Jan 31, 2017, 9:50 pm
Last edit by: shdflyer
11/3/17: The vast majority of popular prepaid debit cards are now blocked via a register hardcode at most locations.
This is the thread for 2017. The previous discussion can be found here.
Newbies: READ for days and learn before trying. It is best to know what you are doing, so start slow. Refer to cards as "Debit" not gc.
"Money orders can be purchased at any Post Office™ location.
Pay for your money order with cash, debit card, or traveler’s checks."
Fees:
$0.01 to $500.00: $1.20
$500.01 to $1,000.00: $1.60
Most post offices allow split payment (multiple debit cards) for one money order up to a max of $1000.
Example of how to split payment:
1. "One MO please for $998.40. Id like to pay with 2 debit cards, $500 on each."
2. Swipe first card and enter pin.
3. Remind teller that its "$500 on that card". They will change the amount on their screen to $500. Transaction goes through and a small receipt prints.
4. Swipe 2nd card, enter pin.
5. Done.
Note: If you encounter a problem with the second card and have to cancel the transaction, it can be very difficult to recover your funds on the first card. Always have a back-up payment method available (bank debit card or cash).
GC Information: The fine print on the back of the package shows the bank issuer. Don't buy GCs with tampered packaging and always use cards ASAP.
Visa OneVanilla and Vanilla GC issued by Bancorp work at PO.
Visa/MC Gift Cards issued by MetaBank have not had any success at MOST USPS anywhere in the country since around September 2016.
These will NOT work if the clerk uses a touchscreen
These MAY work, and often do, at small, rural post offices where clerks do not have touch screens.
Visa Gift Cards from Walmart issued by Green Dot have stopped working for MO purchases for some.
GAME MOSTLY OVER, MOST USPO are HARD CODED to NOT ACCEPT NON BANK DEBIT CARDS
Exception seems to be small, rural post offices where clerks do not use touch screens.
This is the thread for 2017. The previous discussion can be found here.
Newbies: READ for days and learn before trying. It is best to know what you are doing, so start slow. Refer to cards as "Debit" not gc.
"Money orders can be purchased at any Post Office™ location.
Pay for your money order with cash, debit card, or traveler’s checks."
Fees:
$0.01 to $500.00: $1.20
$500.01 to $1,000.00: $1.60
Most post offices allow split payment (multiple debit cards) for one money order up to a max of $1000.
Example of how to split payment:
1. "One MO please for $998.40. Id like to pay with 2 debit cards, $500 on each."
2. Swipe first card and enter pin.
3. Remind teller that its "$500 on that card". They will change the amount on their screen to $500. Transaction goes through and a small receipt prints.
4. Swipe 2nd card, enter pin.
5. Done.
Note: If you encounter a problem with the second card and have to cancel the transaction, it can be very difficult to recover your funds on the first card. Always have a back-up payment method available (bank debit card or cash).
GC Information: The fine print on the back of the package shows the bank issuer. Don't buy GCs with tampered packaging and always use cards ASAP.
Visa OneVanilla and Vanilla GC issued by Bancorp work at PO.
Visa/MC Gift Cards issued by MetaBank have not had any success at MOST USPS anywhere in the country since around September 2016.
These will NOT work if the clerk uses a touchscreen
These MAY work, and often do, at small, rural post offices where clerks do not have touch screens.
Visa Gift Cards from Walmart issued by Green Dot have stopped working for MO purchases for some.
GAME MOSTLY OVER, MOST USPO are HARD CODED to NOT ACCEPT NON BANK DEBIT CARDS
Exception seems to be small, rural post offices where clerks do not use touch screens.
Buy MO's at Post Office(2017-2018)[Gift Cards no Longer Allowed]
Dec 6, 2017, 8:58 am
#1321
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1
Don't hate
However, I was respectful in not cashing out more than $3K at a time at the P.O., in order to not have to fill out that form that's a hassle for everybody. I got busy and had fallen behind on trips to the P.O. since they took significantly longer than the 2 minute trips to CVS, somewhat irresponsible on my part but such is life.
