Santander 'upgrading' me from electron to visa debit card

Luvly.cuppa.T

Hi all,

Didn't know if this was happening to others, but this morning I received a new visa debit card from Santander, who I have been with for years (as Abbey).

Anyways, this was the first I knew of the card, and the only info I have is that they are delighted to upgrade my electron visa card to a Visa debit card. Yeah right.

I'm currently trying to get through to Santander as I type, but my feeling on this is that I don't want the upgrade, as not only do I have another account with the same card (Barclays), I like the perks of the electron, in that one can't get overdrawn, and there aren't any additional charges with certain bookings.

Okay just off the phone. Santander are "upgrading" all who have electrons as this contract (with whomever owns electron I suppose, or an old Abbey contract?) is now expired. So everyone gets the Visa Debit card. I have also been told that it works just like the electron in that if you try to purchase something and don't have sufficient funds in your account, then it won't go through. In effect the card, I was told, just has a different name.

So that puts me at ease, but I would be grateful if anyone knows of any other differences that I should be aware of with this new card? Any hidden unwanted extras perhaps?
I know I have one with Barclays, but I watch that account more thoroughly and rarely use the card (moreso direct debits for bills etc). In essence I got comfortable with my electron and feel out of my comfort zone now!!

zppp

Luvly.cuppa.T wrote: »

Hi all,

Didn't know if this was happening to others, but this morning I received a new visa debit card from Santander, who I have been with for years (as Abbey).

Anyways, this was the first I knew of the card, and the only info I have is that they are delighted to upgrade my electron visa card to a Visa debit card. Yeah right.

I'm currently trying to get through to Santander as I type, but my feeling on this is that I don't want the upgrade, as not only do I have another account with the same card (Barclays), I like the perks of the electron, in that one can't get overdrawn, and there aren't any additional charges with certain bookings.

Okay just off the phone. Santander are "upgrading" all who have electrons as this contract (with whomever owns electron I suppose, or an old Abbey contract?) is now expired. So everyone gets the Visa Debit card. I have also been told that it works just like the electron in that if you try to purchase something and don't have sufficient funds in your account, then it won't go through. In effect the card, I was told, just has a different name.

So that puts me at ease, but I would be grateful if anyone knows of any other differences that I should be aware of with this new card? Any hidden unwanted extras perhaps?
I know I have one with Barclays, but I watch that account more thoroughly and rarely use the card (moreso direct debits for bills etc). In essence I got comfortable with my electron and feel out of my comfort zone now!!

If the card is not a Cheque Guarantee Card (no hologram) it is called an online card'. As they have told you, it will check almost all of the transactions on your account. With any card though, there is a danger that whether it is Electron or full Visa Debit, if a transaction is very small and falls under the floor limit, it may not be checked by the retailer. So the only thing with that is just keep regular tabs on your account.

Re the downsides, some Visa debit cards will charge you for getting out foreign currency at places like the Post Office etc and the fees depend on the bank and whether these charges are absorbed by them or passed onto the cusotmer to bear.

Some companies such as Ryanair, used to charge no booking fee on electron, whereas they do on Visa Debit. So it is very much the same apart from the travel bits really. And it is not just Abbey doing it, almost all of the banks have followed suit, namely NatWest and RBS.

Luvly.cuppa.T

Thanks Zppp, I guess it's move with the times eh? But good to hear that it's pretty much the same as electron. Shame is though with holiday stuff/tickets to shows, they charge an extra 2.5% when buying with debit or credit cards and electron and solo (I think the latter?) don't occur that charge.

Not that I get to buy these things that much, but when I do it's nice to be able to save that 2.5%. Ho hum. Ce la vie eh?

zppp

Luvly.cuppa.T wrote: »

Thanks Zppp, I guess it's move with the times eh? But good to hear that it's pretty much the same as electron. Shame is though with holiday stuff/tickets to shows, they charge an extra 2.5% when buying with debit or credit cards and electron and solo (I think the latter?) don't occur that charge.

Not that I get to buy these things that much, but when I do it's nice to be able to save that 2.5%. Ho hum. Ce la vie eh?

The trick is to take cash out for your foreign currency, then you won't get the Visa charge. (Acording to a BBC programme (can't remember the name now) where I did see Martin Lewis, he stated it was best to do this)

dvnly

zppp wrote: »

If the card is not a Cheque Guarantee Card (no hologram) it is called an online card'.

Santander no longer issue Cheque guarantee cards, instead it's just a standard 'offline' card with Visa hologram.

glennc1981

This "upgrade" seems like mutton dressing up like lamb. I got a new Santander Visa Electron Debit card today. Not that I'll use it much if at all.

brewerdave

zppp wrote: »

The trick is to take cash out for your foreign currency, then you won't get the Visa charge. (Acording to a BBC programme (can't remember the name now) where I did see Martin Lewis, he stated it was best to do this)

And isn't this an awful throwback to a bygone age??? Stood in a queue yesterday at a FX desk whilst the assistant and customer counted out a huge pile of £10s and £20s which were being exchanged for euros. He was there for at least 10 minutes; when he became aware of the general dissatisfaction from the queue he explained that he was exchanging money for a group and had collected the cash to save transaction fees for them all! I'm amazed that he wasn't mugged on the way out as he must have had several thousand euros in an envelope!:eek: