UPDATE 6/20/14: Do not use OVGCs or VGCs at Walmart. Use other gift cards from other banks.
No Vanilla Reload Cards? No Problem! One Vanilla Gift Cards to the Rescue
I don’t know about you, but my local CVS store(s) are getting a bit low on Valentine’s Day chocolate Vanilla Reload Cards. Instead of walking out empty handed, take a look at the One Vanilla Gift Cards.
They have a slightly higher activation fee ($4.95 instead of $3.95), but they are a great Vanilla Reload Card alternative/replacement.
The great thing about this gift card is you can load it onto your Bluebird Card at Walmart (link) and you DO NOT need to register a PIN before using it. Yes, you read that correctly, all you do is swipe the gift card and enter any 4 digits you like (I like 1234 or 1127 (for my birthday)), but you may like another set of 4 digit numbers. It really is as simple as it sounds. Plus, I’ve seen literally 100 One Vanilla gift cards at every CVS store I have ever been to. You should be able to buy these cards at CVS or any grocery store, gas station, or other store.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.
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Hi. What other options are there than the One Vanilla? My luck at purchasing One Vanilla cards, with my SPG Amex, at my local CVS and Walgreens stores are hit or miss. Sometimes I get lucky and my purchase goes through, but more times than not the transaction does not work. Again, the goal is to rack up points on my SPG Amex, and transfer the funds into Bluebird or whatever account recommend where I may access the funds to pay bills like my mortgage, cell phone, car pymt, etc.
Is AMEX blocking done of your purchases? I would call AMEX and see what is going on.
I don’t believe it’s an Amex prob. It’s more so the cashiers not allowing the card. They want cash or debit.
You can either try to convince them to run the transaction as credit or go to a different store that will accept credit cards.
In terms of other stores, are there also other cards I may purchase that is loadable onto bb? What stores are they, and what cards work with bb?
Any store that sells a Visa or MasterCard gift card.
Valerio gas stations stopped selling vanilla reloads this past week. That was my last place to buy them wit a cc. In your opinion what is the best $500 card to buy to load on to a bluebird card that still works at walmart ? You may have said this before but I couldn’t find the post sorry
Any Visa gift card will work. The best ones are those issued by US Bank, Metabank, and Bancorp. Add a PIN to them by phone or online and then use them at Walmart.
Thanks Grant. From the cards issued by US Bank, Metabank, and Bancorp, which cards are available with a value of at least $500? Also, what store could I purchase these cards w/ my SPG Amex? I read read previous posts about Staples, but I don’t know if that’s current. And, I know that CVS and the One Vanilla is hit or miss. Thanks.
Most grocery stores and conscience stores sell $500 gift cards. Office supply stores only sell $200 gift cards. You should be able use your SPG card at both places.
Is there any way to RELOAD a prepaid card (e.g. OneVanilla) with a CC?
You cannot reload gift cards, only Bluebird, Serve or other reloadable debit cards.
The prepaid cards are specific in not being reloadable.
I never used a serve and bluebird. I’ve got a lot of Mastercard/Visa prepaid/debit card and wanted to cash them in. Can I use them to load on serve or bluebird? Can I transfer funds to my bank acct. or withdraw them as cash? Which one is better to get between bluebird and serve? Thanks and any input will be appreciated.
Serve is better. I wouldn’t withdraw cash via ATM since you would pay ATM fees. I would just do a bill payment to a credit card from Serve.
Have been reloading Bluebird with Visa Debit Vanilla Gift Cards. I used to establish a pin by making a one dollar purchase, but I found I didn’t need to as long as I loaded the whole Gift Card.
Today (6/13/14) I have been to two Walmarts where I was told the gift cards are not accepted for reload anymore. Any similar experiences? Anybody have a workaround?
You have to convince them you aren’t using a gift card. If they ask, tell them you are using a debit card with a PIN.
