Picked Up $5,000 Of Vanilla Reloads At CVS Today…

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I had no problem purchasing $5,000 from CVS today, easily helping me clear some spend thresholds off my plate.

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With the new chainwide CVS policy you can buy $5,000 of prepaid cards per day. Previously there was a $1,000 per day limit.

If you buy $1,000 of prepaid cards in a transaction they will have to scan your driver’s license. The system will prompted them for my driver’s license as soon as they scanned the 2nd $500 vanilla reload card in the transaction.  The point of the driver’s license scanning is to combat fraud from scam artists who were buying prepaid cards and then disputing the charge by claiming that their credit cards were stolen.

CVS dry in your area? There are other stores and gas stations that also sell Vanilla Reloads though stores like Office Depot and Walgreens no longer accept credit cards to pay for them.

With Vanilla Reloads you can upload the cards from vanillareload.com to your American Express Bluebird card. The same upload limits of $1,000 per day and $5,000 per month still apply.  And Bluebird checkbooks are still free for the time-being though you can always send electronic payments from your Bluebird account to pay off any credit card bill, your rent, your mortgage, etc.

Of course with Chase credit cards you can order fee-free gift cards as well.

It’s truly never been easier to get miles on the cheap.  Trust me, my wife and I shlepped hundreds of thousands of dollar coins into banks…you no longer have to break your back to earn that free vacation.  Though you might have to drive to an off the beaten path CVS.

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84 Comments On "Picked Up $5,000 Of Vanilla Reloads At CVS Today…"

All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.

Gingi

Are you just trying to rub it in for us Greater New Yorkers who cannot get CVS to sell us VR cards on a Credit Card?

LA2NYC

@Dan

What’s a safe amount of VRs to put on your CC at a time? Wouldn’t Amex/Chase question what someone is buying at CVS for $5K?

Dan

@Gingi:
Actually plenty of NYers have reported buying VRs in NYC though the smart ones don’t say where…

Of course if you drive outside of NYC it gets a while lot easier.

@LA2NYC:
Beats me.
So far so good for me.

Reebi

Hey dan what is the best way to pay my mortgage payment with the credit card?

Yosseld

Another reason given to me by a CVS employee is that people are buying the cards and moving money illegally out of the country (not sure how that works…).

Farj

is that worth it to meet my 6500$ Amex Blue Cash spending threshold?
how much 5000$ of vanilla end up costing me?

Come on Dan

Come on Dan not every secret you have to bust

Yehoshua

Did the same here in LA last week $5k for me, $5k for my wife. Liking the new policy.

chana k

Reebi: With Bluebird!!! http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/24892

Farj: Of course! That’s EXACTLY what Dan is writing this post for.

Larry

The CVS stores in my neighborhood will not take a credit card for the Vanilla Reload or any other reload card. They will only take cash. They will take Amex for the non-reloadable Visa cards like the VanillaOne card which are what I bought than headed over to Walmart to load them on Bluebird. My Ink Bold said “invalid payment type” when I tried using it to buy the cards at CVS but my Amex worked fine.

Nate

Does a CVS get 5X points with an Ink card? If not, whats a good store to use? I know office depot is not longer accepting CCs for gift cards

yuda

How can I get free checks for my bluebird account I can use a check book from them
Thanks dan

ff_lover

Watch out for two things:

1. AMEX Financial Review. I had one done few months back ( i was charging the SPG and MR Gold). They shut down every card and then I needed to the IRS form for them to verify my income.

2. Chase free GC can cause FRAUD alert and then your money is stuck with them until they release it back to your CC.

What works for one person may not work for another person. Proceed w/ caution and don’t get hog wild!

Jmail

Tried buying the vr at family dollar and they said I need to have a vanilla card (MVD) to load $ through the vanilla reload. They could not let me purchase a vanilla reload without a 16 digit vanilla card number. Does CBS do the same?

Dan

@Come on Dan:
This isn’t a secret or loophole, it’s their updated purchase policy and a chainwide memo went out detailing it.

@Larry:
Invalid payment type means your charge was declined.
You need to call the number on the back of your card to clear the fraud hold if you haven’t exceeded your credit line.

@Nate:
CVS is not an office supply store.
Office Max and Staples are.