Now it's more just an annoying inconvenience to liquidate them, but in the back of my mind I always figured a new method would emerge and/or I would come up with something brilliant on my own. Still working on that...
One useful thing I've found (thanks google and various blogs!) to get rid of awkward remaining balances (like the last $14.57 of a $500 card) without much hassle is to buy Amazon e-gift cards, which you can specify the amount to the penny and then add to your Amazon account balance almost immediately after. Not super helpful for liquidating large amounts unless you buy a lot of stuff through Amazon (which for me these days is about 75% of my shopping spend because it's just so freaking convenient)
And now, in the least offensive way possible, if anybody has found a new, somewhat efficient method for liquidating $500 vanillas, please PM me. I will even send you a $13.72 Amazon egift card as a token of thanks if it enables me to churn through my remaining stash!
Dec 6, 2017, 9:59 am
#1322
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 506
I would say don't hate- different people can afford different things and have varying risk tolerances, and here the only risk is just losing some liquidity- the asset doesn't lose value. I actually was sitting on $12K worth of Vanilla Gift cards, primarily because I had to be very consistent in my buying patterns at CVS (they have a max of $2K per 24 hour period, ad it's literal. If you bought at 9:13 AM today and tried to buy again at 9:12 AM tomorrow, the system would reject it).
However, I was respectful in not cashing out more than $3K at a time at the P.O., in order to not have to fill out that form that's a hassle for everybody. I got busy and had fallen behind on trips to the P.O. since they took significantly longer than the 2 minute trips to CVS, somewhat irresponsible on my part but such is life.
Now it's more just an annoying inconvenience to liquidate them, but in the back of my mind I always figured a new method would emerge and/or I would come up with something brilliant on my own. Still working on that...
One useful thing I've found (thanks google and various blogs!) to get rid of awkward remaining balances (like the last $14.57 of a $500 card) without much hassle is to buy Amazon e-gift cards, which you can specify the amount to the penny and then add to your Amazon account balance almost immediately after. Not super helpful for liquidating large amounts unless you buy a lot of stuff through Amazon (which for me these days is about 75% of my shopping spend because it's just so freaking convenient)
And now, in the least offensive way possible, if anybody has found a new, somewhat efficient method for liquidating $500 vanillas, please PM me. I will even send you a $13.72 Amazon egift card as a token of thanks if it enables me to churn through my remaining stash!
However, I was respectful in not cashing out more than $3K at a time at the P.O., in order to not have to fill out that form that's a hassle for everybody. I got busy and had fallen behind on trips to the P.O. since they took significantly longer than the 2 minute trips to CVS, somewhat irresponsible on my part but such is life.
Now it's more just an annoying inconvenience to liquidate them, but in the back of my mind I always figured a new method would emerge and/or I would come up with something brilliant on my own. Still working on that...
One useful thing I've found (thanks google and various blogs!) to get rid of awkward remaining balances (like the last $14.57 of a $500 card) without much hassle is to buy Amazon e-gift cards, which you can specify the amount to the penny and then add to your Amazon account balance almost immediately after. Not super helpful for liquidating large amounts unless you buy a lot of stuff through Amazon (which for me these days is about 75% of my shopping spend because it's just so freaking convenient)
And now, in the least offensive way possible, if anybody has found a new, somewhat efficient method for liquidating $500 vanillas, please PM me. I will even send you a $13.72 Amazon egift card as a token of thanks if it enables me to churn through my remaining stash!
Dec 6, 2017, 1:46 pm
#1324
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Don't liquidate them on any purchases for which you might have a later return. My SO did that and it created a big headache when she tossed the used up card (to which a return later posted). The issuers love breakage like politicians love pork. There are tricks, but nothing is getting publicized outside of underground circles. The best I can say is everything is YMMV, so do some road trips outside your home area. Every road trip for me always finds new opportunities.
