Nationwide account, when to apply...?

student100

I have got a job next summer working in France for a British holiday company. I will be paid by BACS in GBP into a British bank account, so I want to open a Nationwide FlexAccount so I can withdraw money whilst I am in France without paying charges. I want to keep my current current account as my main current a/c and just use the Nationwide one when I'm abroad.

Ideally I would also like a Nationwide Credit card to use for spending too (the 1%/0.5% cashback is a bonus). I applied for a Nationwide CC at Easter-time this year but was refused (I think because the idiot guy in the bank who filled in the application didn't enter my student loan and money from my parents as income, so hence my income was too low...).

Anyway I don't really need to apply for the account yet, but I was thinking maybe if I applied for the FlexAccount now then applied for the CC after I'd held the account for a few months maybe I would be more likely to get the CC?
Or if I get the FlexAccount now but don't really use it (i.e. just leave a small balance of say £50 in there) will they be less likely to give me a CC when I apply? Alternatively is it best to apply for the current account and CC at the same time or is that asking for too much at once?

Can anyone suggest the best strategy?

Milarky

Off the top of my head I really don't know. You could therefore ether:

1) Ask Nationwide staff: eg go into a branch, explain the problems you've had before and ask their advice.

2) Decide which is the more valuable of the two products to you - I would say the credit card - and try to get that on a single application first.

student100

I applied for the FlexAccount online today and got the response that they can offer me a debit card and cheque book. (I didn't apply for an overdraft facility, but I'm presuming this is a full Visa Debit card seeing as Nationwide don't seem to mention Visa Electron cards anywhere on their website). No mention of a cheque guarantee card but seeing as I never use cheques in shops that's hardly an issue...

I decided it was best to apply for the current account now so that if I was refused I could apply again in 6 months time (just before I go away) and I will apply for the CC in a few months time maybe.

I think the current account with debit card will be more useful than the CC when I'm abroad because I can withdraw cash completely free of charge and use the card for payments too.