Free Bluebird Paper Checks Ends Today

@Dan, Does one have to give Blue Bird ones social security number when signing up? If so do they do a hard pull on your credit?

@Chaim:
Yes.
No.

Can I buy visa cards at 7eleven to meet a spending amount for a bonus?

Or what is an other best way to get gift cards to finish the amount needed for a bonus?

@mordy:
@mordy:

Probably looking at the forums…

DAN… whats the advantage of ordering checks if they send payment electronically for you anyways. also . i did not see the tan “ordering checks” under my account tab

I’m referring to an amex card. Thanx

sorry for my ignorance. I just got my American Express gold card I need to spend $5,000. can I use this Bluebird card?

Does anyone know if u cud buy somthing & return it after ur statment closes, 2 get a signup bouns?

@mr g, do you already have a BB card? Mine did not come in the mail yet and I also don’t have the order cheeks option. Perhaps u need to first have an activated BB?

same problem – i dont see the ordering checks tab under my account. can you explain why we need the checks and why we’re not seeing it? thx

Ordered 100. Thanx

@josh
You need the checks in case you need to write someone a check on the spot.

@HUCAFan:
yes long ago

You need to activate your permanent BB card, I have the same issue, is there a way around it?

@mr g: The advantage of ordering the checks is that if you are not using direct deposit and want to avoid the ATM fees, just write yourself a check and cash it at your bank!

@Mendel: You can use your bluebird card to meet your $5,000 spending limit by purchasing vanilla reload cards via your credit card at CVS stores or any other retailer that still allows credit purchases for reload cards. Then load the cards in your bluebird account, order these checks, and cash em out at your bank.

I started doing this to avoid the ATM fees and it has worked like a charm! Break up your spending though, otherwise it IS obvious and the goal is to avoid getting caught.

Bawlller. Thx Dan!

@mr g:

Sign out and back in- worked for me.

@ Dan:

Any answer on why only some of us see the option?

Thanks a million Dan, my checks are on the way !!!

i signed up for BB today and dont see the order checks option. i am guessing it is because i dont have permanent card yet, but can someone pls advise if there is any way to get the free checks for those of us who just signed up? thanks

NOW WITH THE VISA PINS, YOU COULD BUY ANY VISA GIFT CARD, AND ADD THE PIN OVER THE PONE AND USE IT @ WALMART TO LOAD THE BLUE BIRD, THE NEW VANILLA GIFT CARD VISA, YOU DON’T NEED TO ADD A PIN, AS THE FIRST PIN YOU KEY IN WILL BE THE PIN

@A:
can you explain what this means???

@A: Thanks. Does that mean I can purchase gift cards online by amax cc, receive the points and then just load it to.the.blue

Sorry it send to fast.
To the blue bird card? I received an email from amax now that I could purchase gift cards for no fee only shipping. would that work?

Is ACCOUNT NOW the same good as bluebird?

Do you think if you write out a $5,000 check to yourself it would be an issue?
technically it seems you do the reloads the max of $5k a month & then just cash it out, do you see any issue?
Thanks for all!

What if you signed up for Bluebird recently and do not receive your personalized card in the mail by May 21st? You will not be able to order checks until you activate the account using information that arrives in the mail on or with the personalized card. I called Bluebird to ask about this and was told they are planning to extend the deadline, at least for those who opened the account by May 21st.

I’m pretty sure AMEX gift cards don’t load onto BB only visa (and mastercard?)
BB payments can be made out to pay your credit card bill, so why do cash advance? I use it for mortgage, car payments, insurance, gas bill. Wherever you can’t use a credit card. BB has a max of $10,000/ month, but in Brooklyn I can’t often get ahold of vanilla reloads, walmart is too far for frequent visits and only $5,000/ month load that way. So I never run out of real bills to pay using the funds I manage to put into BB.
(And I have one each in my husband and my name.)

@chana k: The advantage of Walmart is that toy can purchase visa at Spales, get 5x points, and refill at their kiosk in the store. I live in Queens so once a month trip to Walmart in Green Acers is great. Where do you buy these Vanilla cards and able to get 5x rewards?

From the Bluebird site:

Your Bluebird Check will be declined if it was not pre-authorized.

Plan ahead, Bluebird Checks over $2,000 cannot be instantly pre-authorized. For security purposes, if your Bluebird Check is over $2,000 the pre-authorization process will take 1 to 2 business days.

