If your card is being declined, there are a few common reasons — most are quick to fix.
Common reasons
| Reason | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Budget balance too low | Check your budget balance in the app. Request money if you need more |
| Company balance too low | Ask your admin to check the company balance and deposit more funds |
| Incorrect PIN | Reset your PIN in the app or at budgetly.io |
| Incorrect CVV attempts | 3 wrong CVV entries locks the card. Contact support to unlock it |
| ATM withdrawals disabled | Check with your admin whether ATM access is enabled |
| Visa debit not accepted | Try selecting “Credit” instead of “Savings” at the terminal |
| System error | Wait a moment and retry — it may be a temporary issue |
Note: A $1.00 fee is charged when a transaction is declined due to insufficient funds — either at the budget level or the company level. Declines for all other reasons are not charged.
What to do when your card is declined
- Open the Budgetly app and check if the transaction appears — the decline reason is listed there.
- If it doesn’t appear, the merchant blocked it before it reached Budgetly. Ask the merchant why.
- Keep the declined receipt (in-store) or take a screenshot of the error (online).
- Retry the transaction — it may have been a one-off error.
- Check your budget balance in the app to make sure you have enough funds.
- Contact Budgetly support if you’re still stuck.
Common questions
Why was my card declined if my budget shows enough money?
Your budget may have enough, but the company’s overall balance might be too low. Ask your admin to check the company balance.
Will I be charged for a declined transaction?
Only if the decline was due to insufficient funds (budget or company balance). A $1.00 fee applies per decline. Declines for all other reasons are not charged.
My card was declined but nothing shows in the app. Why?
The merchant blocked the transaction before it reached Budgetly. Contact the merchant directly — they can tell you why.
Can I request more money for my budget?
Yes. Go to the Budgets screen in the app and tap Request money on the budget you need topped up. Your admin will be notified.