I’ve been using Bluebird by American Express for a few weeks now, and I’m especially a fan of the exclusive member benefits that you receive with the card. I like the fact that you can easily use it for budgeting and the website and app are great for seeing your expenses. Since I write so much about finances and travel, I thought that the card would be great to use on a family vacation. After all, most of us our on pretty strict budgets when we travel, so it’s a great way to make sure that we only spend what we’ve saved for our trip, while also getting some great benefits.
Again, you’ll need to load the card up with the amount of money you’ll want to spend. The best way to do this is through direct deposit. Admittedly, you may not want to put your entire salary on the card. However, many employers allow you to send your paycheck to multiple places. Just set Bluebird up as one of your direct deposit recipients, and designate a specific amount of money per pay period. This can be a great way to budget for your trip, since you won’t even see the money in your other accounts, and using direct deposit is a way to eliminate some of the fees you’ll otherwise have to pay.
I don’t have this option – as a consultant, I’m frequently paid with checks or Paypal, so I have to use other options to load up my card. I’ve been transferring funds via a debit card, which easily works. You can also use a Vanilla Prepaid Card, deposit with cash at Walmart, or even take a photo of a check using the Bluebird mobile app.
Using the Bluebird card for travel is a great option. I haven’t yet traveled internationally with it, but when I do, I’ll be happy to get those free foreign exchange transactions. Amex is also globally recognized, so you know you’ll be able to use the card almost everywhere. There’s also access to the global assist service and roadside assistance (but you’ll have to pay the associated charges for roadside assistance).
I’m definitely planning to load up my next few checks onto Bluebird for our next family vacation at the end of the month.
To learn more about Bluebird, visit their website.
Disclosure: This series of posts is sponsored by Bluebird by American Express.
