Bluebird Bank Card - Wal-Mart/Amex Launch Alternative Bank Account

Caryite said:   LLCPenTesTr said:   As a precaution and a test, I always send a small payment before I send any large amount out of BB. For example, I will send 20 bucks out and watch how long the payment takes to post on to my account before sending anything above 500+ on new bill pays.

Absolutely, I've done this too, and highly recommend as well. Given how much interest is being earned in BB, it's better to pay small amounts early to verify correct receipt and then get the full payment out ASAP after that. I also like to keep the BB balance not too high should something unexpected happen with respect to AA.
Confirmed that payments to Chase and Barclays CCs worked for me, and both were received within a day or two.

At first I was disappointed with Barclays' because their website still seems to show payment due, and while it shows the BB payment, it kinda looks like a 3rd party credit (like a merchandise return). But a call to the CC confirmed payment received, no payment due at this time.

Bagofchips said:   I searched this thread for "pay yourself" and got nothing so apols if already mentioned.

Can't I set myself up as a payee and just repatriate the funds that way (yeah, you gotta wait on a check via USPS) rather than paying the multiple mortgage and other big-ticket no reward accounts that way?

You can also just link your bank account and send money directly to it.

FYI Comments per Month:

Oct 61
Nov 41
Dec 52
Jan 168

The bleating has begun.

No issues paying Chase or AMEX with BB. DW datapoint, applied 1/27 card in hand on 2 Feb.

I think you have to push payments from BB, you cannot (or may not be able to) pull from outside bill payment services. I tried to pay my rent with Williampaid because my landlord is set up to get paid through DD that way. No dice, so they're getting a check from BB...

I wonder if all this has anything to do with them not being FDIC insured???

stopmakingcents said:   Darn, my local CVS was out of vanilla ice cream. I hope this doesn't mean they stopped carrying it.

I've seen vanilla ice cream at CVS this week. The bigger news is OD no longer selling variable vanilla GCs nationwide. Nothing about that here, though plenty on the flyer blogs on the end to that party. So much for spreading the pain around to the various 5x cards. 6.95 for only 200 is not going to do it for me.

stopmakingcents said:   Darn, my local CVS was out of vanilla ice cream. I hope this doesn't mean they stopped carrying it.

With the amount of sales of vanilla cards evidenced by this thread alone, why would CVS stop carrying them? Surely they are making money from them.

Bigger problem I am having is getting the sales clerk to sell me more than 2 at a time. Sometimes they let me, but yesterday on my way home the manager at the store I visited said their policy is about to change, but right now their sales limit (regardless of what you are purchasing) is just over $1000. She refused to simply start another transaction, which is what the other sales clerks usually do.

OD and CV$ have different strategies. OD makes money off of more of the big ticket items, fewer people but spending $100. CV$ on the other hand makes money a little bit at a time, more people spending much less money, more frequently. I'm suggesting that they aren't looking for as big of a profit margin. But who knows, maybe you are correct.

I bought up all the cards last week at the CV$ in the building where I work, so I'm waiting to see how long it takes them to re-stock.

KYBOSH said:   Here's a datapoint.
I've been testing several of my prepaid "checking" accounts.
I initiated a credit card payment from my Citi Biz card using my BB routing and bank account number in the amount of $5 (the minimum amount you can submit for payment).
Got this email yesterday:


Dear KYBOSH,

This email confirms the following action completed online for your CitiBusiness® Card account ending in XXXX .

See detail(s) below:

Unable to Process Online Bill Payment:
We're sorry, but we are not able to process your payment of $5.00, scheduled to post to your account on January XX, 2013. We'll be happy to help you resolve this issue and avoid future problems. Please call the Customer Service number on the back of your card.

Quality service and the security of your account are of great importance to us. If any of the above information is inaccurate, please contact us immediately at 800-347-4934.

Please visit us anytime at www.citibusinesscreditcards.com to review your recent account activity or update your account information.

We appreciate each opportunity to serve you.

Sincerely,
Customer Service

Note: If you performed multiple account activities online within the past 48 hours you may receive separate confirmation emails.


When I looked online the payment reads:

CLICK-TO-PAY PAYMENT, THANK YOU -5.01



But the return payment reads:

CLK2PAY RTN R20-BNK ACCT NT ELIG Standard Purch 5.01


I did the same thing with my Mango Prepaid account and it went through just fine.

had the same thing happen on a card payment--no ACH out of BB. However, I'm looking at $35 "returned payment" fee and trying to decide whether to complain about it (i paid with bill pay from the same account literally a day later, so it was not an NSF return). I'd love $35 back, but, then again, don't want to risk raising eyebrows on my account.

Has anyone had issue with billpay on BB? I am getting an error that says I need to call them. This is on both my wife's and my account.

dukerau said:   Has anyone had issue with billpay on BB? I am getting an error that says I need to call them. This is on both my wife's and my account.

I submitted a $2500 bill pay two days ago, and another one this morning. No problems yet.
Please let us know what they say when you call.

KYBOSH said:   You should definitely bring it up.

You entered in the numbers correctly and it should have gone through.
Its a legit checking account with funds available.

If it didn't work its due to no fault of your own.
I doubt they will care that its a BB account.

You're not a leper for having one.

i was thinking that, but the bank that runs BB is the one that issued the card...and the one i buy my bird seed with... (although this is payment for a different card than the one i use to buy)

sfvera said:   dukerau said:   Has anyone had issue with billpay on BB? I am getting an error that says I need to call them. This is on both my wife's and my account.

I issued 2 payments this monring with no issues. Are there any questionable transactions in your accounts?

I've just been doing "load then bill pay" regularly. I assume most here at FWF are doing the same. Will call them shortly.

dukerau said:   sfvera said:   dukerau said:   Has anyone had issue with billpay on BB? I am getting an error that says I need to call them. This is on both my wife's and my account.

I issued 2 payments this monring with no issues. Are there any questionable transactions in your accounts?

I've just been doing "load then bill pay" regularly. I assume most here at FWF are doing the same. Will call them shortly.

It seems the problem was related to the mobile app I was using. I called and they recommended updating my OS (I hadn't yet). When I got home that night, I used the web interface and it worked fine. Don't know if anything was wrong with my account or if it was just the app, but my account has no issues at this point.

If you order the card online you don't have to pay the initiation/startup $5.

People at the local drug store have gotten more clever since this game has become more popular -- couldn't find any VR at the gift card stand, but after sifting through the PayPal cards, I found two VRs hidden about 12-15 cards deep. Probably ruined that guy's day when he came back and they were gone...

Cwilliams2k4 said:   People at the local drug store have gotten more clever since this game has become more popular -- couldn't find any VR at the gift card stand, but after sifting through the PayPal cards, I found two VRs hidden about 12-15 cards deep. Probably ruined that guy's day when he came back and they were gone...

That guy's an idiot for attempting obfuscation so within reach. If you really want to play that game, put 'em under product inventory that rarely sells.

JuNooNi said:   that's what I am doing!! hiding it under PSN or whatever game network cards they carry....

Now don't go there looking for my stash!

Why restrict yourself to the card display?

"Mommy why does my new stuffed animal have these vanilla cards stuffed into its ears and why don't they taste like vanilla?"