I would say don't hate- different people can afford different things and have varying risk tolerances, and here the only risk is just losing some liquidity- the asset doesn't lose value. I actually was sitting on $12K worth of Vanilla Gift cards, primarily because I had to be very consistent in my buying patterns at CVS (they have a max of $2K per 24 hour period, and it's literal. If you bought at 9:13 AM today and tried to buy again at 9:12 AM tomorrow, the system would reject it).
However, I was respectful in not cashing out more than $3K at a time at the P.O., in order to not have to fill out that form that's a hassle for everybody. I got busy and had fallen behind on trips to the P.O. since they took significantly longer than the 2 minute trips to CVS, somewhat irresponsible on my part but such is life.
Now it's more just an annoying inconvenience to liquidate them, but in the back of my mind I always figured a new method would emerge and/or I would come up with something brilliant on my own. Still working on that...
One useful thing I've found (thanks google and various blogs!) to get rid of awkward remaining balances (like the last $14.57 of a $500 card) without much hassle is to buy Amazon e-gift cards, which you can specify the amount to the penny and then add to your Amazon account balance almost immediately after. Not super helpful for liquidating large amounts unless you buy a lot of stuff through Amazon (which for me these days is about 75% of my shopping spend because it's just so freaking convenient)
And now, in the least offensive way possible, if anybody has found a new, somewhat efficient method for liquidating $500 vanillas, please PM me. I will even send you a $13.72 Amazon egift card as a token of thanks if it enables me to churn through my remaining stash!
However, I was respectful in not cashing out more than $3K at a time at the P.O., in order to not have to fill out that form that's a hassle for everybody. I got busy and had fallen behind on trips to the P.O. since they took significantly longer than the 2 minute trips to CVS, somewhat irresponsible on my part but such is life.
Now it's more just an annoying inconvenience to liquidate them, but in the back of my mind I always figured a new method would emerge and/or I would come up with something brilliant on my own. Still working on that...
One useful thing I've found (thanks google and various blogs!) to get rid of awkward remaining balances (like the last $14.57 of a $500 card) without much hassle is to buy Amazon e-gift cards, which you can specify the amount to the penny and then add to your Amazon account balance almost immediately after. Not super helpful for liquidating large amounts unless you buy a lot of stuff through Amazon (which for me these days is about 75% of my shopping spend because it's just so freaking convenient)
And now, in the least offensive way possible, if anybody has found a new, somewhat efficient method for liquidating $500 vanillas, please PM me. I will even send you a $13.72 Amazon egift card as a token of thanks if it enables me to churn through my remaining stash!
Dec 6, 2017, 4:36 pm
#1325
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 749
I would say don't hate- different people can afford different things and have varying risk tolerances, and here the only risk is just losing some liquidity- the asset doesn't lose value. I actually was sitting on $12K worth of Vanilla Gift cards, primarily because I had to be very consistent in my buying patterns at CVS (they have a max of $2K per 24 hour period, and it's literal. If you bought at 9:13 AM today and tried to buy again at 9:12 AM tomorrow, the system would reject it).
However, I was respectful in not cashing out more than $3K at a time at the P.O., in order to not have to fill out that form that's a hassle for everybody. I got busy and had fallen behind on trips to the P.O. since they took significantly longer than the 2 minute trips to CVS, somewhat irresponsible on my part but such is life.
Now it's more just an annoying inconvenience to liquidate them, but in the back of my mind I always figured a new method would emerge and/or I would come up with something brilliant on my own. Still working on that...
One useful thing I've found (thanks google and various blogs!) to get rid of awkward remaining balances (like the last $14.57 of a $500 card) without much hassle is to buy Amazon e-gift cards, which you can specify the amount to the penny and then add to your Amazon account balance almost immediately after. Not super helpful for liquidating large amounts unless you buy a lot of stuff through Amazon (which for me these days is about 75% of my shopping spend because it's just so freaking convenient)
And now, in the least offensive way possible, if anybody has found a new, somewhat efficient method for liquidating $500 vanillas, please PM me. I will even send you a $13.72 Amazon egift card as a token of thanks if it enables me to churn through my remaining stash!
