Cannot use money in Microsoft promotional balance

AncientDog24 · Aug 29, 2014

For the last 3 months, I have been given a code to redeem and got some money in the account and it is due to expire on September. How can use that promotional balance to buy things? When I try to buy a game, it told me that the only payment I can make is
to use my credit card and not that promotional balance.

:)

Waynej · Aug 29, 2014

How to check your Xbox MSP expiry dates

I've seen some comments on this elsewhere in the forums, and while someone may have posted this before now, I've certainly not seen it.

For those unaware and concerned over their Microsoft points expiring, you can check the exact date that they expire. Sign into Xbox.com with your gamertag, click My Account at top right, goto Billing History and then click the Payment Options tab, this will display your recent Microsoft points purchases and their expiration date. Naughty, naughty, Microsoft. :nono:

All Microsoft points will expire 12-mths after their redeemed date. It's not just the points that you had on your account before they were converted to real currency, Microsoft points that you can still currently buy today will also expire after 12-mths.

If you don't like Microsoft vapourising your virtual money then you'd be best to stick to the new Xbox Gift Cards, but with Xbox One and day-1 digital right around the corner I am sure most of us will use this money up before it gets checked out and placed into BillyG's bank account.

And here's another bit of info from the FAQ, I'll bolden the interesting bit. It mainly states whenever you buy anything Microsoft automatically use the money that is closest to expiring.

What is the difference between promotional and non-promotional balances?

From time to time, and for marketing purposes, Microsoft may offer promotional gift cards that you can redeem to your Microsoft account. A promotional gift card may require that you redeem the value listed on the card, or use any redeemed balance, by a certain date or within a certain time period. Please refer to any terms and conditions associated with the promotion in question for specific details or restrictions.

Any balance in your Microsoft account that has not been designated as promotional will not expire. However, if you do not use your account balance for a prolonged period of time, the law may require us to consider your account balance abandoned. In that case, and in some countries where the law requires it, we may be obliged to transfer any non-promotional balance in your account to the appropriate government authority and you will have to retrieve your funds from the relevant authority. We will try to reach you and give you adequate notice before transferring your account balance.

When using your account balance to make a purchase at a participating Microsoft store, Microsoft automatically uses any promotional value in your account balance before any other value that is stored in your account, and does so in the order of the promotional value scheduled to expire first.Click to expand...
Click to expand...

KingsEdy · Aug 29, 2014

XBOX Beta and account balance showing zero.

On the online Chat they told me to formulate my question here. I used to have 300 microsoft points and then they turned into money, now I want to buy a new game and I can't use my credit card and my money is gone. On the Xbox site saids that my "promotional
balance" has expired, but it was no gift, I bought it.

THEOWENKILLER · Aug 30, 2014

Have you tried purchasing direct from this website instead of the console?

Dirty Loco · Aug 30, 2014

@Owen There is no way to use the money on your MS account through the Xbox website to purchase Xbox 360 content. You have to purchase through the console.

BongKaos · Aug 30, 2014

Depending on the amount you have availible,

A purchase can be as easy as the select payment option.....

Or, you can use the balance towards ANY purchase (when bought through the cosole features)

AncientDog24 · Oct 31, 2018

Dang it, I don't have access to my xbox at the moment. Look like I'm going to lose that money. Thanks for the reply.

THEOWENKILLER

Have you tried purchasing direct from this website instead of the console?

BongKaos

Depending on the amount you have availible,

A purchase can be as easy as the select payment option.....

Or, you can use the balance towards ANY purchase (when bought through the cosole features)

Dirty Loco

@Owen There is no way to use the money on your MS account through the Xbox website to purchase Xbox 360 content. You have to purchase through the console.

AncientDog24

Dang it, I don't have access to my xbox at the moment. Look like I'm going to lose that money. Thanks for the reply.

DrifterX22

Non-promotional balances. Any money in your Microsoft account not from a promotional gift card is “non-promotional” and has no expiration date.
But if you don’t use your account for a prolonged period of time, the law may require us to consider it abandoned and to transfer any funds to the appropriate government authority.

Cannot use money in Microsoft promotional balance