@ For newcomers, I remind you that there is an annual limit of amounts that can be processed via Bluebird: Total Add Funds Transactions $100,000 per year. There are also monthly limits. Please check their website here: https://www.bluebird.com/faqs#fees-and-limits

Dan, do u knw if i buy somthing and then return it after my statment cycles 2 meet the spending will i lose the sign up bones? Did any1 ever try this?

can i open a bluebird for my wife and use on my accounts?

@yaakov:
Sure.

I don’t see the “Order Bluebird Checks” under my account!

When I hoover under “My Account” I only get the first five options.

You won’t have an option to order bluebird checks until your permanent card comes and you activate it (7-10 days after registering).

I cancelled my Serve account over a month ago and have spent the last month trying to get my Bluebird account open. After calling bluebird and serve multiple times they told me, incorrectly, that I would have to wait 30 days before I could open Bluebird. I tried the application every day and kept getting denied. Finally today I discovered that actually you can use the iPhone app to register even when the normal online registration denies you for thinking that the Serve account is still open. But of course now I can’t get the free checks, they will charge you around $30 to get 100 checks shipped to you starting tomorrow, and there is no way for even a manager on the phone to waive or credit back those fees. Ridiculous.

The best part is that the manager asked if I wanted to do a survey, to which I said yes, and then their automated survey wouldn’t let me select the reason for my call and hung up on me. Fail fail fail.

If I want to double the monthly limits can I just add my wife to my account or would she have to open her own?

it says its free till 1/1/14

I just opened bluebird this morning and it is not giving me an option to get checks. Will I be able to get in for the free ones today?

Just saw free check order extended to 01/01/2014 in my account.

Probably a silly question for obvious reasons but do any Brooklyners know where we can buy vanilla reloads with credit card? So far I’ve checked out the CVS on Flatbush Ave. and Nostrand and neither have VRs and I checked out a few 711s which have but don’t allow purchase with ccs. Any ideas?

Dan, and / or informed bloggees, I am reading that we can load VRs online, on their website. Is this accurate ? I am guessing if so, it is for a fee ?

Can bluebird be linked as a direct “pay from” account for credit cards?

For example, I have my regular checking account linked to Chase so that I can directly make payments from the Chase interface. Would this work with Bluebird, or would the pre-authorization requirement cause issues?

Hey Dan,
Getting a corporate Amex card from work, they say I can sign up for the rewards program but I have to fork out 90$. Any way to get out of the fee and if not would you do it?

To Dan,

Hello,
I think you made a mistake. It’s not 0.79 per mile it’s actually .0079. I admire what you do for the benefit of so many.
Kep it up!

Hey Dan, final did it. I ordered check (must wait 10 biz days), I purchased VRs and loaded them to my BB via VR (over the phone). Should I wait for the checks to arrive, or other options ?? I (we) value you opinion ….and experience 😉

What I am saying is, should I await the checks to arrive to transfer to my account, pay a bill, etc. or other options you recommend to move $ off the BB ?

Dan, do u knww if i buy something and then return it after my statement cycles 2 meet the spending will i lose the sign up bones? Did any1 ever try this?

Dan, Please fix the Bluebird links

I’d love to have a brief outline of steps how you would turn $474 spendinding at cvs on vanilla card into a one way business ticket to Israel on United. Thanks.

Went today to walmart at 77 Green Acres Rd. Valley Stream, NY.
The manager told me that i cant buy money order or even pay credit card with gift card anymore.

the atm was broken, but she told me that even with the atm i am not going to be able to fund my bluebird account with this gift cards (amex of chase)

Dan, any idea?!?

how do you take a giftcard and put it to bb i just got approved for it today. and still no option for checks do i need the physical card for that?

can staples gift cards transfer to bluebird?

I feel sorry for, Dan. A lot of these questions are asked repeatedly, and could be answered with a quick call to AMEX Bluebird (like the repeated question: why don’t I have purchase check as an option)

On a side note, I’ve had my Bluebird account since Nov. 2012. I have direct deposit since Jan. 2013 & I use just about every function available, including writing checks. I LOVE it. I have yet to report a problem with it. My direct deposits usually arrive about 2 AM on payday. My only compliant: I can’t use the card as a debit card & get cash back. However there are 3 ATM’s in my neighborhood alone (Chicago) that I use because it’s totally free. I try & not use other ATM’s because then you’re charged $2 by Bluebird and whatever the ATM surcharge is and it can get pricey for loose change.

@Marissa: where are the free as in chicago? Couldn’t find any.

@Marissa:

where can you atm cash out for free, in Chi?

will loading my blebird account effect government programs (like food stamps)?

Anyone know whether there’s any way to transfer funds from an external checking acct into bluebird via ACH deposit or anything? It’s not allowing me to link my checking to it for the life o me 🙁