@yuda:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/30787

@ff_lover:
Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered is always good to keep in mind.

But 99% of the time an amex financial review isn’t a big deal. As long as you make anything on the books you should be able to pass that though your cards will be frozen in the interim.

And a Chase fraud alert isn’t a big deal at all.

Though I do agree, using caution is always a good philosphy.

@Jmail:
If CVS would be the same as Family Dollar then how would I be able to buy VRs there?

Amanda

Can you review how purchasing the VR’s help you with points and/or miles? You purchase the VR’s [I assume in this case you get 5000 points], then do you use those for your monthly expenses? I am really curious about how this works…

geshmoka

I can buy each day 5k of cards how can I cash it if bluebird has a limit of 5k per month?

Dan

@Amanda:
It gets you way more than 5K points if you are meeting spend thresholds.
You can pay any expenses via bill pay or check with Bluebird, it’s like a checking account.

@geshmoka:
Are you in a family of one person and/or unable to wait until the next calendar month?

geshmoka

I am in a family of 2 but I want to buy more then 10k per month ( 10 k I can buy in 1 day) so how can I cash the rest?

yada

I was in Staples and heard a Dansdeals fan detailing in excruciatingly painful detail to the manager exactly why he was buying cards (didn’t see which ones) to meet spending thresholds and where he found the information…. dansdeals!
We love you Dan, but some of your fans, need to use their brains. People should know that NOT everything needs to be shared. I have no idea what bad could come out of sharing this info with a stranger off the street but I don’t imagine it’s a great idea.

David R

What do you mean when you say “Previously there was a $1,000 per day limit”? You bought more than $1000 of Vanilla Reloads at CVS per day in the past, split into multiple transactions. So did I. Perhaps you mean there was a $1000 limit per transaction which is no longer in effect?

robert

i saw in the terms and conditions of the ink cards that they cab only be used for business expenses. Are they really makpid on this rule, and if so how does 5k purchases from cvs fit with this?

My08701

Any reason not to purchase the vanila reloads then pay that credit card used to purchase the VR with BlueBird? It will be paid in full before the statement cuts…

Farj

Dan are you familiar with the Amex Blue Cash (the original grandfathered one) with 6500$ threshold?
To my understanding each 500$ Vanilla reload costs 4$ so for 5000$ I am out 40$. Do I break even at .5% return from amex blue cash?

Farj

actually Drugstores might be consider everyday use at 1% before reaching the threshhold and 5% after..
so buying it from CVS will get me 1% of 5000$ = 50$?

Mark @palmerlaw

Personally, I have no problem with it, but I wonder if CVS will be challenged for scanning IDs? FYI: http://first2board.com/travelblawg/personal-info-to-retailers/

Rebecca

Could you buy 5k worth of cards and pay the card off right away using Bluebird? Thanks, Dan.

TDweck

$5k in a shot? Awesome. I barely have the kahunas to buy $500 in a shot sometimes!

yyman1

I was surprised by the CVS policy and wasn’t that comfortable with giving my DL. As such, the next time I went into the store I bought <$1000 and wasn't required to give it. I think its much smarter to not be a "pig" then risk getting flagged at a later point.

On the NYC front, it is much harder to find VR cards at CVS but I have been successful at some other stores … Or as Dan said venture out of NY/NJ.

Avi Chaim

You have go to Customer service in Walmart. They will load card with visa debit

sam

Thanks Dan.
if I would buy the $5k cards & pay it rightaway b4 my closing date, will this save me from a FR ? (i do have a problem getting FR).
thanks

sam

#2 is my calculation right?. if I value 5k points for $75. & the costs to cash out is 40$.. so that will b a 35$ value.. do I have the #s right?

Wanna

Can Vanilla Reloads be purchased on CVS’ website, or in-store only?

Eliezer

Is it worth buying VR using a Chase Sapphire or Ink card? I have already met my spending limit…

Curtis

Lots of you guys REALLY need to do your own reading and figuring this out without posting such simple questions that Dan has to read through……

Leon Bobkes

@Avi Chaim: They will NOT accept ANY CC payment at the Walmart in Green Acres Mall/Valley Stream, NY. They have “woken up” at this store.

Dave O

Can you explain in plain English what you are doing with these Vanilla cards. I don’t get it. Sorry.

