new start-which is the best debit card here?

lee-d

hi,after hopefully getting a new start soon with no bad credit report,i waited 6 years!,
i want to get a debit card,please can you tell me which is the best to get,also its anougther 2 months before i think i might have a clean credit file and it still might not be yet so i would still like a basic account as thats all i need for now,so the more chance i have of getting one the better! as i dont want anything to go on my file thats bad,so please look at these cards and tell me which is better i and easyer to get ,if anyare, thanks

Halifax Easycash & Co-operative Bank Cashminder - Visa Electron

Natwest Step - Solo

Yorkshire Bank & Clydesdale Bank Readycash - Maestro

or any others

ill be going in the morning to one to open it

3Dogs

Hi - my hubbie and I both have NatWest Step accounts but have Visa Debit cards - they switched 'supplier' at the end of last year and dumped the Solo cards, witdrawing them and issuing the Visa debit cards instead. You can use it for everything just like a normal debit card (except it can't be used for Pay-at-the-Pump at garages or for car hire, otherwise just the job. We opened our accounts online and just had to go into the branch to show our ID - simples!!

I'm afraid I can't speak for the other cards you mention

JES_F1

I have a Visa Electron card with my Abbey/Santander account. When I logged into my online banking the day, I was given a message that my Visa Electron will soon be replaced by a Visa Debit card. (It seemed to be a generic message from Santander which implies that they're sending out Santander-branded cards and that I'll be upgraded to a Visa Debit as I currently have an Electron card. Not sure if it also means they're phasing out Electron cards.)

I've not had any problems with the Visa Electron card but it does have a few limitations. For example:

• Some websites don't accept it - I came across one recently but can't remember what it was. (I have a pay-as-you-go Mastercard as an alternative card to use online.)
• You can't use it anywhere that doesn't electronically swipe your card - as it needs to instantly check you have the funds available. (The numbers on the card aren't raised so can't be swiped on any of the handheld machines to be processed later.)
• It's not necessarily widely accepted abroad.
• Some transactions seem to be slower than if I had a Visa Debit - for example, transferring between my own account can take a few days but with a Visa Debit it's instant.

You can't go overdrawn with an Electron card - which is good(!) - but not sure if having one means you can't have an authorised overdraft.

Toe-Jam

Santander now have scrapped the Visa Electron. If you have your visa electron replaced for whatever reason it will be a full auth visa debit that is sent out.

glennc1981

Toe-Jam wrote: »

Santander now have scrapped the Visa Electron. If you have your visa electron replaced for whatever reason it will be a full auth visa debit that is sent out.

Sadly I haven't had that situation repeated. I received a Santander Visa Electron after requesting a replacement due to my magstrip playing up. I'm in the process of transferring to NatWest at the moment.

littlepinky84

3Dogs wrote: »

Hi - my hubbie and I both have NatWest Step accounts but have Visa Debit cards - they switched 'supplier' at the end of last year and dumped the Solo cards, witdrawing them and issuing the Visa debit cards instead. You can use it for everything just like a normal debit card (except it can't be used for Pay-at-the-Pump at garages or for car hire, otherwise just the job. We opened our accounts online and just had to go into the branch to show our ID - simples!!

I'm afraid I can't speak for the other cards you mention

I have the same account and have no probs with it what so ever, and can shop at any online store. Just cant pay at pump for some reason lol. also always had great customer service with natwest.