Credit card for a pensioner

99blooming9

He goes to the building society puts his mark on and they write him a cheque, he toddles 50 yards to the post office put his mask back on gets in the queue and then he uses the cheque to pay off the credit card balance in full once a month! As I said he won’t believe me that I haven’t set foot in a bank for over 4 years😃

roddydogs

Get a card that offers rewards, M & S for example, not much but better than nothing. Then show him how to set up a dd to pay the balance off in full each month. Don't see what being a pensioner has to do with it!

Shakin_Steve

roddydogs said:

Get a card that offers rewards, M & S for example, not much but better than nothing. Then show him how to set up a dd to pay the balance off in full each month. Don't see what being a pensioner has to do with it!

He'd have to open a bank account first.

jbuchanangb

People do some curious things on principle, which inconvenience them a little, while having no effect on the institution on the receiving end of their action. For example I always pay my TV licence annually by cheque as a token gesture against the fact TV Licensing do not permit me to pay at a Post Office. The principle is that one government body (TV Licensing) should make use of the services of another government body (Post Office) to collect their money.

The 83 year old gentleman in question lives in a place where all banks have closed their branches. So do I, they are all trendy wine bars, or in the case in the last remaining one to close, beauty salons. But for over 40 years I have never lived anywhere near the branch of any bank with whom I have had an account.

If he is successful with his Ocean credit card, and his payment process asking the BS to write a cheque, and then paying the bill at the Post Office, then this should be seen as a temporary arrangement. It is time for a discussion about Lasting Power of Attorney to enable someone he trusts to get a handle on his finances, so as to be in a position to deal with them when this payment process runs into difficulties as it inevitably will.

lisyloo

You might want to start thinking about getting a lasting power of attorney or two (one for finance, one for health and welfare).
I had to do court of protection once a relative lost capacity. It was very arduous, slow and expensive. There are ongoing fees and insurance for COP so I would strongly advice you do LPAs whilst he has capacity to agree.
we also neede strong advocacy to get both parents into decent homes (local authority wanted to split them up after 60 years of marriage to save a few quid). The LPA/COP didn’t come into it on that occasion but if your family isn’t straightforward or United then it would certainly be useful.

roddydogs

Shakin_Steve said:

roddydogs said:

Get a card that offers rewards, M & S for example, not much but better than nothing. Then show him how to set up a dd to pay the balance off in full each month. Don't see what being a pensioner has to do with it!

He'd have to open a bank account first.

How has he got a debit card without having a bank account.

Jami74

99blooming9 said:

He goes to the building society puts his mark on and they write him a cheque, he toddles 50 yards to the post office put his mask back on gets in the queue and then he uses the cheque to pay off the credit card balance in full once a month! 

And what happens if he gets poorly and can't go out for a few days, how will his credit card get paid?  Or if he has a fall and ends up in hospital, he could end up not being able to get to the building society for some time. I understand about the need to be independent and would not want to take that away from anybody. Would he consider a phone bank like First Direct? 

Shakin_Steve

roddydogs said:

Shakin_Steve said:

roddydogs said:

Get a card that offers rewards, M & S for example, not much but better than nothing. Then show him how to set up a dd to pay the balance off in full each month. Don't see what being a pensioner has to do with it!

He'd have to open a bank account first.

How has he got a debit card without having a bank account.

That's a good question 🙄 I read it as he closed both of his bank accounts but, you're right, a debit card is mentioned. 

jbuchanangb

It seems that the gentleman has a prepay card not unlike the one from Visa described here.
Or even one from the Post office would do it, like this. His pension paid into his BS account, he withdraws it in cash, and then goes along to the Post Office where he loads the cash onto the card.

roddydogs

What a faff, surely he can be persuaded otherwise?