to be fuming with barclays bank?!

[Vulty]

I get paid on a Friday, so I stayed up to pay some bills and order some stuff in for DDs xmas. There was some crackin deals that would have saved me an absolute fortune. My card kept on being declined so of course I went into full blown panic mode, worried about how I was gonna pay for food, electricity and all the rest of it. I stayed up until 2 and gave in. Called in the morning, I had been paid but my card had been blocked? I was told to go to my local branch to get my money out and find out why it had been blocked. So I get down first thing get my money, there is basically no reason as to why it was blocked. I have missed out on so many savings, some of the stuff I had ready to order was less than half the normal price, or is now out of stock. My bills are late. and I have money that gets paid in on a Saturday that I can't get out because my local branch is shut for a fortnight to get done up! On top of all that my rents due in, and I'll have my landlord on my back about it being late. I could cry! I am really upset about the stuff I wanted to get DD as I'm struggling a bit with xmas. Wwyd? Sorry about the rant it was well needed :(

How can you spend pretty much all you have straightaway if you know there are bills to be paid? Putting your bills on direct debit is common sense. If you have a basic bank account they don't pay out money you don't have.
Or if you listed your regular direct debits you could put that money in a separate account.

The hours I've wasted calling Barclays because they've blocked my card AGAIN.

Calling and hoping there won't be a massive wait and then have to hang around waiting for a call back. Then wondering if I will be able to recall the info they need for the next random security question they will ask. I don't have a problem with security questions but one time they kept asking me about my husbands spending! One time I got the call back when I popped out for milk, I wouldn't let him off the phone until I got home and logged into my Internet banking so I could answer.

Last week I took my passport down to the bank and they sorted it quicker than on the phone but I am in walking distance of a large branch.

At the start of the year it was blocked 3 times in a week THREE times!! Finally they told me it's because they hadn't updated my spending history. I did meniton that the only times I had tried to use the card was in the same supermarkets I always use it at.

If I am at a shop that uses one of those dial up card thingies I won't let them try again if the transaction fails due to slowness twice. Too many times the slow system makes Barclays block my card.

Barclays is our joint account and I am with another bank for my personal current account and another for a credit card. I do not have the same problems with either of them, I've never had fraud on the, either. Barclays we have had fraud 4 times.

There won't be no reason for the block; especially if it's a severe enough level that they won't unblock it on the telephone - unless you failed security on the phone? Level one block is account owner to confirm what they were buying; level two is complete security (usually standard security questions plus some recent transactions), level three requires visiting a branch. It's possible the person in the branch wasn't a senior enough level to see the reason for the block but there will be one.

Can you get to another Barclays?

They'll probably offer a goodwill gesture if whatever triggered the block shouldn't have; but they are unlikely to take responsibility for missed purchases before you phoned up; or late bills that are more than a day or so from the blocking, because any branch would deal with this so they'll consider it your delay and not theirs. If there's no other branch within a big area, you may be able to talk them into unblocking on the phone. They won't if you previously failed security to remove the block though.

It does suck. Mine seems to block randomly, I've got to know the fraud team well now!

And it sounds as though you couldn't really afford the stuff you were trying to order even if it was attractively priced.

The Ombudsman is only any use if you can demonstrate an actual financial loss. Otherwise they are useless.

I found this out after spending a few hours writing and discussing a complaint with the Nationwide, which (the Ombudsman admitted) was Nationwides fault and (the Ombudsman admitted) had caused me great inconvenience.

ilovesooty I have already said I pay all my bills first including electricity and food. What is left over we do nice things at the weekend, and although your comment about me being able to afford why I what ordering for Xmas (which by the way is rude and irrelevant) you're right I can't afford it. Who bloody can afford Xmas??

But the thing is that if you do free stuff at the weekend instead of spending all of your money, you could build up a little pot of money for Xmas so that you can buy the bargains when they come up. You will also have an emergency fund if something like this happens again. Its never good to live to your last penny, especially if there is a week until your next payment goes in.

