For those that still are able to buy Vanilla Reloads, you’ll no longer be able to load onto your Bluebird.
I just received the following email from Bluebird:
We are writing to inform you of some changes to the terms and conditions of your Bluebird® Account. Please review the change below:
InComm Vanilla Reload PIN Package is one of the many ways to add money to your Bluebird account. Starting April 1, 2015, the Incomm Vanilla Reload PIN Package will no longer be available for purchase. Any previously purchased Vanilla Reload can still be added to any Bluebird account.
You can still add money to your account in many free, convenient ways including Direct Deposit, adding cash at virtually any Walmart® checkout register, and more. Click here to learn more.
Bottom Line
When CVS and other drugstores stopped allowing people to purchase Vanilla Reloads with credit cards, I think this method of manufacture spending really died out, so I don’t see this change that will really impact many, but if you were able to still find Vanilla Reloads at gas stations and local supermarkets, then you’ll now have to find a new way to unload.
What are your thoughts on this announcement from Bluebird?
About Points, Miles & Martinis
Here at Points, Miles and Martinis, we love all things travel. We focus on topics relating to travel including destinations, airline, hotel, car rental and credit card reward programs. Our goal is to help people travel better. - See more at our About Us page.
Sign up for Email || Twitter || Facebook |
Hotel Offers || Airline Offers || Bank Offers || Cash Back Offers
The email for Serve was slightly different. Says vanilla pin going away but that we can still use vanilla swipe ?? Do know what this is??
“Beginning February 1, 2015, MoneyPak® will no longer be available for purchase. Beginning April 1, 2015, Vanilla® Reload PIN will no longer be available to purchase. However, you can still easily add cash* to your Serve® Account directly at the register using Vanilla® Reload Swipe Load.”
I have been avoiding CVS and Vanilla Visa GCs like the plague… fortunately Staples still allows Metabank Visa GCs to be purchased with a CC so I have been doing that to load by BB… especially when they have a rebate offer that negates the activation fee.. if that option also gets cancelled.. that is when I would cancel BB….
Only one place I’ve known to get them since CVS stopped, and they are not frequently there anyway. No huge loss anymore. Cost of business is just a bit higher with other options than VRs.
I found this on the Vanilla Reload Swipe – http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/incomm-expands-vanilla-reload-network-plans-to-add-swipe-reload-at-over-15000-more-retail-locations-546854256.html
Wonder if it will be cash only or if it will be possible to reload with credit card?
For those that have still been able to purchase Vanilla Reloads with a credit card in recent months, I don’t think the issue is that they will need to find a new way to unload. The issue, if I understand the email correctly, is that Vanilla Reloads simply will no longer be available for purchase after 4/1/2015. Any Vanilla Reloads that are purchased prior to 4/1/2015 could still be unloaded onto a Bluebird account, am I wrong?
I am confused.Is vanilla reload PIN cards the same as onevanilla cards that you can use to set any pin on your first use?