Is more than one bank account better?

d123

Halifax Bank

gettinnerdy wrote: »

In a recent forum poll, a staggering 80% voted that Lloyds is better than barclays.

14 votes? Staggering?

Do you write political speeches as a job?

Wellard_Mann

I think that Barclays is no worse than most other banks; all have their pros and cons. I’ve had an account with them since the 1970s – opened when I was a student and with Barclays because they just happened to have a branch over the road from where I was studying. Maybe there’s a bit of misplaced loyalty or perhaps just nostalgia in my keeping the account with them. I have three other current accounts and Barclays isn’t my main one now though I still run a few small transactions through it every month and pay my Barclaycard by direct debit from this account.

Pros:
Good online banking and phone app product;
Free Kaspersky antivirus for PC and phone;
I can do just about everything I want to do online but personal bankers in branch have always been able to resolve any (very occasional) issues.

Cons:
Low interest rates on savings accounts;
Call centre (though I’ve found their secure message response to be good on the odd occasion I’ve used it).

PeacefulWaters

gettinnerdy wrote: »

Barclays could probably buy out Lloyds then close them down

Even though Lloyds Banking Group has a market capitalisation a third bigger than Barclays?

Big claim!

enthusiasticsaver

I don't think Barclays is any better or worse than other large banks. As someone rightly pointed out the poll attracted very few votes either way.

badger09

d123 wrote: »

14 votes? Staggering?

Do you write political speeches as a job?

Not exactly. He/she specialises in fiction or should I say fantasy:cool:

Shakin_Steve

Wellard_Mann wrote: »

I think that Barclays is no worse than most other banks; all have their pros and cons. I’ve had an account with them since the 1970s – opened when I was a student and with Barclays because they just happened to have a branch over the road from where I was studying. Maybe there’s a bit of misplaced loyalty or perhaps just nostalgia in my keeping the account with them. I have three other current accounts and Barclays isn’t my main one now though I still run a few small transactions through it every month and pay my Barclaycard by direct debit from this account.

Pros:
Good online banking and phone app product;
Free Kaspersky antivirus for PC and phone;
I can do just about everything I want to do online but personal bankers in branch have always been able to resolve any (very occasional) issues.

Cons:
Low interest rates on savings accounts;
Call centre (though I’ve found their secure message response to be good on the odd occasion I’ve used it).

We’ve banked with Barclays for over 30 years and, all in all, they’ve been good. As for kaperski, well, the good old US of A have just banned all government departments from using it because they fear links with the Russian government. I certainly wouldn’t use it.

bigadaj

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

Even though Lloyds Banking Group has a market capitalisation a third bigger than Barclays?

Big claim!

Didn't stop Fred Goodwin.

PeacefulWaters

bigadaj wrote: »

Didn't stop Fred Goodwin.

Quite. Unlikely to be repeated.

System

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

Quite. Unlikely to be repeated.

He didn't do it alone - Santander and Fortis partook..!

Ironically, if they hadn't then Barclays would have probably been in RBS' place now.

agrinnall

Heng_Leng wrote: »

He didn't do it alone - Santander and Fortis partook..!

Ironically, if they hadn't then Barclays would have probably been in RBS' place now.

The real equivalent of Barclays taking over Lloyds would be RBS' take over of Nat West, which if Fred had stopped there probably would have left them in a pretty good position, it was only when he decided to push the boat out with ABN-AMRO that things went too far.