However, I was respectful in not cashing out more than $3K at a time at the P.O., in order to not have to fill out that form that's a hassle for everybody. I got busy and had fallen behind on trips to the P.O. since they took significantly longer than the 2 minute trips to CVS, somewhat irresponsible on my part but such is life.
Now it's more just an annoying inconvenience to liquidate them, but in the back of my mind I always figured a new method would emerge and/or I would come up with something brilliant on my own. Still working on that...
One useful thing I've found (thanks google and various blogs!) to get rid of awkward remaining balances (like the last $14.57 of a $500 card) without much hassle is to buy Amazon e-gift cards, which you can specify the amount to the penny and then add to your Amazon account balance almost immediately after. Not super helpful for liquidating large amounts unless you buy a lot of stuff through Amazon (which for me these days is about 75% of my shopping spend because it's just so freaking convenient)
And now, in the least offensive way possible, if anybody has found a new, somewhat efficient method for liquidating $500 vanillas, please PM me. I will even send you a $13.72 Amazon egift card as a token of thanks if it enables me to churn through my remaining stash!
Dec 6, 2017, 5:31 pm
#1327
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 506
Don't liquidate them on any purchases for which you might have a later return. My SO did that and it created a big headache when she tossed the used up card (to which a return later posted). The issuers love breakage like politicians love pork. There are tricks, but nothing is getting publicized outside of underground circles. The best I can say is everything is YMMV, so do some road trips outside your home area. Every road trip for me always finds new opportunities.
Dec 7, 2017, 7:26 am
#1328
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
Dec 7, 2017, 8:49 am
#1329
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 102
I will pop into a Kmart every now and then and try to do a bill pay. The system is always crashing and then when they finally get it to work it never goes through. I've given up on it.
Dec 8, 2017, 12:03 pm
#1332
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
John 2:13-16 "And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables." We have it on the very highest moral authority that turning the tables on bankers is the moral thing to do. Would you deny the will of god? 
Dec 10, 2017, 6:50 am
#1333
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: Hilton - Diamond, IHG - Spire Amb
Posts: 901
But to the other point, MS is NOT inherently immoral. I personally do the VGC-MO route and there is nothing wrong with that.
Dec 10, 2017, 7:47 am
#1334
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Indeed, but Matthew 6:26 tells us to "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them." Are we who freely fly not birds of the air and should we refuse the miles that feed our flight? Do we not simply do as we are intended to do as part of a greater plan? When the bankers try to give us the business are they not interfering with God's will? If bankers treat us as if we were a scourge, are we not simply the scourge of God sent in light of their grievous sins?
Perhaps this old fraud examiner and American Express, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citibank, Chase and Barclays customer simply finds humor in banks now saying that they will look at their customers through the eyes of rats. Have bankers not been doing so since biblical times?
I realize this may have been a bit lighthearted humorous reply, but I will point out that it was because they were conducting business in the house of the Lord.
But to the other point, MS is NOT inherently immoral. I personally do the VGC-MO route and there is nothing wrong with that.
Perhaps this old fraud examiner and American Express, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citibank, Chase and Barclays customer simply finds humor in banks now saying that they will look at their customers through the eyes of rats. Have bankers not been doing so since biblical times?
I realize this may have been a bit lighthearted humorous reply, but I will point out that it was because they were conducting business in the house of the Lord.
But to the other point, MS is NOT inherently immoral. I personally do the VGC-MO route and there is nothing wrong with that.
Dec 10, 2017, 8:42 am
#1335
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 826
Whether something is moral or not can not be judged by: for me, by me, to me. There is no way you can not not do immoral things in the MS world, for its foundation rests on "greed to benefit oneself". Greed will blind anyone.