leedsbiker's reviews - Smart Money People

Easy to monitor online

4

I don't have much use for servicing the pension as I just leave it to do its thing. The online service is useful to track progress and customer service is friendly and efficient. Reviewed on: 4th July 2017

Good credit card if you shop at Sainsbury's

4

The nectar credit card allows you to collect points as you spend. I use it for shopping at Sainsbury's and large purchases, this allows me to collect points and paying off the credit card regularly keeps the interest charges down. Nectar points are good for spending on goods I store or services and offers which are available to view online. The website provides an easy way to keep an eye on your spending and making payments, a direct debit is a good idea but being able to pay more online is handy. Interest rates aren't the best but not horrendous and if paying off in full every month points can be earned with little outlay. Reviewed on: 4th July 2017

Easy saving and potentially great returns

5

The process of saving with NS&I is very easy, it can all be done online once registered. It is easy to check balances and see if there have been any winnings. Loading and withdrawal is easily completed using the online service but if help is required the customer service on the phone is friendly and efficient. No interest but the possibility of big winnings is a good draw. Reviewed on: 4th July 2017

Decent account with a nice little bonus every month for no effort

5

My housemate and I use this as a joint account to deal with the household bills. We each pay in a certain amount each month which easily covers the required £750 credit required as one of the qualifying criteria. Paying all our bills from it via various direct debits means we have the second criteria. We pay enough in to cover the bills and then some so the account is always in credit, this means through just running the account we earn £5 per month for nothing - great! We upgraded to the account from what Halifax's kiddycard account (Easycash) so I can't comment on the application process and we didn't get the £100 bonus for switching but the upgrade was smooth and carried out quickly. We have had no problems running the account, we don't have an overdraft so I can't comment on that. Halifax Online is easy to use although their app could be improved, it's a bit dated and the functionality isn't as good as other banks' apps I've used. This means I usually use the website for online banking which is fine. We haven't had to contact Halifax about the account since having it so no comment on the customer service but all round this is a good account which fits certain circumstances. For us it means £60 per year we wouldn't otherwise have had so can'tbe too bad! Reviewed on: 25th August 2015

Good product with decent ancilliaries for an ok price.

4

Having been with an 'ethical' bank for a while who turned out to be anything but when it came to hiding thing from customers I decided it was time to switch. I wanted to bundle in certain annual policies so they were all in one place and provided the cover I needed. Nationwide's Flex Plus account costs me £120 per year in subscription fees which after replacing 2 x breakdown policies and my annual holiday insurance has worked out slightly cheaper all in. The account is easy to run with online banking and the Nationwide app, I've never needed to speak to their call centres and have only been into branch when I needed to pay coins over the counter. I have had no real reason to complain since opening the account (13 months ago) although there are some things I wanted (or still want) to improve. Details of these are below: - Branches will only take 5 x coin bags per account by day. Bit of a drag the first time I made the trip into town to pay in loads of coins I'd saved only to have to go back again. - No cover for motorcycles on the breakdown cover (this was actually changed after I'd been with them about six months so no longer an issue - very pleased) - Debit cards not contactless (Nationwide now support ApplePay however so I'm sorted now as I use an iPhone, it would still be an inconvenience if I didn't). All in all the account fulfils my needs with the extra bonus of identity theft protection and extended warranty (neither of which I'm particularly fussed for but will probably come in handy should I ever need them). In the limited contact I've had with Nationwide staff they've been friendly and professional although have the same annoying habit of trying to sell you something whenever you speak to them, I'm happy enough to say no though so not too much of an issue. Reviewed on: 25th August 2015