Credit card for a pensioner

dr_adidas01

roddydogs said:

What a faff, surely he can be persuaded otherwise?

Not necessarily quite a few elderly and not so elderly people can be very stuck in their ways. No matter how much you show them there are better ways of doing things will always insist that there way is the only way. 

99blooming9

Shakin_Steve said:

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. 

He has a debit card because he does have a current account with the NatWest, but no money is paid into it his pensions are paid into the BS he has to top up the current account as if it was a prepay card
i agree it’s silly but he won’t change. Looking at the queue outside the BS every day he’s not the only one. The problem if he was ill and unable to get to the BS or post office isn’t as much as a problem as it might be both myself and my sister both live locally. If he gets the Ocean card we should be ok. As for the rewards option he had built up nearly £1000 in Asda rewards they died when the card was withdrawn so rewards aren’t as tempting to him .

[Deleted User]

99blooming9 said:

Shakin_Steve said:

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. 

He has a debit card because he does have a current account with the NatWest, but no money is paid into it his pensions are paid into the BS he has to top up the current account as if it was a prepay card
i agree it’s silly but he won’t change. Looking at the queue outside the BS every day he’s not the only one. The problem if he was ill and unable to get to the BS or post office isn’t as much as a problem as it might be both myself and my sister both live locally. If he gets the Ocean card we should be ok. As for the rewards option he had built up nearly £1000 in Asda rewards they died when the card was withdrawn so rewards aren’t as tempting to him .

Even with a credit card he still needs to pay it off which means he needs money in whatever account the card is paid from - so if he has problems getting to the post office to do his transfers he'll simply run up loads of interest/charges. His card should be paid from whatever account his pension goes into.

jbuchanangb

It is good that you and your sister live locally. All the more reason to persuade him to complete a Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney appointing you and your sister "jointly and severally" as attorneys, which would mean that you could act individually on his behalf. 

The various banks and building societies will not let you handle your father's affairs unless the LPOA is in place.

An LPOA means that your father (known as the "Donor") can instruct you to perform transactions for him, and also means that in the situation where he loses the capacity to make his own financial decisions, you can take care his affairs.

My late father appointed me and my sister as Attorneys "jointly" which meant that every transaction we performed for him needed to be approved by both of us. That was very cumbersome.

lisyloo

Just as an aside, having an LPA doesn't take away someone's independence.
They can carry on as normal (or in their odd ways) until it's required.
I took out an old style EPA at age 29. They are largely seen as being used for older people but a younger person could (for example) be in a coma.

Totally get the obstinacy in some people. I had to do COP for exactly that reason, so it's not easy to get people to see sense especially around issues of relinquishing control.

phillw

roddydogs said:

What a faff, surely he can be persuaded otherwise?

Unlikely as he appears to get pleasure from it, if he is only inconveniencing himself then there is no harm in it.
If a relative inconveniences you on principal while asking for assistance, then your principal should be to refuse to help until they stop being so awkward.
The issue of financial and health/welfare LPA's are more important to tackle.