US Bank Visa Buxx
/One product that I didn't discuss in my first post about true PIN-based debit cards was the US Bank Visa Buxx card. While I knew the card was similar to the Nationwide Visa Buxx card discussed in that post, I was hesitant to post about it because I didn't have one myself. I'm happy to now be able to report that the US Bank version of the Visa Buxx product works as a true PIN-based debit card, and anyone can get one.
Getting the Card
The US Bank Visa Buxx card, like the Nationwide Visa Buxx card, requires you to register as a "parent" creating a card account for a "teen." However, unlike Nationwide, which allows you to use the same information for both the "parent" and the "teen," US Bank requires at least a different Social Security number for the teen than the parent.
I'm now able to report that US Bank does NOT verify the information entered for the "teen" on their product.
Activating the Card
To activate the card you'll need the Social Security number you entered for the teen during the application. Once the card is activated you'll have two different logins to the US Bank Visa Buxx website: the "parent" login which allows you to load the card, and the "teen" login which only allows you to view the transaction history.
Loading the Card
You can load potentially up to $517.50 per load (the website states $517.50, but the cardholder agreement states $500, so it's ambiguous what the actual limit is), using any Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card, at a cost of $2.50. According to the cardholder agreement you can load up to $2000 per 30 days, although I have not been able to confirm that limit.
Unloading the Card
I'm now able to confirm that the US Bank Visa Buxx card can be used to reload Gobank and Bluebird at any Walmart register using the PIN you set up during the phone activation process.
According to the cardholder agreement, you can withdraw up to $200 per ATM transaction and up to 3 ATM withdrawals per 24-hour period.
Conclusion
The US Bank Visa Buxx is a great addition to any points and miles earning strategy. It can be used to reduce your cost per point by loading it using the Paypal Debit MasterCard, or used to manufacture spending at .48 cents per dollar.