Went to Walmart today 6/13/14 and tried to use One Vanilla for money order and Serve load….both times the One Vanilla was treated as a credit card with no option of choosing between debit and credit. This has never happened before and the cashiers did not have option of choosing either. Anyone else have this happen?
You have to click the yellow “Change Payment” option on the touchscreen POS or press the red or yellow but on the PIN pad.
As soon as I swipe the OV, it goes immediately to the signature screen…there is no option for hitting cancel or anything of the sort. My Wally uses the old non-color screens…this change must have happened in the past few weeks…
It happened last week
Using the “old” non-colored screen, there is no yellow “change payment” button. Instead, try pressing the BIG RED BUTTON twice immediately after swiping your card. This should bring up 5 bubbles on the screen, one of which says “ATM/Debit”.
Good Luck
Thanks for the tip RC, good to know about the double red button work around.
Loaded OneVanilla at Walmart today for $500, but was charged $3.95. Any ideas ?
Check out this post: http://travelwithgrant.com/2014/06/11/breaking-news-is-amex-serve-charging-3-95-for-gift-card-reloads-at-walmart/
has anyone tried these $1000 Metabank cards? how long does it take to get them in the mail. With a $4.95 purchase fee it seems like a really good deal. https://www.metabank.com/personal/cards
I think it took 10-14 days to arrive to me in CA.
To each his own, but spending the extra $6 to have the cards hand at the moment of purchase from a local vendor(with recourse) seems a safer play, especially with the frequent changes to MS. But I do see the allure.
I’m with you. I can MS faster with the quicker turn around.
It looks like they removed the prepaid mastercard gift cards but you can still buy travel debit cards which have a $6.95 fee but you can order them with $1500 so it is actually a better deal
How can you reload the travel cards, Brad? Can you order more than one?
You can order additional cards or you can load up to $1,000 online, but there is a $10 fee for that.
I believe those gift cards have a 50 cent charge per debit transaction.
Where did you order it? I tried that link but couldn’t find anywhere to get the card.
I updated the link above to the main gift card page. The previous link didn’t work when copied.
I tried to purchase the $1,000 gift card, and when I went to checkout the site does not accept AMEX. Is that correct?
Oh okay cool. So we can just load these at Walmart like One Vanilla?
I saw in another post you said you can do up to $7,000/month on Serve. $5,000 in person load at Walmart, $1,000 online with Credit Card, and $1,000 online with Debit….is this correct? I was under the impression it was $5,000 total per month.
Yes, those monthly limits are all correct.
Just went to Wally and the kiosks is closed since Sunday. Actually today they even put an advertisement block in front of the kiosks. I will try different Wally.
Can I load Onevaniila to my Bluebird account online?
Hi Don, the answer is NO if u can nobody has to see Kate or Wally and even now Kate does not like Onevanilla. Every time I went to CVS, I saw the Onevanilla well stock now LOL
Sorry for different subject but I need help !!! How long should I wait for companion pass activated. I earned 112K since 6/22 and my account shows 100% and 0 points needed.
I’d give it more than 4 days.How did you earn so much in less than 6 months?
You can activate your companion pass right away now.
Personal and biz and MS
Hi Grant,
But Southwest still not activates my account yet
When you earn Companion Pass status one person of your choice can fly with you anytime for an entire calendar year! Rapid Rewards Members simply need to fly 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 110,000 qualifying points from flights or Partners in one calendar year to earn Companion Pass.
More Details.
POINTS & FLIGHT COUNT
100%
Progress towards 2015 Companion Pass status
Qualifying flights flown:0
Qualifying flights needed:100
Must fly by:12/31/2014
|
|
|
OR
|
|
| Qualifying points earned:112,248
Qualifying points needed:0
Must earn by:12/31/2014
You’re on Your Way! Keep earning towards Companion Pass status. COMPANION PASS STATUS
Not Active
I just had to use the work around with the other payment type at Walmart with a US Bank MC. Is it like this with all cards now?
