Cash is king, it’s true–but there are certain situations in today’s modern world where only a credit or debit card will do. But some folks don’t want a credit card. What can you do?
Well Walmart and American Express have teamed up to create the new Bluebird card:
The Bluebird card is a credit card/debit card alternative.
Bluebird is an everyday spending account that consumers can use to pay bills, send payments to one another, deposit their paycheck, set up budgets and alerts, pay for the things they want and need anywhere in the world, and much more through Bluebird. Bluebird, which has no monthly, annual, or overdraft fees, is available in more than 4,000 Walmart stores and online.
It’s easy. You can pick up your Bluebird account starter kit at a kiosk in store (or order online). You pay $5 to activate the card and then have to load on a minimum of $20.
Inside the flap of the box is a starter card that you can use immediately. You go online and set up your account at Bluebird.com to receive your personalized card. Then you simply use as you would a debit card anywhere that American Express is accepted!
When you need to add more money you have several options. You can add cash at any Walmart register, you can transfer money online from a checking or savings account, you can deposit part or all of your paycheck and you can also deposit checks with the Bluebird Mobile App.
This card is a great option to provide some traditional banking type services to folks who, for whatever reason, prefer not to use your standard banks.
I can see families using the Bluebird card to provide spending money for teens away at college (the teen gets the card, dad loads money & checks on how it’s being spent online). It would also be a great way to provide money to an older parent that you financially “help out”.
Walmart asked me to try out the service myself–to buy the card and put it through it’s paces. I’m interested to see if it can help me with my goal of implementing a family budget. Since it operates more like a debit card (you’ve got to add the money in order to be able to spend it) I could put my grocery/gas/spending money for the month on the card and then keep track of what I’ve spent where. I’ll be following up in about a month with how I’ve used it and what I think
What questions do you have about the Bluebird card? What situations can you think of that it would be useful in?
****This is a sponsored post****
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post I am participating in with the Walmart Moms. Walmart has provided me with compensation for this post. My participation is voluntary and opinions, as always are my own.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I saw these displays in-store. I’m glad you’ll be putting it through the paces and reporting back, I look forward to that. I would like to know if the expense tracker is similar to what’s provided by Mint.com — or — if the card is compatible with Mint.com for tracking. I’m thinking your grocery & gas idea is the way to go for budgeting.
Questions:
What are the fees to use the card?
-per transaction?
-fees to use ATMs: withdrawals, balance inquiries, etc.
Would be nice if it could receive instant payments from Paypal or Western Union. It could be an emergency card for family and friends to use.
I don’t really have an opinion on this, except that when they showed the commercial for this on TV I thought they were talking about “The Blooper Card”. I was thinking that was a weird name.
I’ve been trying to find a good way to keep our Christmas spending separate from our regular checking account and I’m thinking this would be a great answer to that! Just wondering if its easy to close out the account when I’m done with it.
i had a card through Advance america,you get em at those scary check cashing places…this card allowed far more debit spending a day,and could load 10 thousand a day,but it cost $9.95 a month,and a buck per bill pay, blue bird is exactly same NO FEES free to mail a check to anyone, it has a sub account card in my caretakers name,he uses my card,im not allowed to cook,drive,or leave my home..dont be sad i take abused animals from a kil shelter and make them a loveing home l have a wonderful life.
sea coast,help me,a mentaly disabled man, car accident..head trauma,set up a checking account,i closed it after 9 months,clear paid in full,now im charged for 32 hits on it over a nat.holiday for LIFE INSURANCE? they off that free to CD buyers,i gat a disability check,now im banned from a normal checking account.ITS called STACKING now im branded a thief to all banks..thats why i was diminished to this kind of debit card i was raised your name was the most important thing along with mannors..there is a class action suit againt all banks for “stacking” blue bird saves Leroy $120.00 minimum a year,he refuses food stamps.;my name is Becky M thanks for letting leroy tell you about his new card..
Becky M here is the link to all facts about the blue bird card
cash limits and such youll find all answers here
https://bluebird.com/faqs/
I love this card:-) It is simple to use and you can have direct deposit. I don’t have to worry about bank fees. A 25 cents error caused 5 checks to have fees. Although 3 of the checks were paid, the others were returned. Although this was completely my fault, a mocha that cost $2.25 ended up costing me $27.50. I don’t have to worry with the bluebird card because no matter what mistake that I make, there are no overdraft fees. I can’t spend what I don’t have. For me, it’s the best option for right now. There are no monthly fees like most prepaid cards and its with American Express. What more can I ask for?
how can i get this card register for someones christmas gift?????
i do not know there ssn number and this a speacial gift to this person Perry Woodkey
PLEASE can you give me an answer or did i waste my money on this card
Susan-your best option is to call Amex customer service – 1 (877) 486-5990.
I know that you can go online and set up the account for yourself and then set up a sub card for another person. That sub card doesn’t need the SSN, and you can load more money on it, see where the money used on it is spent etc.
It’s probably easier to think of this card as a debit card or a checking account alternative, rather than thinking of it as a one time use gift card.
Can this be used for a PayPal account? I was looking at setting up a PayPal account to accept payments on my website and transfer funds to the Bluebird acct.
Thanks
how can I make my starter card unlimited?
You actually load money onto the card and then are able to spend it. As far as I know the only way to make it unlimited would be to add an unlimited amount of money to it. . .