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Looking for free money when you’re in a bind? Chime Spot Me might be a solution for you! When financial tough times hit, sometimes you need to go negative in your bank account. Traditionally, many banks that allow you to go negative through overdraft protection, may or may not cover your transaction. Additionally, you might get charged an overdraft fee.
Chime SpotMe can spot you money when you’re in a financial bind and need extra money. You can go negative on your bank account balance up to your limit with no fees! That’s the SpotMe Chime program.
Read about how you can get up to $200 overdraft from Chime Spot Me program. Discover how Chime SpotMe works, what’s it about, who it’s for, and more.
Let’s go!
What is Chime Spot Me?
Chime SpotMe is Chime’s overdraft protection program.
In short, it let you:
- Overdraft up to $200 without any fees
- Get spotted when you need a little extra on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals
- Increase your limit with friend boosts
No overdraft fees are a big deal.
Things happen in life sometimes and when it does, it’s nice to have a little buffer available to you. For things like groceries, gas, paying bills, necessities or wants in your life that a few hundred dollars could help out with.
This is actually not an unusual program. Many banks and credit unions offer programs like this to reward their customers. For example, Capital One offers a similar program where they approve credit card purchases that will put you over limit on your credit card.
How to get money from Chime Spot Me?
Are you sold on Chime SpotMe? This is how you get money from Chime SpotMe…
For direct deposit Chime users, you just have to keep your eyes open when Chime reaches out to you when you’re eligible for Chime SpotMe.
Once you’re in, you can use this fee-free program to get spotted when you need it, up to $200.
What’s great about ChimeSpot Me is that there are no hidden fees. You will never be charged for overdraft fees with Chime. If you don’t have enough money in your Chime checking account or you’ve reached your limit with Chime SpotMe, your transaction will just be declined. No fees exist for declining SpotMe transactions.
How to get SpotMe on Chime?
This is how to get SpotMe on Chime:
- Be a Chime member
- Get $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits
- Activate your debit card
How to use Chime SpotMe?
It’s easy to use Chime SpotMe. Can you overdraft Chime? Yes, that’s what the SpotMe program is for, essentially.
First, to get in on the program, you must be a direct deposit Chime user. When you are, wait for a Chime notification tell you that you’re eligible for Chime SpotMe. Then, you can use the program.
1. Set up direct deposit
First, it’s important to know that Chime’s SpotMe program is for Chime direct deposit users only. So, the first step is to enroll in direct deposit with Chime, if you’re not already a part of it.
Once you’re in, that’s all you have to do. Just look out for a notification from Chime that you’re eligible for SpotMe!
Note: Eligibility is for Chime users who receive $200+ in direct deposits to their Chime account and have activated their debit card.
2. Chime spots you money
Next, once you’re in the SpotMe program, you can use it! Activate your debit card and Chime will spot you money when you need it. They will spot you up to your limit when your purchase goes over your balance.
3. Top up your balance
Lastly, top up your balance to bring your negative balance back into the positive. This can be done automatically with your next direct deposit.
What’s the limit on SpotMe?
Chime SpotMe has a $200 limit. You start with $20 and then can go up to $200 depending on your account activity and other factors.
Bonuses and boosts can be used to temporarily increase your limit.
You can use SpotMe an unlimited number of times, fee-free. That means you can use it over and over again up to your limit without spending on overdraft fees.
For example, if your limit is $200 and you’ve used $50 for gas, you can use it many more times, up to your $200 limit for other eligible transactions, like at the ATM or for debit card purchases.
How can you change your SpotMe limit?
You start at $20 and then your limit is raised up to a max of $200 based on your activity level and other factors. You can also have your limit temporarily increased with bonuses and boosts that your friends sent you
Chime SpotMe ATM use
Yes, Chime SpotMe can be used at ATM’s!
Wondering “How do I get cash from Chime Spot Me?” or “Can you take out cash with Chime Spot Me?” The answer is yes. Here’s how you do it…
Just visit your ATM as usual and you can use your Chime debit card at the ATM so Chime can spot you. That’s how you withdraw SpotMe on Chime.
