UK Solo card not compatible when buying from various websites- Suggestions?

Tranced_2

Hello,

I have a bank account with HSBC and as such have a solo card. I registered for this account through my school when I was about 11 and have had it ever since. It has a massive bonus in that I can simply NOT go overdrawn. I do not like spending money that I do not own due to the huge amount of people I know in debt (hence also not wanting to own a credit card).

However, this has a draw back. Various UK (and especially overseas) websites do not recognise a solo card and I make quite a lot of online purchases. It's not usually a problem, but I can think of at least two websites that I need to use regularly which will limit me to using either a visa or a mastercard (leading me to quite often using my parents which won't be possible soon).

Is there anyway to get some sort of second bank account that will provide a visa/mastercard compatible card so that I can put the money into the account then use it when I need to? Or would it have to be a credit card?

Can anybody please help me with the possible/best options available here? I'm unsure about this sort of thing and any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

poppy_f1

what abuot getting a prepaid credit card - you can load it with what you need when you need it

marksandsparksgal

It obviously depends how old you are, but you could ask HSBC to upgrade your card to a normal maestro so that's UK sites sorted.

As for foreign, why not open a Nationwide account and get their visa debit card, or even their credit card (with a direct debit so you never forget to pay the full amount), and then your card wil be accepted, and the bonus with NW is that they don't charged fees when you purchse in other currencies.

As for prepaid credit cards, they're good in the way that you know how exactly how much is left, but I personally think they're a rip off with fees.

Psycho_mantra

marksandsparksgal wrote: »

It obviously depends how old you are, but you could ask HSBC to upgrade your card to a normal maestro so that's UK sites sorted.

As for foreign, why not open a Nationwide account and get their visa debit card, or even their credit card (with a direct debit so you never forget to pay the full amount), and then your card wil be accepted, and the bonus with NW is that they don't charged fees when you purchse in other currencies.

As for prepaid credit cards, they're good in the way that you know how exactly how much is left, but I personally think they're a rip off with fees.

I disagree completely. It seems all i ever do on this forum is defend prepaid cards but they are not a rip off!!

They work for some people - those who dont have the option of credit or debit like the rest of the population. There's approx. 2 million of those who cannot get a bank account and hence, no credit or debit card - i am more than happy to pay 2.5% as a transaction fee to get a discount like £75 from esure , etc as oppossed to getting a card with a 30% APR.

I just find it funny that someone slags off these cards without using them. I now have credit and debit cards but when i travel i still use my prepaid card! Furthermore, my prepaid card company has just introduced additional cards - so i have got one for my mum and my dad! I top up £300 onto my card and my mum can access that money using her card in Australia - so instant money transfer and half the price of Western Union!!!!

So dont knock prepaid cards if you dont use them or dont know how to use them. Long live Splash Plastic! Long live prepaid!!!

HannaB

You could do what the in-laws tend to do with me. Whenever they want something online, they give me the cash and I buy it online with my maestro card (if I have space).

Do you have a friend/parent/partner that is willing to buy it on their card and you reimburse them?

Just an idea.

marksandsparksgal

Psycho_mantra wrote: »

I disagree completely. It seems all i ever do on this forum is defend prepaid cards but they are not a rip off!!

They work for some people - those who dont have the option of credit or debit like the rest of the population. There's approx. 2 million of those who cannot get a bank account and hence, no credit or debit card - i am more than happy to pay 2.5% as a transaction fee to get a discount like £75 from esure , etc as oppossed to getting a card with a 30% APR.

I just find it funny that someone slags off these cards without using them. I now have credit and debit cards but when i travel i still use my prepaid card! Furthermore, my prepaid card company has just introduced additional cards - so i have got one for my mum and my dad! I top up £300 onto my card and my mum can access that money using her card in Australia - so instant money transfer and half the price of Western Union!!!!

So dont knock prepaid cards if you dont use them or dont know how to use them. Long live Splash Plastic! Long live prepaid!!!

Hi Psycho, sorry if you took my post the wrong way! The MSE side of me just disagrees with the thought of paying a fee for something that I can get for free (aka a debit/credit card, and in the case of the latter, something which will give me cash back or a better rate when doing foreign transactions, e.g. Nationwide).

I am not disputing their worth for some people, i.e. those who don't fit into the norm, or cannot get credit for whatever reason, but for the majority I still stand by my opinion that they're best avoided if you can get alternatives, trust yourself enough to use them responsibly, and are in the position to pay them off every month (which judging by the OPs tone seems like he/she would).

And I travel too, have you thought of Nationwide for foreign transactions if you're in the position to deal with them? Of course I'm not disputing the fact that you state pre-pay cards are brill for transferring money to relatives abroad. Like I said, it's just my opinion, and I'm sure the OP can make his/her own decison by the ideas given.

gt94sss2

Psycho_mantra wrote: »

There's approx. 2 million of those who cannot get a bank account and hence, no credit or debit card

Actually, virtually everyone can get a free basic bank account which include a cash or debit card (depending on the bank)

I'm not saying that pre-pay cards are unsuitable for everyone.. i.e. if you are travelling abroad and a debit card isn't sufficient if hiring cars etc and you can't get a 'normal credit card (even from the likes of Capital One or Vantis)

However, they are usually a poor alternative to normal credit cards - if only as they don't show on your credit record, unlike normal cards and thus enable you to get better deals in future..

