Payment card for 13 year old

[BlinkyBlooTheSailor]

What’s good these days as a card for kids to use?

Ideally, contactless, top up-able, not connected to a full bank account and with a sensible app to use for topups and checking spend and balance

Would love your recommendations sensible people of mumsnet

Our DC got actual bank accounts in their name as soon as it was allowed. I think the minimum age is 11 in U.K., so your DC is certainly old enough. They got access to online banking and we did standing order with their pocket money. They also got a regular debit card they can use in shops, atms and online. In U.K. at 16, the parent loses all access to the child’s account and it is 100% in their control.

I quite like getting the notifications.
As for the ‘era of hyper supervision’ well in the past neighbours used to keep an eye out for kids and you didn’t have shops on the internet that sold everything so yes, I like the occasional message.

I have an impulsive 14 year old (ADHD) who will forget to text me or turn on the data that is the only way I can see where his phone is - if I am reassured by saying he's just been in KFC or whatever I'm not going to apologise for that! He gets more freedom not less by me being able to relax. Notifications never show you what is purchased, just the amount and the shop. If something unusual showed up (like a purchase 30 miles away) I'd be able to put a stop on the card as I could tell it was stolen.

@Tailendofsummer what are you going to do in a couple of years when they top out of kids cards and move to a full featured adult bank account?

DS has nationwide accounts - one as a current account for pocket money to go into etc., and he has a contactless card for it. He also has a savings account, so can transfer money from one to the other.

He'd rather eat his own arm than take money out of his savings account. He's saved up £500 over the last few years.

Money that we've saved for him is well away from this - he doesn't have access or know about that.

The app is very good and easy to manage. I don't really understand the point in paying for different types of accounts at that age.

He will be 16 then, the amount of independence they get automatically increases with age - and I will (hopefully) have a couple of years of his sensible behaviour to calm any nerves I have!