Category Archives: Bluebird

Using the Automatic Kiosk to Load Bluebird & Buy Money Orders at Wal-Mart

Posted on April 18, 2013 by | 73 Comments

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A reader tipped me off that you can buy money orders and load your Bluebird at Wal-Mart using the Wal-Mart Money Center Kiosks.  I actually tried using one of these machines about 6 months ago, but was unable to get it to sell me a money order or to load my Bluebird.  But I’m glad that it is finally working!

Bluebird Reload Wal-Mart Kiosk-004

WalMart MoneyCenter Kiosk

This is great news for folks who buy Visa gift cards with a PIN using a miles and points credit card.  That’s because you no longer have to wait in line at the Wal-Mart MoneyCenter and be at the mercy of a teller who may not know how to reload your Bluebird.  And once your Bluebird is loaded, you can use it to pay bills and loans which you otherwise can’t pay with a credit card. Continue reading →

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Posted in Bluebird, Gift Cards, Vanilla Reloads

The $1,000 Visa Gift Card (With PIN!) From Gift Card Mall [Now Only $500]

Posted on April 13, 2013 by | 118 Comments

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Update:  The maximum value gift card is only $500 now, so this isn’t as good as it used to be.

Many grocery shops, drug store, office supply store, and gas stations let you buy gift cards with a credit card.  And as I wrote earlier, you can now add a PIN on many Visa and MasterCard gift cards.

I sometimes buy gift cards to complete the minimum spending requirement on credit cards and then use the gift cards for my regular spending.  But they are typically for $500 in value and have a purchase fee of ~$5.

A $1,000 Gift Card

A $1,000 Gift Card!

It can make sense to buy these cards with a credit card which earns a bonus when used at grocery, drug, office supply or gas stations.  And then use the gift card either for your regular spending, to buy money orders, or to load your American Express Bluebird at Wal-Mart.  Remember, you can pay your loans and bills using American Express Bluebird.

However, not ALL versions of gift cards can be used to load your Bluebird, so always start with a small amount as a test. Continue reading →

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Posted in Bluebird, Gift Cards

Breaking News: You Can Now Use Gift Cards For Cash Back, Loading Bluebird, and Buying Money Orders!

Posted on April 6, 2013 by | 201 Comments

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A Million Mile Secrets reader (thanks!) pointed me to this FlyerTalk thread which discusses the new ability to add a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to a prepaid Visa or MasterCard debit gift card.

Even Better With a PIN!

Even Better With a PIN!

This is good news because you can NOW use your Visa or MasterCard gift card as a debit card with your PIN to:

  • Load your American Express Bluebird at Wal-Mart
  • Buy Money Orders at Wal-Mart, grocery stores or other locations to pay loans etc.
  • Get Cash Back at certain stores
  • Buy Pre-Paid cards from stores which don’t sell them with a credit card, but let you use a debit card
  • Potentially pay a lower debit card fee when you pay your taxes

This means that it becomes easier to complete the minimum spending requirement on your new credit cards or to use credit cards for purchases which otherwise couldn’t be made with a credit card. Continue reading →

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Posted in Bluebird, Gift Cards

Using PayPal “My Cash” Reloads to Earn Miles & Points, Fund Bluebird, Pay Taxes & More!

Posted on January 28, 2013 by | 83 Comments

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Warning:  You should NOT experiment with the PayPal business debit card and reload card if you can’t afford to be without the money loaded in your PayPal account.  Many people complain that PayPal arbitrarily closes accounts and that it can takes months to get your money back.

Pay Pal Debit Card

PayPal Business Debit Card & Reloads

My account is still open and PayPal pledges to change the way it closes accounts, but do NOT experiment with this if you can’t be without the money loaded in your account.  Seriously. Continue reading →

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Posted in Bluebird, PayPal, Vanilla Reloads

Are Vanilla Reloads Still Available at Walgreens?

Posted on January 18, 2013 by | 65 Comments

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Readers have been emailing to ask if Walgreens still sells Vanilla Reloads with a credit card.

I shared earlier that I was able to buy Vanilla Reloads with a credit card at one of the two Walgreens in my town.  Many Walgreens don’t let you use a credit card to buy a Vanilla Reload, so I was lucky to be able to buy them with a credit card – even though I was limited to 1 Vanilla Reload at a time.

Walgreens Vanilla Reload

I’m Out of Luck at Walgreens

This was great news because I could buy the Vanilla Reloads using a credit card.  I’d earn miles for the purchase and the spending would count towards the minimum spending requirements on my credit cards.  I’d then use Bluebird to pay bills, such as rent and student loans, which I couldn’t otherwise pay with a credit card. Continue reading →

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Posted in Bluebird, Vanilla Reloads

How to Use The Wells Fargo Prepaid Card to Complete Minimum Spending Requirements & Load Bluebird

Posted on December 10, 2012 by | 101 Comments

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Update:  You can ONLY use Wells Fargo credit cards to fund the Wells Fargo Prepaid card after May 1, 2013.

