How to find more Direct Debits for my Santander 123 Account

booklover

Hello everyone.

Well, I set up a Santander 123 on 16th March, but unfortunately I'm having trouble finding 2 DDS which will go out before the 16th April. Very frustrating.

Any ideas where/how, I could service this account with DDs please.

Thanks in advance.:A
Booklover

bsms1147

If it helps, they just need to be set up, they don't need to pay out each month.

booklover

Thanks so much. I thought they had to be active and the money come out each month.

will-he-payitoff

Do you have a mobile phone contract? or pay gas/ electric by DD already, both these would earn you cashback.

enthusiasticsaver

They do not need to be paid out just set up. Mobile phone, sky sub, landline and broadband, council tax, gas and electric and water bills all pay cashback along with a santander mortgage if you have one. Those can all counter the £2 fee then. If you do not pay any of these then a tesco internet savings account will set up a direct debit. Also the direct debit does not need to pay out every month. Our council tax is paid over 10 months but is still active over the 2 months it does not pay out but of course you do not get cashback if it is not paid.

chile_paul

If you're really, really struggling you could set up a Direct Debit to a charity of your choice for a £1 a month (not sure if you can go lower than this). That would at least offset the account charge, plus you end up feeling good about yourself at the same time

ColdIron

If you need a DD in a hurry and have a PayPal account you can use it for one of them

booklover

Thanks so much everyone. :T The Santander advisor told me that the DDS need to be out of my Santander acc by the 16th - date I set up account (in order to avail of first month's interest).

Hmm, so confused right now...
:question: :undecided

LesU

What the advisor meant was that the DD's have to be set up by the 16th i.e. listed on your account.
Not the same as paying a recipient using a DD by the 16th. One of my DD's pays once a year, but it still counts as valid.

G_M

I set up a DD on my Paypal account and draw £1 across to check. That was a year ago. No money has transferred since but the DD is still 'set up' on Santander so qualifies.

eskbanker

G_M wrote: »

I set up a DD on my Paypal account and draw £1 across to check. That was a year ago. No money has transferred since but the DD is still 'set up' on Santander so qualifies.

If the DD was last used a year ago then it'll only qualify for another month so you should make sure you use it again before it lapses, as per the DD dormancy process: http://www.directdebit.co.uk/DirectDebitExplained/FAQs/Pages/InactiveDirectDebits.aspx