Regards
Sunil

Tranced_2

marksandsparksgal wrote: »

It obviously depends how old you are, but you could ask HSBC to upgrade your card to a normal maestro so that's UK sites sorted.

As for foreign, why not open a Nationwide account and get their visa debit card, or even their credit card (with a direct debit so you never forget to pay the full amount), and then your card wil be accepted, and the bonus with NW is that they don't charged fees when you purchse in other currencies.

As for prepaid credit cards, they're good in the way that you know how exactly how much is left, but I personally think they're a rip off with fees.

There is a new Maestro protection scheme for HSBC Solo Cards for online buying, I've signed upto that but if you try to use it as a Maestro on websites that do not except solo, it still says "solo cards are not accepted". Plus as you acknowledge, it would not help with foreign purchases.

I can't get a parent to make the purchases due to living arrangements, it will be much easier in future if I have my own card.

Do these pre-paid cards actually charge you for using them then? Where do the fees come from? It looks like I'll have to settle with a credit card and direct debit if that's my only option, although I really don't want a charge at the end of the month! Is there deffinitely no other way around this?

Thanks for the replies.

marksandsparksgal

Hiya,

The protection scheme I *think* you're referring to is just an extra layer of security, does it involve typing the last 3 digits on the back of the signature strip / date of birth etc? If so then this is just an online shopping security service, and has nothing to do with whether your card is maestro / solo / visa / whatever.

Regarding fees for pre-paid cards, one of the more popular, Splash Plastic charges the following :

Card Fee £5.00 Annual Account Maintenance Fee £4.95 (Payable at first top up) Monthly Management Fee FREE Phone / Internet Balance Enquiry FREE Transaction Fee 2.5% ATM Withdrawal Fee £1.50 (+ 2% for withdrawals over £50 Wage transfer to card FREE Bank account transfer to card FREE Top Up Fee (Post Office® or PayPoint) 30p per £10.00 Top Up Fee (Credit/Debit cards) 2.5% (Min £1.50 fee)
(Taken from : http://www.splashplastic.com/help03.html)

There are other accountd available, but this gives you a rough idea, which is why if you have another alternative (as I mentioned, there are cards that will pay you to use them / give better foreign exchange rates), I would look at those and only use a pre-paid as a last resort.

*edit* Apologies for the awful formatting, I can't change how it's been laid out in this post. For a clearer view, please cllick the link!

Psycho_mantra

marksandsparksgal wrote: »

Hiya,

The protection scheme I *think* you're referring to is just an extra layer of security, does it involve typing the last 3 digits on the back of the signature strip / date of birth etc? If so then this is just an online shopping security service, and has nothing to do with whether your card is maestro / solo / visa / whatever.

Regarding fees for pre-paid cards, one of the more popular, Splash Plastic charges the following :

Card Fee £5.00 Annual Account Maintenance Fee £4.95 (Payable at first top up) Monthly Management Fee FREE Phone / Internet Balance Enquiry FREE Transaction Fee 2.5% ATM Withdrawal Fee £1.50 (+ 2% for withdrawals over £50 Wage transfer to card FREE Bank account transfer to card FREE Top Up Fee (Post Office® or PayPoint) 30p per £10.00 Top Up Fee (Credit/Debit cards) 2.5% (Min £1.50 fee)
(Taken from : http://www.splashplastic.com/help03.html)

There are other accountd available, but this gives you a rough idea, which is why if you have another alternative (as I mentioned, there are cards that will pay you to use them / give better foreign exchange rates), I would look at those and only use a pre-paid as a last resort.

*edit* Apologies for the awful formatting, I can't change how it's been laid out in this post. For a clearer view, please cllick the link!

I agree with you as you just made the point that i have been making for ages - prepaid cards are not for everyone. If you don not have access to other plastic, you should get a prepaid card.

I think we are all used to the idea of free banking that we assume that it is available to all. Read the reviews on free basic bank accounts. They aint free! At the end of the day, if you do not have access to other forms of plastic, but want an online only deal which is say £100 quid less and it costs you £7 quid more to get it - would you use a prepaid card?? I think so!

I am not saying - get a prepaid card and all your troubles are over - what I am saying is be smart with your money - prepaid cards can be used to your advantage in certain situations and you should - its not different from saying i use one type of credit card for fuel purchases and another type of credit card for shopping.

Just choose the smarter option when it gives you better value!

nomoneytoday

LTSB current account Debit cards have the VISA symbol, and are accepted almost everywhere that takes plastic

Prepay cards are a last resort and far too expensive for anyone with an alternative method of payment..