UPDATE 6/20/14: Do not use OVGCs or VGCs at Walmart. Use other gift cards from other banks.
Load Bluebird with Gift Cards at Walmart
To load Bluebird with a Visa, MasterCard, or American Express Gift Card, you will need:
- Bluebird Card
- Walmart Store
- Gift card with a PIN (most gift cards have PINs, but not all)
You will have to experiment with different gift cards to find out which ones have PINs. I have the best luck with Vanilla Visa Gift Cards from office supply stores. If you do not have a Walmart close by, please read Load Bluebird with Gift Cards without Walmart for an alternative way to load your Bluebird Card with gift cards. Assuming you have all 3 things listed above, go to your local Walmart and find the Money Center (near the customer service department).
Give your Bluebird Card to the representative and tell him/her how much you want to load. Bluebird has a $1,000 daily reload limit and a $5,000 monthly reload limit. The monthly reload limit is on a 30 day moving time period. Slide your gift card though the credit card reader. If you see a small yellow box on the bottom of the screen that says something like Alternate Options, click that button really fast. Then click the Debit box on the screen. Now you will enter your PIN (hopefully the PIN works). If your PIN works, a message will say Approved! on the screen and a receipt will automatically print. If your PIN does not work, the screen will say Payment Not Approved.
To minimize the chances of getting a declined reload, read Activate a Gift Card and Create a PIN (before visiting Walmart). Some gift card websites will let you create a PIN online. Some gift cards have PINs that can be created the first time you use them for debit. Also, some gift cards use the last 4 digits of the gift card number as the PIN.
I always load the full amount of the gift card onto my Bluebird Card. For example, if I had a $500 Visa Gift Card, I would load $500 onto my Bluebird Card. If I had 2 $500 gift cards, I would load them in 2 separate transactions.
Also, you can search for Walmart ATMs here.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.
Hey grant, i’m just trying to clarify something. The $5000 monthly limit for loading VISA via WM to BB is 30 day moving or 30 calendar days??
Calendar month: April 1 through April 30.
thanks!!
The link your provided for Walmart ATMs shows a bunch of moneypass ATMs around the city. Could that mean we can load onevanilla to bluebird at any of these?
No loading at ATMs, just fee-free ATM withdrawals.
So I’ve been loading my BBs at WM using prepaid debit cards. I hit my max on BB loads and went to Walmart to do the same loads but only to an H&R Block Emerald card. The loading works just fine, but they charge you another $3.74 per load. Which means that to load two $500 GCs onto an Emerald card….. you’ll pay $17.38 total in fees to buy the GCs and load them – as opposed to the $9.90 in fees if you ate loading to a BB. Just a note. It eats away a bit on earning potential by using cards other than BB.
You can get a Go Bank Card, they are free to load and load just like Bluebird/Serve Cards.
Logan – Get a GoBank account. Loads at WM just like BB. Has online BillPay just like BB. Supposedly there is risk of getting it shut down if you simply flush money through it, but if you take some cash out here and there at ATMs and use the BillPay to pay actual bills (vs writing yourself a check immediately) it should be fine.
Great minds think alike RJP.
I love GoBank. I wish AMEX would let us use SERVE and BB at the sametime.
I just went to WalMart to load my BB with a MC GC .. I added the pin yesterday after I purchased it. It was declined. The employee- at the service desk said the computer is not optioning the debit button and hopefully it will be fixed later. Has anyone else had any trouble with that today?
Beth – I’ve never been able to get a MC GC to work. Have you ever been able to get a MC GC to work previously? I use MetaBank Visa and Vanilla Visa GCs with zero problems.
Try again in a few days. I think it takes a few days for the MasterCard Gift Card PINs to stick to the card. Try to stick with Visa Gift Cards, they seem to work much better.
Thanks :)
Update on the tactical effort of loading BB with One Vanilla cards at Walmart: (1) The self service kiosk at the Customer Service area always cuts me off when trying to perform the 4th consecutive $500 load (I use several BBs). It prompts for a store associate to login…. which is about as easy as finding a surgeon at your local gas station). (2) When this happens, I go to a checkout register and/or the “overseeing” register at the self check area. They are well equipped to handle the loads…. but it takes time so I do what I can using the self service kiosk first before going to a register.
