MoneySaving Poll: How do you do the majority of your banking?

Former_MSE_Sam_M

Poll started 27 February 2017

How do you do the majority of your banking?

Every week it seems there are stories of banks closing branches across the country. But does this affect you?

We want to know how you do the majority (more than 50%) of your banking. Please choose the option closest to your situation...

Click here to vote in the poll

Did you vote? Are you surprised at the results so far? Have your say below. To see the results from last time, click here.

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Thanks!


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jnm21

Surprised that more, especially in the older brackets, don't use branch - next weeks vote - "If your bank had a branch nearer to your home/work/place of learning would you use branch at least 50% more than you do now?"

ScarletBea

I voted online, but it's only on banks that also have a branch near me - to prove identity and send documents whenever they ask...

Wizard_of_Id

I use my branch, it is local and there is no-where else to get £5 notes.

hunnie

I bank online the most but not exclusively. I also visit a branch at least once a week, often twice.
So the 50% is misleading.
You can't put cash in online, especially coins.
Regards

millyzippycat

Doesn't surprise me that a lot of older folk put online over branches because those voting are a self-selected group of people who read things like MoneySavingExpert online or via email and so by definition are people comfortable with their computer, tablet or smartphone and therefore particularly likely to take advantage of things like online banking.

As an 'older' person myself I'd say that banks have never been very considerate - even long ago - of the comfort and requirements of those visiting branches. Queues, never enough tellers, no concept that some people find it very difficult to stand in line, attempts to give unasked for and often inappropriate advice (my parents fell foul of that when my father paid his small lump sum into his bank on retiring and he didn't know better than to trust the advice of the friendly member of the bank staff who was suddenly very interested in him). If you do other things online why wouldn't you bank online?

Of course what the poll ignores is why people are banking. Up to the middle of last year I still owned and managed a shop. Many customers still pay in cash and people like shopkeepers, small restaurant owners, market traders and so on actually do have to visit a branch, whether they want to or not, to make cash deposits and for them bank closures and Post Office closures (some business accounts accept cash deposits via the PO) is an ever growing problem.

takman

hunnie wrote: »

I bank online the most but not exclusively. I also visit a branch at least once a week, often twice.
So the 50% is misleading.
You can't put cash in online, especially coins.
Regards

There really is no need to pay cash into your bank if you choose not too. I always pay by card unless I have to use cash and any cash I do get in just spend.

They really need to start installing cash machines that also accept paying in money aswell. Then all the bank branches can be closed down!.

jellitot

jnm21 wrote: »

Surprised that more, especially in the older brackets, don't use branch - next weeks vote - "If your bank had a branch nearer to your home/work/place of learning would you use branch at least 50% more than you do now?"

The majority of older people who use bank branches probably don't visit MSE either so therefore didn't vote.

kkgree1

I along with the majority it seems use online banking. However, I regularly use the Post Office to bank cheques or cash (Co-op account) and this is made much easier by having a PO counter at our local Spar so we can bank from 7am - 10pm, 7 days a week.

I see many Village Post offices locally going the same way (PO counters in the local shop instead) and can't see the need for bank branches if this continues.

tessan

I'm not surprised at the high number of older people who use online banking on this poll. It is probably because if they are looking at this site they have internet access. A lot of older people don't and so will not be taking part in the poll.

yorkie22

Some years ago our local bank was closing and we needed to get to a bank in walking distance. We moved to the only other one that was available. Over time it has been a pain when I go in. 1 teller and 6 in the queue the other day. By the time I got to the front there was still 1 teller but 7 in the queue ( 2 had walked out ). Most of the customers were paying in large amounts. It's about time they had 1 desk open just for this so the rest of us can be sorted in a min as I was once served. I don't want internet banking I want the personal touch. If we all did internet banking there would'nt be any banks open at all, so job losses AGAIN.