What bank accounts are everybody using?

I’ve split the Monzo posts into a new thread, seems they were going in more-depth about Monzo and their features, whereas this thread was more of “What banks are you using”.

The Monzo chat can be found here: General thread about Monzo :)

1 Like

Now that I have my Child’s & co card, I’ll do mine! Not sure if we’re including non-bank fintechs, but thought I’d include mine, as I’ve seen some mention Revolut and Monese.

Active Accounts
Monzo
Barclays
Triodos
Barclaycard
Paypal Credit
Cash App
Atom
Marcus

Inactive Accounts
RBS
Nationwide
Revolut
Zen
TransferWise
B
Clydesdale
First Direct

Closed Accounts
N26
Santander
Lydia

I’m probably forgetting a few.

2 Likes

Wow !

What did Nat West do to put you off? :joy:

Lack of branches in Scotland?

1 Like

I’ve only been in Scotland for coming up on 2 years now!

Nothing ever really put me off, so to speak, it’s more of just that their offerings never really appealed to me. I was perfectly happy with just Barclays up until the Apple Pay debacle. Nationwide and Santander came before Barclays, and both stem from accounts I had as a kid because parents banked with them. I initially had a children’s account with Bradford & Bingley which became Santander, then I was moved to Nationwide, though the account was kept open, because my child trust fund was with Abbey so it kept things simpler.

All the other accounts came after the Apple Pay incident with Barclays when I decided to see what else was out there and fintech was starting to take off in the UK, which slowly but surely transformed into a card addiction.

1 Like

Makes sense, I wasn’t really serious about the Scotland thing!

Anyway, you will have an idea of what NatWest is like now - it’s the same as RBS, just with different branding.

Not terrible, but nothing really to write home about.

2 Likes

Pretty sure you can also use any branch regardless of being under RBS or NatWest as well now.

1 Like

Yes, you can - since a system upgrade in about 2017.

1 Like

I have a number of bank accounts but main ones I use are Barclay’s and Natwest.

2 Likes

Also in camp Barclays although I do need an alternative for Savings Goals at some point, any ideas? Want to put money away for incorporation

Big problem is the rate of interest banks and building societies offer. Hardly encourages saving when rates are so low. I guess it is good for people that have mortgages and need to borrow. Highest rate I have for easy access is a measly 0.65% per annum from Skipton.

1 Like

I have an account with most mainstream Fintech banks. None of them chargeable, and I would close them if they did charge for mainstream banking. (I will be closing my Bunq account, which I only got for a non-UK IBAN when the card expires). A wide variety of useless ISAs. The only “bank” I have “proper” savings is Marcus. Some of the accounts I also have Euro denominated accounts with (Starling, Revolut, Monese, Wise).

1 Like

Well you say that! But the rate tied to any of my credit accounts has remained the same, whilst my savings accounts have plummeted. No doubt they’ll push their rates up though when the base rate goes back up and blame it on that!

3 Likes

Would not surprise me. Like with petrol prices, say the wholesale price goes down yet they take awhile to lower prices. But other way round and they increase prices quickly.

2 Likes

If you have more than £3k in your savings you can get a higher rate via Chip+1

The account pays 1.25% but has a £1.50 fee every 28 days. A balance of more than £3k will lead to a net rate of more than 0.65% after accounting for the fee.

Is it protected by the 85,000 savings limit like banks and I take it the 1.25% rate is variable.

Yes it has normal FSCS protection.

It is variable rate.

https://www.getchip.uk/chip-plus1

Forgot to mention there is also a free version of the account which pays 1.25% on balances up to £2k

The version with the fee pays interest on balances up to £10k

4 Likes

I just read about the £10,000. Any advice on where to put savings if a person has more than £10,000. Not into gambling on stock market or banks investing it in different portfolios for eg.

Have you considered Premium bonds or is that too close to gambling for your liking?

Do you need all your savings to be easy access, or just some of it?

1 Like

Premium bonds are totally safe. Remind me again Is it right they don’t pay interest but the more I have the chances I have of winning money? Never won on them in over 46 years but only had £25 worth so hardly a surprise.