Introduction

Credit card minimum spending requirements are always increasing. 

After Amazon Payments, prepaid debit cards offer some of the best ways to creatively meet credit card minimum spending requirements.  You can also use prepaid debit cards to generate spending to earn extra perks on credit cards.

Wells Fargo Prepaid Card

I wrote an eight part series on the perks of Big Spending on a credit card – from hotel elite status, bonus points, airline elite status to companion passes.  Check it out to see which perk matters the most to you and use that credit card when you fund your prepaid debit card.

However, do NOT use a Citi credit card to fund a Wells Fargo prepaid  card because it is coded as a cash advance which means high cash advance fees and interest.

how it works Continue reading →

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Posted in American Express, Bank Of America, Barclays, Bluebird, Chase, Citibank, Wells Fargo

I Earned Alaska Air & American Airlines Miles for Reloading My Bluebird With My Alaska Air & UFB Bank Debit Card at Wal-Mart

Posted on November 12, 2012 by | 39 Comments

[Emily & I do NOT get a referral for the  Delta, Alaska Air, or American Airlines debit cards.]

As soon as I got my American Express Bluebird card, I reloaded it with 3 miles earning cards – the Suntrust Delta debit card, the Bank of America Alaska Air debit card, and the UFB Bank Airlines Rewards Checking account which earns American Airlines miles.

It costs $2 per debit card load to load your Bluebird with a debit card ONLINE, and you are limited to $100 per day and $1,000 per month, so I don’t recommend this method.

Instead, you CAN load your Bluebird card with a debit card for FREE when you reload at a Wal-Mart store.  You can reload up to $1,000 per day and $5,000 per month.

I Earned Alaska Air Miles for Loading my Bluebird With the Alaska Air Debit Card

Continue reading →

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Posted in Alaska Airlines Debit Card, American Airlines, Bluebird

Vanilla Reloads Slowly Trickling Into CVS & I Bought 2 Vanilla Reloads With a Credit Card!

Posted on November 8, 2012 by | 144 Comments

[Emily & I get a referral for the Citi Hilton Reserve in this post.  We do NOT get a referral for the American Express Hilton credit cards.  We are very grateful to all readers who use our links!]

Buying Vanilla at CVS

Bluebird Introduction

One of the best uses of American Express Bluebird is the ability to pay for transactions which can’t usually be made with a miles or points earning credit card.  This includes transactions such as your rent, mortgage, car payment, credit card bill, tuition, etc.

You load your Bluebird card (which you can order online) with a points earning debit card at Wal-Mart.  You can also reload Bluebird with Vanilla Reload cards which you can buy at CVS, Walgreen’s or other locations.  Alternate with other credit cards so that you’re not spending too much at buying Vanilla Reloads with any one credit card.

Here’s a post on other credit cards to use with Bluebird, so that you’re not maxing out on just 1 card. Continue reading →

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Posted in American Express, Bluebird

I Earned Delta Miles for Reloading American Express Bluebird With my Delta Debit Card at Wal-Mart

Posted on November 7, 2012 by | 42 Comments

[Emily & I do NOT get a referral for the Delta, Alaska Air, or American Airlines debit cards.]

As soon as I got my American Express Bluebird card, I reloaded it with 3 miles earning cards – the Suntrust Delta debit card, the Bank of America Alaska Air debit card, and the UFB Bank Airlines Rewards Checking account which earns American Airlines miles.

It costs $2 per debit card load to load your Bluebird with a debit card ONLINE, and you are limited to $100 per day and $1,000 per month, so I don’t recommend this method.

However, you CAN load your Bluebird card with a debit card for FREE when you reload at a Wal-Mart store.

Bluebird Delta Debit Card

I Earned Delta Miles for Loading my Bluebird With the Delta Debit Card

Continue reading →

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Posted in Alaska Airlines Debit Card, Bluebird, Chase, Delta Skymiles, Southwest, Suntrust Delta Debit Card, UFB American Airlines

How Long Does it Take For Bluebird “Pay Bills” to Mail a Check?

Posted on November 5, 2012 by | 61 Comments

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Bluebird Introduction

One of the best uses of American Express Bluebird is the ability to pay for transactions which can’t usually be made with a miles or points earning credit card.  This includes transactions such as your rent, mortgage, car payment, credit card bill, tuition, etc.

You load your Bluebird card (which you can order online) with a points earning debit card at Wal-Mart.  You can also reload Bluebird with Vanilla Reload cards which you can buy at CVS, Walgreen’s or other locations.  Alternate with other credit cards so that you’re not spending too much at buying Vanilla Reloads with any one credit card.

Here’s a post on other credit cards to use with Bluebird, so that you’re not maxing out on just 1 card.

Continue reading →

→ 61 Comments

Posted in Bluebird, Chase