Eliezer

CVS in Lakewood selling $5,000 VR cards in one transaction. They accept any cc.

Aryeh

CVS in Carney, MD said the limit is 2k, even after I said they upped it to 5k.

Sir Nigel

Is it better to use the AMEX premier reward Gold card or the Chase Freedom to buy VR?

YG

Anyone have more than 4 MVDs registered to their social?
I have 4 but will happily add if its safe

sk

Which gas stations carry these?
Will I get 5% with the Freedom?

zach

can I still cash them in citi bank or chase?

RJ898

I’m sitting here with 2.5k in vanilla reload cards, I go to the vanilla site and it asks me for a card number and a pin. Where can I find a card number? Do I just enter my bluebird number?

Dan

@David R:
It was YMMV before as officially there was a $1,000/day limit.
Now it’s officially $5,000/day, chainwide.

@robert:
Not in my experience.

@Farj:
There are far better cards to use.

@Wanna:
In store.

@Eliezer:
Yes, though obviously it’s not as lucrative as a signup bonus.

@Leon Bobkes:
So use the ATM machine there.

@Dave O:
They are loaded to Bluebird.
Bluebird is effectively an online checking account.

@RJ898:
Card number=Bluebird number.

Oompaloompa

CVS in my area wouldn’t sell me more then 2k of VR today even though the system would allow it. It was at the end of the day and they said I would need to come in the AM when they have a manager in… I told them the policy changed but they must’ve not gotten the memo… Oh well…

isaacbp

Just got my $5000 worth thanks dan

Eli

@Yehoshua: Yehoshua, were those VISA ones loaded at Walmart? I cannot seem to find any others.

poopyhead

What if I just have Chase freedom is it beneficial

Ash

@robert

i got declined for a second ink card because the reconsideration guy saw that i bought gift cards with my first one and those are not considered a business expense.

avi

Hi I am soooo happy I found a Store near me in BK in NY that sells the Vannila Reload cards and they accept CC.
thank you DAN

Mendel

@Dan:
You wrote “@Farj:
There are far better cards to use.”

Please explain what you mean? I have that card and I get 5% for drug stores, Which would mean for me if i buy $5000 worth of these cards it would cost me $5039.50. i would make $252 in cash back -$39.50 in fees = $212.50 profit. Sounds good to me. am i missing something?

Farj

@Dan Re: AMex Blue Cash (the old one)
I should get 5% cash back on CVS purchases
that is 250$ cash back on 5000$ minus 40$ for VR fees..
210$ cash back sounds good to me however which card would you recommend the most with this?
I have ink plus at almost 2% cash back value (1 points equal 2cents or so)

Bob

$5K is no good for a single person like myself, as BB only allows payment of $2.5K every month.

Farj

@Bob BB limit is 1k/day
5K/month

Bob

@Farj I am referring to the 2.5K per month limit you are able to send your CC company as a payment.

Eddie

I found a cvs with some vanilla reload cards and they wont accept CC. has anyone had the same issue? i thought all cvs’s accept cc for it

chulent

Here is my story looking for VR`S i live in new York and i have two cvs stores in my neighborhood checked for VR`S they both don’t have any,so i was driving in jersey today saw a cvs store, stopped in and found those treasured goodies right away took five pieces and went to the cashier he asked me for the amount i told him $500 on each so he went to a computer and came back and he tells me there is a $1000 limit max per day per customer so i didn’t argue, i guess this branch didn’t get the memo yet about the $5000 max ,he asked for my license i gave it to him and i swiped my ink card, i was short exactly $1000 to reach the spending threshold so i was really excited about it, that’s why i decided to share it here in the comments, because i will be getting 55k chase ur nxt month and by the way dan if you are listening i applied for the ink card thru your link as an appreciation for all the good advice, thank you and keep up the great work

douglas

the 5k limit is on the card that is being used or the customer(when they scan id)????????

douglas

btw reading on some peoples issues ALL the cvss got the memo the q is did they realize so have that stubborn store manager go in the book of memos that they get from the the top and literally show them their new policy (this is what i did) dont b scared and push them until they accept it (make sure ur not going over ur credit whoops)i succesfully cashed out in a cvs in jersey good luck.thanks dan ur the man

Ellen

@ff_lover:
why people keep worrying about Amex FR, if they ask me for one my income is as filled on the app, and if they give me any hard time ill close my accounts with them. I give them more than $400000 in real business spend a year and it is their loss.