I think people do $499.99 on the 4th reload to avoid being locked out. Might be worth the penny to avoid the frustration.
yea i had the same problem before few month ago. I load $1000 on my BB and attempt to load another $1k to my GoBank. on the 4th reload it prompt a associate sign in to unlock. I could try what Grant suggest to load 499.99 only if the WM near me fix or replace that damn ATM. It always out of order. I even call ahead and the stupid associates said its working but when i got there it’s not. Very frustrated!!! The 2nd nearest WM with the Money Center ATM is like 20 miles away, not wort of wasting gas if that doesn’t work either.
…. if my cheeks would only let go of a penny :)
I agree that I have found that the fourth transaction in a row of transactions hits a glitch. I have found that after three transactions, I take a two minute walk. When I return, all works smoothly.
I think after a few minutes (5-10 maybe), the machine will let you load more.
Is this just a regular Walmart gift card or a Visa/MC giftcard?
It has to be a Visa or MasterCard gift card.
I’d go as far as to say is should be a VISA gift card. WM seems to choke on MC cards often.
Visa gift cards work better than MasterCard gift cards.
Just another day today going into Walmart to do my loads from One Vanillas to BBs. Went to 4 different registers and then the Customer Service Center and all 5 times it did not accept my swiped One Vanilla cards. Usually they enter the amount to reload on their end; I confirm the amount on-screen; swipe the card; PIN prompt appears. Today I got all the way to confirming the amount to load on-screen; swiped the card; but a signature panel would appear for a few seconds as if it were a credit card transaction; then it disappears quickly and the payment is not approved. Nobody at Walmart knew why this was. Just had to liquidate them into MOs somewhere else. I’ve heard of some little on-screen tricks people have to use to get the PIN panel to appear, but I didn’t see any options on my screen. It all happened so quick! Has anybody else been experiencing this?
Logan, you may want to read this post: http://travelwithgrant.com/2014/05/30/state-of-the-union-bluebird-serve-and-go-bank-reloads-at-walmart-with-gift-cards-as-of-may-30-2014/
Thanks, Grant. I’ll have to try those red/yellow physical buttons the next time I’m there.
Those should do the trick.
Hi just wanted to say thanks for all of your tips. Brand new MS’er, just got my bluebird and ordered a $200 Staples.com gift card to try and deposit. Worked today (6/3/2014) at Walmart without any hassle.
Good job Alex, you will be an MS expert in no time!
I’m hearing that BB loads with OV cards is now dead as of yesterday.
Logan, how do you load your OV, at the cashier or the ATM???
I load BB with OV at the Customer Service Counter. I have been doing it fine and using the cancel buttons to bring up the debit transaction on the POS. I’m no rookie. But it failed yesterday and would show on the screen as approved…. buy the register would print a receipt that says payment type not accepted. Wasn’t just one card either… cause I use 3 BBs and 8 $500 OVs each trip (load 3k on BBs then get 1k in MOs). Friend even encountered the same issue at another WM. They are starting to talk about it only Flyertalk… but wanted to see what people here are experiencing.
just curious if you tried the ATM? I only have time to do it on Sunday morning to load my 2 OV. I’ll report then.
@KDY and Logan, yes, the FT thread is reporting OVGCs and VGCs are no longer working at Walmart Money Center or ATM. I believe all Visa and MC GCs from US Bank and Metabank are still working as usual, so try those cards going forward. If Walmart starts blocking those, then we will be in trouble :/
great, looks like i’m done. i still got $1000 of the OV left still. don’t know what to do with those.
Amazon Payments or Evolve Money?
probably evolve to pay my mortgage.
Grant please hurry home and get this sorted out for us. For now, I’m forced to rely on FlyerTalk for my information, and those people are just plain hateful over there!
It’s pretty easy: don’t use OVGCs or VGCs, only use Visa and MasterCard US Bank and Metabank GCs. Hope that helps!
where can you buy those Visa MC US BANK and GC?? I know i can’t in CVS around my area in NYC because they have Gift Card policy.
Read this post: http://travelwithgrant.com/2014/05/30/state-of-the-union-bluebird-serve-and-go-bank-reloads-at-walmart-with-gift-cards-as-of-may-30-2014/
You can buy Metabank GCs from Staples and Staples.com and you can buy US Bank GCs at most grocery stores.
Grant, what is the largest denomination of US Bank + MetaBank Gift Cards I can buy? And how much in Fees for them? I am trying to replace OneVanilla Visas for my BlueBird at WalMart.
Also, will Simon Mall AMEX Gift Cards load my BlueBird at WalMart? There are NO VISA Simon Mall Gift Cards in Boston!
