creative ideas for an elderly relative who "doesn't believe" in direct debits

Hazzanet

LongTermLurker wrote: »

You're not an American, are you? Beverleyhills? Hm, maybe...

I seem to recall that BarclaysManager is the American here

Hazzanet

Referring to the OP: I've sworn by DD's for a long time, and tend to use them as much as possible. That said, I still feel that there is something not quite right about letting another company have carte blanche to take money from your account as and when they like.

The other thing that concerns me is AUDDIS - nowadays there's not even a piece of paper for the bank to check your signature as the instruction is set up electronically - seems a little insecure no?

There are those who will point out the DD guarantee, but at the end of the day DD's aren't much better than handing someone else your debit card and PIN.

LongTermLurker

Hazzanet wrote: »

I seem to recall that BarclaysManager is the American here

Is he? I don't know him that well and haven't been stalking him to find out his origins

Hope you realise my sarcasm was directed at BH, not yourself, as Americans are renouned for a lack of understanding of sarcasm and irony (apologies to any Americans out there who do understand sarcasm and irony )

Hazzanet

LongTermLurker wrote: »

Hope you realise my sarcasm was directed at BH, not yourself, as Americans are renouned for a lack of understanding of sarcasm and irony (apologies to any Americans out there who do understand sarcasm and irony )

Indeed, which is why I thought the irony of BM (I think) being American was noteworthy :rotfl:

Hazzanet

Herewith the proof:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=23554693&highlight=american#post23554693

Extant

Hazzanet wrote: »

I seem to recall that BarclaysManager is the American here

In West Philadelphia born and raised,
On the playground is where I spent most of my days.
- Will [STRIKE]Shakespeare[/STRIKE] Smith

agsnu

Hazzanet wrote: »

There are those who will point out the DD guarantee, but at the end of the day DD's aren't much better than handing someone else your debit card and PIN.

Except that you'd only be able to give your debit card and PIN to a recognised company sponsored by their bank to be a member of the direct debit scheme. I don't really see why that's any different to phoning up and giving them your debit card number and address for them to do a cardholder not present transaction.

It's not like some fly by night can easily set up to accept DDs, fraudulently milk a bunch of accounts, and then take the money and run off to Panama.

before_hollywood

beverleyhills wrote: »

No she is not. She is of a generation when wages were paid in cash.
Banks were for rich people and the middle classes.

Electric and gas was a penny or a shilling in the meter. You were given a cash rebate on the spot when the meter was emptied.

Savings were 2/6d saving stamps often sent with the school children once a week.

If you didn't have the money you couldn't have it or you had it on 'tick'.
Anything bought on 'hire purchase was usually worn out before it was paid for.

A MAN had to guarantee any credit agreement.

With a DD and SO you pledge to give money before your income comes into the bank account, if you are reliant on an income paid at regular intervals. If you overpay companies hang on to the excess, I know it is suppose to work both ways.

For no reason the wonderful system can switch off the dd and the customer doesn't know until the red letters arrive.

These money systems have got many members of the younger generation into financial difficulties.

Please don't be too quick to judge the elderly for their reservations.

banks still are for the rich people
a lot of modern things HAVE to be paid by direct debits if us young folks want them, my mortgage has to be paid by direct debit, water board sent me an up front demand for the coming year for £500, i set up a direct debit because where i am the post office queues are mahoosive. i pay council tax once a month on debit card, comes out same time as the other bills, fine by me. gas and electric is prepaid meters, suits me as the paypoint shop is at the end of the street. bt and my mobile company/isp have to be paid dd, no dd no service. likewise my nhs dentist went private so i have to pay his insurers dd too
i know whats coming out so i leave that much in, move the rest elsewhere and thats mine

olly300

before_hollywood wrote: »

banks still are for the rich people
a lot of modern things HAVE to be paid by direct debits if us young folks want them, my mortgage has to be paid by direct debit

That has to come out by DD true.

before_hollywood wrote: »

water board sent me an up front demand for the coming year for £500 , i set up a direct debit because where i am the post office queues are mahoosive.

That doesn't need to come out by direct debit.

Water companies send a bill demanding full payment and offering a direct debit scheme but you can phone them up and ask for different schemes.

For example I pay my water bill 2 times a year this year paid by cheque sent through the post and through online banking. (Though my water bill is half of yours.) I have had problems with the water company more than once and have had to report them to the regulator so refuse to pay them by direct debit.

before_hollywood wrote: »

i pay council tax once a month on debit card, comes out same time as the other bills, fine by me.

I pay my council tax either through the council's website or through online banking. Means I pay 10 instalments instead of 12 by DD.

before_hollywood wrote: »

gas and electric is prepaid meters, suits me as the paypoint shop is at the end of the street.

I pay my gas and electricity by online banking. I can pay by other methods but choose not to.

before_hollywood wrote: »

bt and my mobile company/isp have to be paid dd, no dd no service.

Not true.

They charge you extra per month if you choose to pay by another method.

I pay my BT bill through online banking. I've had problems with BT so will not pay them by any other means. The extra money is better than trying to sort out the hassle I have.

My mobile and broadband are paid by my business.

before_hollywood wrote: »

likewise my nhs dentist went private so i have to pay his insurers dd too
i know whats coming out so i leave that much in, move the rest elsewhere and thats mine

I've still got an NHS dentist. Like lots of other people I have to travel a few miles to get to them.

before_hollywood

olly300 wrote: »

I pay my BT bill through online banking. I've had problems with BT so will not pay them by any other means. The extra money is better than trying to sort out the hassle I have.

My mobile and broadband are paid by my business.
.

bt i have no idea about and cant work the bill out anyway, i know when i come off this free installation linked contract so i will renegotiate when that ends.

the deal i have for mobile and bb is staff only, so d.d is mandatory its the same for consumers though