My battle with budgeting - a thread to keep me motivated

Lightattheend

You can also start up a Saver account if you use on-line banking - still get a card for it but the card can only be used at cash tills as it has no chip embedded in it. I got one of those as well - I love the Co-op, just wish their electronic records were more up to date!

dreamcatcher73

Hmm, maybe it does. I suppose I could give them a ring next week and see what they say

My youngest has an account with the Abbey which isn't used, so I could put surplus in there but it's a pain to get to and I can see me not bothering.

Co-op would be ideal as I can pay in the money at the post office. I suppose I could open an account for my daughter with the co-op and just use that?

shadowdragon

Holes_in_my_pocket wrote: »

with Gas why not get a payment card and pay at Post office so not tempted to dip into it no sure if BT still do one

Pesonaly i use 2 accounts 1 for bills 1 for spending and a excell spread sheet to mange money works good for me

BT still do a budgeting payment card, its what we use, and just put a set amount on it each month, then it shows as credits on your bill. Lot easier than getting a big bill and having to find the money for it. Same goes for gas and electric have the key/card meters. Wouldnt be without them now. no nasty suprises from the utility companies.

dreamcatcher73

Lightattheend wrote: »

You can also start up a Saver account if you use on-line banking - still get a card for it but the card can only be used at cash tills as it has no chip embedded in it. I got one of those as well - I love the Co-op, just wish their electronic records were more up to date!

I think when you are BR this doesn't apply..

Impossible to get a savings account as a BR

gettingbetter

hi

i have 2 co-op accs :j
one for bills and one for me
so it is possible

kas xx

dreamcatcher73

shadowdragon wrote: »

BT still do a budgeting payment card, its what we use, and just put a set amount on it each month, then it shows as credits on your bill. Lot easier than getting a big bill and having to find the money for it. Same goes for gas and electric have the key/card meters. Wouldnt be without them now. no nasty suprises from the utility companies.

So, with the BT card how do you put money on it? and can you do it as and when you have a few spare quid?

I have a prepay electric meter, was trying to avoid the gas one as well as I didn't think my gas bill would be that high! I guess this is the back lash from the winter months though..

gettingbetter

dream

go to NS&I
they will give you a saving acc
you do get identity check
but no credit check
you do need a valid bank acc

kas xx

shadowdragon

dreamcatcher73 wrote: »

So, with the BT card how do you put money on it? and can you do it as and when you have a few spare quid?

I have a prepay electric meter, was trying to avoid the gas one as well as I didn't think my gas bill would be that high! I guess this is the back lash from the winter months though..

Yes you just pay whatever you want whenever you want. We pay at the post office. When your bill comes it appears as a credit on the account and obviously its minused from the bill. Sometimes we have to pay something, but nothing like a whole 3 month bill all at once. Depends how much we use the phone.

Yeah it does hurt, but we also put more on the elect and gas than we need, we actualy put credit on yesterday and we are over £100 in credit on elec and gas, so if something crops up unexpected we can miss putting credit on. although I have a mate across the road on prepay meters and he is down to £2 emergency 2 days before he gets his Job Seekers, i personally couldnt cope with that i would be worrying about it running out!!!

It also helps that we didnt have any arrears when we moved into the property (the meters were already installed, and decided to keep them in and see how they worked out). As that can eat into the credit you put on them.

dreamcatcher73

Bah! Just typed a reply and lost my internet connection!

I have worked out I can pay the gas and BT bills by the end of this month, after that I shall start paying onto a BT card and look into something for the gas..

I am like your neighbour when it comes to my electric meter, usually down to my last £2 before I can top it up. Something to work on in the future...

Shall check out getting another account with someone, top of my to do list!

philnicandamy

Good luck with everything DC if you need a bum kicking you know where I am...:D:p