$500 max denomination, gift card fees of $5.95 or $6.95. Simon GCs will work at Walmart to load to your Bluebird Card.
tried a US Bank issued mastercard debit prepaid today at the kiosk, and it asked me for a pin after i swiped and i did enter it, and then it was asking me for a 9 digit pin which i have no idea what it is for. transaction did not go though as I had to cancel since i do not have a 9 digit pin. have not tried with the metabank visa’s as staples did not have the $200 ones. i will try at another wallmart tomorrow and see what happens, but i am not sure the mastercards work.
That is a bummer. Did you set a PIN for the US Bank MC GC before using it? Sometimes it takes a few hours/days for the PIN to stick, so you might have better luck trying in a few days. Good luck!
It is weird. No, i did not set any PIN. it came written on a card inside the package when i purchased it. it would take the pin and then ask for another 9 digit pin which i have no idea what it is. maybe ssn or God knows what. at least you can register the MC online with your name and add $200 a day via debit load online, but i am not sure how long that will last. hope the visa cards work better. i need to add another $600 this month to pay some bills, so hopefully this will last as i kind of like paying my bill and collect points that i would not otherwise.
I trylied a $200 visa gift card from staples today at WalMart ATM. It asked me to enter the 9 digit pin as well after the 4 digit pin…
Hmm, who issued your gift card, US Bank or Metabank?
Yesterday, I had issues using the WM Money Center Kiosk. Many times, my Metabank cards, the $200 cards purchased online via Staples, were not accepted. The machine repeatedly asked for a second PIN (four digit). Once the machine went ‘off line’. I took several 10 minute breaks, and eventually all worked out. I don’t know if there was a communication issue between the machine and it’s “mother ship”, or what, but it was unnerving. ( I was loading three bluebirds with 15 $200 cards.) All cards had been activated a week in advance. The PIN most favored, was simply the last four digits of the card number.
Were you attempting to load to much on the ATM in a short period of time?
Orrin, how much in FEES did you pay for the $200 Cards? That does not seem like a good deal… or do you buy online and get cashback or some sort of deal??
It is $6.95 per $200 gift card. Same price in-store as online. No online cash back portals award miles/points/cash back on Staples.com gift card orders. It is a good deal if you have a Chase Ink Card.
No….I had an issue with the very first card (which eventually was used later on and worked fine).
As I indicated, I have learned to take 10 minute breaks to avoid the kiosk going beserk, and needing to call a manager to reset…..and check my ID.
Good work Orrin!
yesterday afternoon I purchased a metabank GC at a local grocery and only put 100$ ( because I was to nervous to put the 500$ on it and not have it work) on it. I called with my cell from the parking lot to activate the card and set the pin. I drove to Wal-Mart and loaded it no problem. I just ordered a few of the 200$ staples cards- hope those go fine too..
metabank visa gc still works fine. i just loaded up some $600 i bought at staples, so it seems that the US Bank ones do not work, at least the mastercard ones.
Went to WM today and the cashier said I could only have one transaction per card. The inconsistent message from the staff can be so frustrating
That’s a bummer. Just tell the cashier you want to do multiple transactions then for your Bluebird or Serve Card.
My Kroger seems to have stopped selling the US Bank variable load cards (Visa and MC, the $25 to $500 kind). Anyone else seen this? This was my bread and butter – if all Krogers stopped selling them, I guess I need a new strategy…..
Hmm do any other local grocery store chains sell VGCs that will work at Walmart?
I tried to load $40 to my Bluebird using a MC gift card at Walmart today, but it failed. Anyone has success with loading BB with a Master card gift card?
Did you set the PIN first before using the MCGC?
So how much money needs to be on the prepaid gift card to be able to load a blue bird card?
I think any amount, from 1 cent up to $1,000.00 can be loaded from your prepaid gift card to your Bluebird Card.
do you have to register your gift card in order to activate the pin
It depends on the gift card, but I always try to double check or change the PIN before using the GC.
Loaded my Bluebird today with a Visa Prepaid Gift Card (Vanilla), and did the transaction on-line at the Bluebird website and worked fine. I did an experiment first with $20 dollars and worked fine, then I transfer $100 and worked fine.
You need to go to the Vanilla website first and enter your card info, in order to set the zip code, then you go to the Bluebird website and configure the debit card info from the visa card you want to take money from. Is very easy, follow the instructions and you are done!!
Yes that should work, but Bluebird might flag your account if you keep adding or changing VGCs as funding sources.