Daniel, I just did with 2 SIM USB Visa no work around just pin number using human. In order not confusing I change the pin to the same for both cards before heading to Wally.
Everything shows that it can be used as a debit card. https://secure.myprepaidbalance.com/sales/FAQs/Travel
There appears to be the $.50 charge per debit transaction where you need a pin, yes. I honestly haven’t used a debit card in a long time online but if i recall correctly you do not have to use a pin online for purchases. Someone please tell me if that has changed and I am wrong. So that would mean you can do up to $1000 on bluebird and then add the remaining $500 at Walmart for $.50, or I guess you would have to load $499.50. so $7.45 for $1,500. Otherwise if you do have to use your pin online it would be $9.95 per $1,500.
Or you could just add at Walmart for $.50 per $500 (I thought I received an email from Serve saying you can load up to $500/day now in store). So if you load it all in-store then it would be $6.95 + $1.50, so $8.45 for $1,500
Yes, I believe the $8.45 for $1,500 is correct. You might be able to do a $1,000 load and a $499 load, thereby saving 50 cents.
So in total it would be $8.45 for the first $1,500 but then an extra $10 per $1500 online load from that point? Can you load via CC online and then unload at WM via Kate across multiple BB accounts?
You can only load $1000 online, not $1500, with a credit card. Yes, you can unload at Walmart.
Just saw all of the cards on MB’s site are no longer available.
That didn’t last long :(
Unload at Walmart via Kate. What is Kate?
Kate the magical Walmart Money Center Kiosk ;)
Which never works….
Mine worked this week, actually.
I don’t believe you.
Yep… you caught me… I just enjoy a good lie. No, seriously, I loaded two $200 MBGCs via Kate at WM this week.
I loaded my bluebird at Walmart last month with the Vanilla Visa Gift card (debit) and it worked fine. I just went to 2 Walmarts and they both did not accept the same card. I followed the instructions of choosing debit card, when prompted on the screen, and nothing? Both times, I tried $500 (with a $500 gift card) and was denied…has Walmart changed their policy? Any other option? I even purchased a water to choose a pin (1234), and tried again with no success. Same result at the kiosk. Hoping there is another option as I am new to the Bluebird paying system and just received my checks and now I feel like I’m stuck with 1k in gift cards. Thanks!
Yes, the gift cards issued by Vanilla (ice cream cone on packaging) no longer work at Walmart. You can liquidate the cards via Amazon Payment or use them to buy other Visa gift cards that will work. This change happened a few weeks ago.
What other gift cards are there to purchase. I went to CVS the other day and there was a reloadable Visa Debit card but was told I have to pay for it with cash. There was also a Amex but it did not have a PIN to use. Then the only other with a $500 load was the Vanilla cards.
CVS and Walgreens only sell Vanilla gift cards and AMEX gift cards. I have better luck at grocery stores.
This has been all over the web lately, Danny.
Great news. My Walmart is again accepting loaded debit cards to buy money orders to deposit in my bank.
Good to hear Jerry. You are back in business.
Walmart again accepts loaded debit cards with PINs for money orders (to deposit) but all money center clerks haven’t been informed. Ask for supervisor. Also, try Kroger. I just used 6 Simon Mall cards for 3 $1,000 money orders. I always pay the MO fees in cash. Trying to include the fees in the MO purchases confuses the clerks. 4 cards for two MOs in one transaction and the other two cards for a 3rd MO. A silly new WM policy—only 4 cards per transaction. Much faster then silly Bluebird, Serve, Evolve, Amazon (which requires 2 persons).
Those are fighting words Jerry!
Can you use vanilla visa cards for money orders?
No. No Vanilla gift cards can be used at Walmart.
Answered numerous times in these comments.
Didn’t know if it was different than loading Serve
I believe all methods are blocked, so no go with Vanilla gift cards.
Hi Jerry,
I really like your method since it is another way to play with MS and it is a good way when you hit the limit at BB. By the way, anyone has problem with CC when you purchase 2 or more $500 GC. So far, I only bought one a day or 2 with 2 different CC.
