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New AMEX Serve Accounts – and a 1% Back Card Coming Soon!

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    American Express Serve is changing!

    They’re now offering TWO different cards for new account holders.  One charges minimal to no monthly fees, but you’ll pay every time you reload the card.

    The 2nd version adds a $4.95 monthly fee with free reloads at certain retailers.

    And the representatives I spoke with this morning said there’s a THIRD Serve card coming in ~2 months which will offer 1% back!

    New Serve Account Holders Now Have 2 Prepaid Cards to Choose From – and a 3rd Card With 1% Rebate Is Coming Soon!
    If you already have a Serve account, your card won’t change.  I’ll explain!

    What’s the Deal?

    Link:   American Express Serve

    Link:   My Review of American Express Serve

    New AMEX Serve account holders will now have to choose between 2 card products.

    Note:   Remember, you must choose between AMEX Serve, Bluebird, or Target Prepaid REDCard.  You can NOT have more than 1 different type of these cards.

    1.   American Express Serve (Blue Card)

    The regular version of American Express Serve still includes free online bill pay, MoneyPass ATM withdrawals, and money transfers.  However, you’ll now pay:

    The Regular Serve Card Now Adds a $3.95 Fee for Reloads! Ouch!

    There’s something interesting in the fine print!  It says:

    Fee waived in each monthly statement period that you receive a Direct Deposit or add $500 or more

    I spoke to a Serve representative and they confirmed that the $1 monthly fee is waived if you add $500+ to your account each month – either by direct deposit or reload.

    Paying ~$4 per reload makes this card much less attractive for most folks.  Especially since you’re already paying fees to buy PIN-enabled gift cards to load your account!

    But there’s another option.

    2.   American Express Serve FREE Reloads (Green Card)

    The American Express Serve FREE Reload card has the same features as the regular Serve card, except you’ll pay a $4.95 monthly fee.

    But you won’t pay ANY fees to reload your card at CVS, Family Dollar, Walmart, and participating 7-Eleven stores.

    The Free Reload Version of Serve Charges ~$5 per Month, but You’ll Get Unlimited Free Reloads at Stores Like Family Dollar
    Note:   You can still only have ONE AMEX prepaid account at a time.  And again, if you already have a Serve card, nothing is changing for you.

    3.   Coming Soon – Serve With 1% Rebate!

    American Express hasn’t released official details yet, but multiple representatives I spoke with confirm there’s another version of Serve coming in ~2 months.

    This Serve account will offer a 1% rebate!

    There’s no information yet on fees or minimum monthly loads.  But I’ll let you know as soon as I find out!

    Note:  If you’re new to Serve, check out my review!  It’s a good way to earn miles and points and meet minimum spending requirements, because you can load your account with PIN-enabled gift cards bought with a credit card.

    Then use your Serve account to pay bills that can’t normally be paid with a credit card, like utilities, rent, or loans.

    And read my post on how to decide which AMEX prepaid card is right for you.

    What If You Already Have a Serve Account?

    Folks who currently have an AMEX Serve account will NOT have to pay any new fees.  Nothing will change.

    However, when your account reaches it’s expiration date, you’ll have to choose a new Serve account.

    You’ll Have to Pick a New Serve Account When Your Current Card Expires – and That’s Probably Not for a While!

    But for most folks, the expiration is ~7 years from now!

    Bottom Line

    American Express Serve now has 2 types of accounts.  If you already have a Serve account, nothing will change!

    The Blue Serve card charges a $1 monthly fee except in New York, Texas, and Vermont.  But you won’t pay the fee if you add at least $500 per month to your account.

    However, you’ll pay ~$4 every time you reload your card with cash, debit, or PIN-enabled gift cards.

    The Green Serve card charges a ~$5 monthly fee, but you can reload it free of charge at CVS, Family Dollar, Walmart, and some 7-Eleven stores.

    And there’s a new Serve card coming in ~2 months that will offer 1% back.  I’ll keep you posted when I find out more!

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)