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Help choosing a current account

Mrs KTR wants an account of her own that she can use to pay for presents, clothes etc.
At the moment her salary is paid into our joint account & she would like to be able to transfer some money as needed. She doesn't want to have her salary paid into it. So it won't be in continuous use and there won't be a guaranteed amount being paid in each month.
Obviously there should be no charge for using it, and a small overdraft might be useful!
My problem is which account?
Most seem to want you to pay a minimum amount in each month.
Any suggestions?

Comments

  • Halifax Reward would pay her £5 per month just for having it. Needs £750 paid in per month but she could take it out again right away.
    Are you for real? - Glass Half Empty??
    :coffee:
  • Aquamania
    Aquamania Posts: 2,112 Forumite
    ktracer wrote: »
    Mrs KTR wants an account of her own that she can use to pay for presents, clothes etc.
    At the moment her salary is paid into our joint account & she would like to be able to transfer some money as needed. She doesn't want to have her salary paid into it. So it won't be in continuous use and there won't be a guaranteed amount being paid in each month.
    Obviously there should be no charge for using it, and a small overdraft might be useful!
    My problem is which account?
    Most seem to want you to pay a minimum amount in each month.
    Any suggestions?

    If she wants some kind of reward too (e.g. interest) then she will need to pay in a minimum amount per month
    Many accounts, like the Halifax one mentioned above, will also need outgoing direct debits set up.

    You can check the best offers here:
    http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/compare-best-bank-accounts

    But if she doesn't want any of this, just wants it to be free for day to day transactions, then most banks will still offer this.
    Overdraft facilities are also available subject to status
  • grumbler
    grumbler Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 2 December 2014 at 6:07PM
    ktracer wrote: »
    Most seem to want you to pay a minimum amount in each month.
    Untrue. Most require a monthly payment only if you want to get some benefits.
    Any suggestions?
    Originally Posted by Jerome K. Jerome
    I went to my medical man. ...
    ‘Well, what’s the matter with you?’
    I said: ‘I will not take up your time, dear boy, with telling you what is the matter with me. Life is brief, and you might pass away before I had finished. But I will tell you what is not the matter with me. I have not got housemaid’s knee. Why I have not got housemaid’s knee, I cannot tell you; but the fact remains that I have not got it. Everything else, however, I have got.’
    Life is brief...
    Pretty much any bank/BS offers such account.
    Tesco bank is the only one I know that requires £750p.m. to avoid £3 monthly fee.
  • JB9302
    JB9302 Posts: 127 Forumite
    We have joint Flexdirect account where both salaries/pensions are paid into , recently opened a Flex account to run along side so each month she can put what she want in in similar circs to yourself .
    No requirement for any min amounts in each month .
  • YorkshireBoy
    YorkshireBoy Posts: 31,541 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    ktracer wrote: »
    At the moment her salary is paid into our joint account & she would like to be able to transfer some money as needed. She doesn't want to have her salary paid into it.
    If you don't currently enjoy any 'benefits' with the joint account, why don't both of you open sole accounts with a bank that does offer some 'benefits'? Then you each transfer an appropriate amount into the joint account and just use that as a bills account.
    So it won't be in continuous use and there won't be a guaranteed amount being paid in each month.
    Obviously there should be no charge for using it, and a small overdraft might be useful!
    Getting, or at least retaining, an overdraft facility will likely mean the account needs to see regular credits.
    My problem is which account?
    Well that depends on your needs and wants, neither of which you've disclosed fully. Interest, Rewards, insurances, etc, etc?

    However, if you search around on both the main site and the forums you'll find lots of information that will help you decide.

    Then again, you may feel a sole account with your existing joint account provider will meet her needs adequately?
  • colsten
    colsten Posts: 17,597 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Seventh Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    grumbler wrote: »
    Tesco bank is the only one I know that requires £750p.m. to avoid £3 monthly fee.

    It's £5 at Tesco for the monthly fee. Similar with Club Lloyds, different numbers.
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