I have had no problem buying multiple gift cards (to be converted into debit cards) or One Vanilla already debit cards at Kroger, Tom Thumb (Safeway) CVS, and now a Simon Mall. Please tell us how you had problems and with which store.
Jerry,
The problem is the credit card companies trigger the security warning. One time I used US Bank Visa to buy Simon GC, it did not went through and I received the text message and asking me to confirm by that time I already used different credit card. Next time I use it, no problem. I never bought two at one time that’s why I asked. Several months ago I bought two OV reload card (good old days) but at 2 different CVS and as soon I got home I got home I got the message on my answer machine asking to call to confirm. I will try to buy 2 of them later
Every time you get a new credit card, call to have it unblocked. Their computers don’t believe you are buying $1,000 or more in groceries or drugstore supplies.
Thanks.
Has anyone tried loading more than 1k in a day on their bb card at wm since they changed the daily limit?
Serve works, I’ve tried more than $1,000 in a day.
Loaded $1500 to Serve from gift cards in single visit to WM on 7/8/14. Should be the same for BB. Smooth sailing.
Yes, same here. No problems with Serve.
Which $500 debit cards are folks using to load BB at WM? And where can you get them – online or in store? Thanks!
You can buy $500 visa gift cards at many grocery stores.
Where do you live? For the best buy if you get the Simon Visa GC.at the Mall belong to Simon. These mall are at the East coast you can Google it. Most people get them at grocery store if you are around Pennsylvania, you are lucky since Giant Food store has promotion with buying Visa GC. Each $500 you get $2 off per gallon of gas. In Boston area, Shop & Stop which is the same as Giant may have the same promotion.
Yesterday I stopped by Giant Food Store to buy a Visa GC, when I gave the cashier my Giant card she said you don’t need it since you get no bonus with buying GC. I said yes I do just scan it. After paying by GC she looked at and speechless. My question is even cashier did not know the promotion how people found out? I was dumb luck surf the Flyer Talk and tried it out last week. It is the best promotion I ever got.
Hi Grant,
BB has any limit how much you can withdraw the money per month?
Thanks.
I think it might be $10,000 per month, same for bill pay.
Hi Everyone,
Here is the link to a list of Simon Mall. They have all the places, check it out you may be able to get Simon Visa GC for only $2.95 fees.
http://m.simon.com/malllist.aspx
Grant, they have one in Torrance.
I try to collect points with Carlson Visa.
Buy 20 GC cost $60 fees, spend $10K get 50K points, enough for 2 night in SF, Paris or Sydney.
Of course, meeting minimum to get the bonus even better.
Thanks Hoang, Torrance isn’t very close to me, big I appreciate the thought. Hopefully others can use the mall finder link.
The Simon Mall in Dallas, Texas charges $2.00 for each gift card. Higher cost of *everything* in California?
Haha dang CA, why are you so expensive?
Hi Jerry,
I am in PA and they charge $2.95. May be “high volume” at the Mall, more people do MS and specially you buy so much !!!
Real Estate is much cheaper in CA than TX
No it’s not.
Sorry I mean real estate taxes
How about Orange?
The Block of Orange and Shops at Mission Viejo are the closest, but I’m smack dab in the middle of those malls.
How can real estate taxes be cheaper in CA than in TX? If the tax rate in CA would be 1/2 the TX rate but the equivalent CA property has 5 times the price/valuation, the CA taxes must be higher. Arithmetic.
Jerry,
I am talking about the same values or percentage and on the average I don’t believe the home in CA is 5 times more than TX. I used the number 2X. For 600K home in CA, real estate taxes around 7K.
In the same token, you can’t say the electric rate in TX is more expensive than CA since it is hotter so you use more electric in TX than in CA.
Anyway, anyone has opinion about Wells Fargo Propel World American Express® Card
I made a life long promise to myself to never do business with Wells Fargo ever again. But maybe someone has some info on that credit card.
They denied me to use American Express Gift Card (AGC) to order “Simon” Visa. I still have 3x $1000 AGCs to liquidate ASAS. I already did $1000 Amazon Payment thingy paid bills through evolve. Any body? Please give me any suggestion!!!
You should get a Target AMEX card. You can load the funds with a gift card and the Target AMEX has your name on it so you can buy Simon Visa GCs. Read this post: http://travelwithgrant.com/bluebird/bluebird-gift-cards-without-walmart/
Sigh. Never buy AMEX gift cards. Only VISA and MC. If you can get a PIN for them, buy money orders at Walmart, Kroger, USPS and deposit in your bank. If you can’t get a PIN, see if you can eventually use them up for fuel, groceries, etc.
I think he bought the AMEX GCs online to earn cash back or miles. I would do that too if AMEX stopped blocking/canceling my orders.
I didn’t mention electricity rates. I live in Richardson, TX, an adjacent suburb of Dallas. A nice home in a nice neighborhood will cost ~$150,000. An equivalent house in the Ellay area will cost > 5X of that. Yes, not all areas are equally costly. Modest homes in Burbank will run > $1,000,000. So, real estate taxes in Dollar$ (not in tax rate) wiil be higher than here.
I recently used the Wells Fargo Propel card to get debit cards with PIN to get money orders for deposit. Easy min spend for bonus.
Hi Jerry,
Thanks. Do you have to have saving or checking account with Wells Fargo? I don’t like Wells Fargo either due to 2 bad experience but the bonus is good.
By the way, I just got the approve for Carlson Biz card which I was denied last year.
Congrats on getting the Club Carlson Biz Card. I was approved for that card earlier this week after applying in a US Bank branch. I wanted like a $3000-$5000 credit line but they have me $11,200. I’ll share my experience over the weekend.
I’m curious. Why buy AMEX cards online? They are in almost all grocery and drug stores.
You can buy larger denomination AMEX gift cards online plus get 1-2% cash back from various online portals.
Jerry:
WOuld you be so kind as to list which cards (and their banks of origin….US Bank, Metabank…etc.) you purchase for making into Money Orders.
Also, might you share with us your favorite places to get Money Orders…..do you still do it at WalMart, and do you need to hit the ‘cancel’ button to make the register computer recongnize the card as a ‘debit’ card?
Grant:
Would you be so kind to make a short list of cards that you purchase from Staples, Office DEpost, etc or CVS, and are still accepted at WalMart for Bluebird/Serve through the kiosks or at the cashier register?
I know that VanillaVisas are no longer accepted at WM for deposit, but can you use them for Money Orders?
Thank you both,
Orrin
The only places that sell gift cards that work at WM for loading or buying MOs are sold at office supply stores and grocery stores. I can’t say exactly which issuers the gift cards come from.
I only use WM money centers. Checkout clerks don’t know much and you hold up the checkout line
I don’t use bluebird, serve, amazon, etc. I only buy $500 One Vanilla (already debit) at CVS or VISA/MC gift cards at grocery stores and Simon Mall and follow their instructions to get a PIN to convert them into debit cards. Now that WM corporate Finance Dept. has finished its fraud investigation, WM accepts those debit cards for money orders to deposit. After reading about so many problems with AMEX cards, I never buy them. Caution: Some money center clerks haven’t been told that the debit cards are now OK for money orders. A few don’t know the difference between debit and credit cards. Get a supervisor. You can also buy money orders at grocery stores and USPS. Simon Mall here in Dallas, TX charges $2 per gift card. I just bought 6 and converted into debits to buy WM money orders. Required 2 transactions in WM.
Hi Jerry,
How did you convert Simon Visa GC to Debit card? I just called 800 in the instruction with option 7 and the machine will tell me what pin number. I usually change the pin number to the easy remember number for me before heading to WM.
Orrin where do you live? Look at the link I sent before for Simon Mall.
I do just what you said. Convert all to an easy PIN.