New

I could not find any vanilla reload cards in CVS near Teaneck NJ, so I bought 10 $500 for a $4.95 fee ea of vanilla prepaid visa cards in Rocehlle Park NJ CVS. I did go to walmart and deposited $1000 in bluebird. IF I DO IT THIS WAY, it does not have to be vanilla prepaid visa, it could be any prepaid visa, is that correct?

yeshiva boy

hey dan i just picked up a united card from chase and they offered 55000 points…….
im concerned about having to spend 2000 bucks in three munths becouse i dont spend alot and about the refils i have a net spend account i think its the same … my concern is that it said on the papers that cash advances and that sort is not included in the points bonuses…… r they really able to detect from what i buy?

Daniel

@Reebi: vanilla reloads with Bluebird Billpay

Mike

Dan – Thank you for posting. I tried to buy a vanilla reload today from 7-11 and Walgreens, but neither accepted credit card. Do you have any suggestions? I would really appreciate it.

David

Someone at amex told me that purchasing visa gift cards won’t work to meet a spending threshold. Is that true?

yaako

hi
somone, pls answer my question ….
i need to take out cash to dep. in my bank acc. or even money order to pay bills, so i bought a my-vanila reloader card and loaded $500 but i need much more.. but the vanilla reloader network card wasnt available at any Cvs in 20 mile radius of my house, but i see lots of other reloader card from numerous companies … can i buy those? whats the differents beween Vanilla and the rest?
thanks

Mark W

CVS in Las Vegas looks like it has changed its policy on Vanilla Reloads and is no longer accepting credit cards for VR purchase.

LIMench

Dan, how much do these vanilla cards cost. So basically I can buy them with my amex, rack up the points and use these as any other CC?

Karin

I read through all these comments, but am still confused about the comment “It gets you way more than 5K points if you are meeting spend thresholds.” What happens if you go past the spend thresholds of $50,000 on office supplies or travel?

Rick

I just got back from a CVS where they informed me that I could no longer purchase reload cards with an actual credit card. I would need to use a debit card. Anyone else have this problem?

Dan

@Rick:
Try another cashier and/or store.

Kimmy

Can anybody tell me where I can buy Vanilla reload network cards in Las Vegas with a credit card? Are there any grocery stores, office supply stores or gas stations that allow you to buy the Vanilla reload cards with a credit card? Thank you for any help.

mh

curious as to how the limits work – CSR have no idea.

Did $3,000 over the last 3 weeks – when do I get a fresh new $5,000 limit, 1st of the month, 30 days from last purchase or 30 days from first purchase?

Also what does”Bluebird Checks

Subject to Total Account Balance and Add Money Limits” mean in english?

BB AH

Blue Bird place a ‘security alert” and request a Drivers license. Never heard of this. any way around it? do they have a right to request a personal document such as DL emailed? how safe is such an email?

Kea

@Dan Hello
Ok so I was on my Facebook account and I received a from someone asking me if I wanted to make some extra money… Confused, I say how? He reply saying I need to go purchase a VRC upload anywhere from $100 to $500 if I upload $100.00 I will get back $1,000 $200.00 I get back $2,000 all the way up to $5,000 …
All the people on his page have big stacks of money and their making post thanking him… How does this work? I see people making money off this so i want to know about this because I love money too

Emi

If u want to have 25,000 miles so u have to buy 50 vanilla reloads and that will cost you almost $200
So what’s the point if the ticket anyway cost around $300?

Efraim

effective today April 1 2014 CVS no longer accepts Credit Cards for Vanilla Reload purchases. CASH ONLY. Dan please post this

Sheila

So if cvs doesnt accept cc for buying VR Whats left?

Dan

Plenty.

Rick

Can you cash out your VR?
If so, please let me know at what locations in NJ.

Anonymous

@Kea: did that work for you

Joni

Cvs no longer accepts payment by credit card for reloading vanilla cards since people who steal credit cards can get a nice, untraceable new card with lots of money on it.duh

Ty

Me I am just trunks make some cash for my family

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