I love this feature because it’s different from a lot of the other overdraft programs banks are offering. Many of them restrict ATM use which means it’s difficult to get cash when you’re overdrawn. Chime SpotMe is one of the only programs that exist that let you withdraw cash from ATMs as a part of their SpotMe program.
Where can you use Chime SpotMe?
Use Chime SpotMe:
- ATMs
- Debit card purchases
- Cash-back transactions
You will not be able to use the SpotMe program for:
- Chime checkbook transactions
- Pay Anyone transfers
- Direct debits
- Transfers to your savings account
- Transfers to apps like Venmo or CashApp
How do I use my SpotMe on Chime?
SpotMe kicks in automatically when you need it, if you’re enrolled and within your limit. You’ll get a notification like this, that it’s been used…
Does Chime SpotMe work at Costco?
Yes, you can use Chime SpotMe at Costco. As long as your Costco accepts Visa debit cards, you’ll be able to use it to buy your stuff from Costco.
Does Chime SpotMe work at Walmart?
Yes, Chime SpotMe works at Walmart. Walmart accepts Visa debit cards so using SpotMe at Walmart works! If you find yourself in a pinch at Walmart, the SpotMe program will work, up to your limit!
Does Chime SpotMe work at Target?
Yes, Chime SpotMe works at Target! It works at all retailers that accept Visa debit cards.
Can I use Chime Spot Me for online purchases?
Yes, you can use Chime Spot Me for online purchases. You can use it at any retailer that accepts Visa debit cards, including online retailers.
What are SpotMe Boosts?
SpotMe boosts let you temporarily raise your limit. This works when your friends send you a Boost. You can also send Boosts to your friends.
How do you use SpotMe Boosts?
1. Open the Chime app
2. Go to Friends
3. Tap SpotMe Boosts
4. Search for a contact and then tap Send $5 Boost next to their name
How do you pay SpotMe back?
Chime SpotMe spots you when you need more money, up to your limit. If you find yourself on Chime Spot Me with negative balance, you’ll need to pay it back.
To pay SpotMe back, Chime will automatically apply your next direct deposit to the overage (your negative account balance). Then, you’ll be back in the clear and there are no fees for this.
For example, if you go negative $50 on your Chime account using SpotMe, your balance will be -$50. If your next direct deposit is $2,000, Chime will take $50 of that to apply to your negative balance, giving you a remaining balance of $1,950.
This is an example of how it works.
What does Chime Spot Me cover?
You can get spotted cash by Chime up to your limit if you’re an eligible Chime Spot Me user. They cover:
- ATMs
- Debit card purchases
- Cash-back transactions
You can buy online, in-person, and anywhere that accepts Visa debit cards.
Chime SpotMe Alternatives
There are other ways to get cash when you’re in a crunch. The CashApp glitch, overdraft protection from your primary bank, and getting a short-term loan or cash advance are additional ways to get cash fast.
SpotMe on Chime is not the only solution here.
If you use Chime banking and have direct deposit and a debit card, I think it’s an easy way to get extra cash. There are no overdraft fees, which is the kicker. It’s something that makes this program stand out from competitors.
Cash advances and short-term loans are going to have high-interest rates. Once you get into one, it’s tough to see your way out sometimes.
And then, overdraft protection from other banks may not compare to SpotMe. You may get less coverage and pay fees.
Chime Spot Me Not Working
Why is Chime Spot Me not working?
Three common reasons why Chime Spot Me is not working is:
- It’s disabled: This means the feature is turned off. You may not be enrolled in the SpotMe program. Enrollment happens when you’re eligible and meet the requirements.
- You accidentally turned it off: If you go to Settings, you can disable SpotMe. This can happen accidentally. Just go back to Settings to re-enable it.
- You exceeded your limit: You’re enrolled in Chime SpotMe but it’s not working. What happened? You may have exceeded your limit. If you go over your SpotMe limit, Chime will decline the transaction. But, no overdraft fees will result.
Bottom line
Emergencies can strike at any time and when you’re in a financial crunch, it’s nice that a service like Chime SpotMe exists to help you out in a bind.
With our review Chime’s SpotMe program, now, hopefully, you have a better understanding of how the program works and if it would be a good fit for you.