in advance, there is nothing due, and no auto payment is made. The advantage of leaving the auto payment on is that if for some reason in the future you forget to make the payment, the auto payment system does it for you.
Dec 1, 2015, 11:18 am
#597
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 43
I was loading 1k which was their max hard coded into the register. This was at a regular WM, not super WM, but also not neighborhood WM. Anyone know how screwed I am for giving them all this info or what this will do to my BB loads?
Dec 1, 2015, 11:24 pm
#598
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: DL DM-1MM HH Diamond
Posts: 361
I have 2 RB accounts, really enjoyed them, but now need to change back to BB or give Serve a try. Regarding Serve, I have 2 of the 'old' Serve temp cards, that came in the box, each with $10 on them. I haven't changed from RB yet, so I'm guessing a 30 day wait, once I cancel RB, B/F signing up for Serve?
Can I apply for permanent Serve on line?
Can I apply for permanent Serve on line?
Dec 2, 2015, 6:32 am
#599
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
as to your BB loading, if you can go to a WMSupercenter with Kate, that's your best shot w/o having to interact with a cashier.
Dec 6, 2015, 8:09 am
#600
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,784
Can I Load OVs with a Cashier?
I'm $100 short on my BB loads for this month. I have $100 left on a OV GC. I know I can load that to BB, at $49.99 per load at Kate. But Kate lives some distance from me, and I don't really want to drive all the way over there just to load $99.98. Does anyone know if I can do two $49.99 OV loads with a cashier?