TV Licence and Council Tax won't let me pick DD date

eschaton

What does it matter what day the direct debit is?

You get paid once a month and pay the bill once a month.

EarthBoy

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

Recipe for disaster!

Much better a week or so later in case there are problems with the BACS system (as has happened in recent times), thereby giving you chance to fund the bills account from your emergency fund account.

When was this recent problem with BACS? In all my 39 years of working I have never had a salary paid late.

YorkshireBoy

EarthBoy wrote: »

When was this recent problem with BACS? In all my 39 years of working I have never had a salary paid late.

When I was typing I had in mind RBSG, but a quick google just now shows an HSBC problem (with business banking customers not able to process DC payments) in August 2015. I thought the RBSG issue was more recent though, and I'm sure it was reported on here?

stclair

Just sent up a standing order and pay it on a date you want.

surreysaver

Are you sure you cannot choose the date of your TV Licence direct debit? You can if you do it online

mwarby

Firsttimer - have you considered having 2 bank accounts ?

account 1 - all your wages, monthly bills,savings go in and out of here. Whats left is paid by standing order in account 2
account 2 - this is where you do day to day spending

with this you know your direct debits are covered and no risk of spending it by accident

phillw

eschaton wrote: »

What does it matter what day the direct debit is?

You get paid once a month and pay the bill once a month.

coop and halifax don't pay interest, they pay for making DD. So there is no point in having any money in there until the day your DD go out.

It's much easier to make sure you don't go overdrawn if you can persuade everyone to take DD on the same day.

I decided to go for the 1st of the month, my utilities can easily change to that. Including Council tax.

Neither my phone or mobile can change the DD date as it's fixed to the contract date, they both give me the option to request a change online but it fails & customer support can't change it either.

Two of my credit cards let me select the 1st, the other two would only let me select the 2nd. One set to the 2nd always takes the payment 5 days later, the other three seem to go out on the same date regardless.

It's better than when they were randomly spread out across the month, I only have to transfer money on a few days now (which is why they limit the number of changes you can make in a year)

It also gave me some extra 0% credit on all my bills, because when you change the date they all seem to extend the current period & never shrink it.

mwarby wrote: »

Firsttimer - have you considered having 2 bank accounts ?

I wouldn't consider 2 bank accounts, I've got 7.

3 contain money and have no DD, 3 contain no money and have enough DD to get perks, 1 that has no money and no DD but has other perks.

Socajam

I fail to see what difference it makes.
Have enough money in the account to cover all your bills, problem solved
Who the hell wants 7 bank accounts.
I have 2: NatWest with all my DD and savings and Nationwide with my other savings

Nick_C

Socajam wrote: »

Who the hell wants 7 bank accounts.
I have 2: NatWest with all my DD and savings and Nationwide with my other savings

I have 8 current accounts.

2 TSB for interest
2 Tesco for interest
Club Lloyd's for interest and free cinema tickets
Santander for DD cashback
Nationwide and First Direct for access to the Regular Savers

All cross funded by STOs.

I pay my Council Tax and TV license by credit card to earn air miles.

Socajam

Nick_C wrote: »

I have 8 current accounts.

2 TSB for interest
2 Tesco for interest
Club Lloyd's for interest and free cinema tickets
Santander for DD cashback
Nationwide and First Direct for access to the Regular Savers

All cross funded by STOs.

I pay my Council Tax and TV license by credit card to earn air miles.

I pay my Council Tax by credit card and receive 6 weeks free interest before I pay the bill.