I have heard a lot of bad things about Barclays, I have been with Halifax for years, never had a problem, never had a card blocked etc. so worth looking at a change maybe? Oh and Natwest do the "money due on Monday shows on Saturday" thing too.

I don't think it is irrelevant. You said you don't want direct debits because they might not get paid with insufficient funds.
It indicates that it might have been a good thing ultimately that you were unable to complete purchases you couldn't afford.
Who can afford Christmas? People can afford different levels of expenditure and in some cases that's sadly little or nothing.

Why haven't you got Internet banking?

ilovesooty I assumed the direct debits referred to OP being on benefits which aren't set dates. OP could set up a direct debit for the 30th one month and get paid a sufficient amount on the 29th that month. However, the benefits won't be paid the 29th every month due to them being fortnightly or four weekly.
I could be wrong but that's what I'm assuming.

However, the benefits won't be paid the 29th every month due to them being fortnightly or four weekly.

But lots of working people are in that situation too! DP gets paid every four Fridays, for example, so it's never the same date every month. I get paid every 28 days, again, not the same date every month and sometimes due to Bank Holidays/weekends it's closer to 35 days between paydays.

I don't think it's a reason not to be on Direct Debit, tbh. What happened to budgeting and making sure you kept enough in the bank for bills? Take out cash for food/treats, put x into savings and keep y in the current account for bills.

It sucks being broke. It makes things like this especially hard. Hope it gets sorted soon.

Why haven't you got Internet banking?

How would it have helped the OP ?

OP if you are a SAHM then does that mean you have a partner who can pay the rent and bills?

Not saying that the way you have been treated is ok, but internet banking is a godsend for days like this. You can transfer money directly to someone elses account (like your landlord for examle), from your sofa, without having to go to the branch.

My new card got delivered!

JenLindleyShitMom I have a partner yes, although we don't fully live together as we wouldn't be able to afford it. We are trying to save for a mortgage, he stays 3 days a week and helps out a lot although when I need it. But I am always determined I pay the bills etc because he is saving for a mortgage so we can finally move in properly.

I used to have mobile banking but my phone broke long ago and I just got used to not having it.

It's fine to be independent but this constitutes and emergency situation and I think it would be expected he would help out. It would be a loan after all as you would pay him back once you had access to your accounts.

He has helped :) but he wasn't here on the Friday when I missed out on all the deals that why upset me most as stupid as it sounds as I only have a couple Santa presents in. Ive decided though the amount doesn't matter as shell be happy with whatever and knowing my partner hell spoil her anyway. Thanks to those who were supportive I have not long moved out of my parents house and new to the whole budgeting thing but I'm doing well so far considering.

OP could set up a direct debit for the 30th one month and get paid a sufficient amount on the 29th that month. However, the benefits won't be paid the 29th every month due to them being fortnightly or four weekly.

That's no excuse ... I get my wages paid into my bank every four weeks and still have direct debits set up for my fixed bills - council tax, water, electric, gas, rent, tv licence, credit card, phone/internet and mobile bills that go out on fixed dates every month (most around the 15-20th of the month).

It was a bit fiddly at first but once I worked out how much all my bills cost me per calender month, as soon as I get paid that money goes into a seperate "Bills" account (with a little bit extra just to be on the safe side & to help build up a little extra savings) and I can effectively forget about it until the following month except for the occasional check of my online statement to make sure everything has been paid on time. It also means I know that whatever is left in my account is to cover groceries and socializing for the month, and I just try to roughly budget it out over the four weeks (so if I had £100 left, I'd try to spend only £25 a week and plan some cheap/free social activities rather than meals out every night.)

Hey guys, wee update!

I got a phone call with an apology tonight and £25 in compensation! Didn't think I would get any compensation tbh.

That's great news!! I think you're doing great by the way. Managing money is difficult and you're doing well to pay your bills and not get into debt.