Monese

If, like me, you have managed to screw your finances so dramatically that nobody wants to give you even the simplest of "proper" bank accounts, this is very likely the most useful app you will ever find for your smartphone.

I've tried several other "challenger" banking apps as I have discovered they are known, but Monese has been by far the best so far.

Opening an account is a little intense to be frank, and, in the UK at least, you DO require photo ID and proof of address despite the claims made in the Monese promotional material. Once you get set up however, it really couldn't be any simpler.

An important detail for me is the speed at which payments arrive, and Monese updates twice an hour at 05 and 35. In my experience you can expect to see your funds on the second update after they were sent.

Another key detail, most of these banks charge for cash machine withdrawals. Monese gives you five such transactions free of charge each month before adding a 50p fee for any subsequent withdrawals. A nice touch though, if you don't have enough money to cover the fee you will still be given the cash without charge - this might be a bug however it's been really useful for me up to now.

The card does claim to allow cash back however in my experience this is not the case and only smaller stores who know me personally will allow me this facility.

Finally, an excellent referral scheme gives you the chance to earn a decent bonus if your friends sign up to monese as well. If you could help both yourself and me by using my code [Removed] you will be gifted £5 completely free when you finish setting up your new account. I hope I have been helpful!