To ask if your child has a debit card?

[OriginalGeordie]

DD1 aged 13 has asked us for a debit card as she says that she finds she goes through cash like water and if she had a debit card there would be less of that. I’m inclined to agree with her and think she’s being very sensible. It would also be a little easier as we can just set up a standing order to put her allowance in each month. Just to add that she does have a savings account but would want to keep the two separate.

Just wondering what the general consensus was among those of you who do this already? Any recommendations on accounts? I think we want to set up a junior current account as opposed to a pre-paid card. Thinking of getting a pre-paid card for my 10 yr old though. So AIBU to set this up, if so what are the pitfalls if any.

@OriginalGeordie I bank with Barclays and cards can be frozen or blocked online. I have to agree with others on here and I wouldn't pay for a service that's free and teaches responsibility. All my sons bank (from year 7) with Barclays and the eldest has converted his account to a student account for uni and opened a savings.

I said she feels like it is that way. I think she’ll be fine however I have told her I will confiscate her card if I see otherwise, she knows that that is a condition of having one in the first place. Thanks for all the brilliant advice on this thread. Definitely food for thought.

Mine have Santander123 with contactless debit, but can't go overdrawn. Aged 17, 15 and 12. When they get to 18 they can convert it to a student account.

We had go Henry but it didn’t suit us so both teens gave current accounts (Santander 123) which we’ve found to be excellent. They aren’t allowed to go below a certain balance and so far have been very responsible.

My daughter has a Nationwide card aged 11. I put pocket money in the account by standing order on the first of the month and I said she can spend it on anything she wants. If it's all gone by the 2nd, then she has no money for the rest of the month. She's doing really well at budgeting and it's making her think "do I really really want this?" before she buys things.

There are no charges and I've signed her up for internet banking so she can do it all through an app on her phone. She can freeze the card on there if she loses it.

Will pass on the details to relatives if anyone wants to bank transfer her money for her birthday or Christmas. If she got a part time job when she's a bit older, it could be used to have wages put into too.

My ds has a Santander card. Very easy to set up and I feel it's quite sensible in what he can and can't do

My DC had Santander ones - contactless debit card but not capable of an overdraft. I pay in a direct debit every month and that's that - they have online and mobile apps to check balance. I can too. They hopefully learn to budget as a result as neither have failed to cope with their allowance. They both have linked ISAs ( which have £1k in from when my Ma died but they can't touch till they're 18) and savings accounts if they want them.

Mine got a debit card at last year at 11. We've had the talk about keeping it safe because of contactless payments, but there have been no problems so far.

Both mine had Santander 123 from the age of 11. I gave them both the choice of what they wanted and both used MSE's guide and came up with the same account. When they opened them, you only needed a credit balance to earn 3% interest. Then it went up to £300. I decided to trust them, explained the case and withdrew £300 each from their savings to become their new zero. They have both been brilliant with the accounts.

DD1 is now 19 so converted hers to a student account. DD2 is 17 so still using her debit card and app. I have found Santander to be easy to deal with and when DD1 "lost" her debit card last month (later found under the seat of her car!) they blocked the card overnight as we were pretty sure it would turn up, removing the block within a couple of hours of her calling them back.

DD is 8 and she’s just got a Go Henry for her pocket money . I really like it , she’s becoming more conscious of what money means !

DD1 age 12 has a debit card (Santander). She had a cash card from her 11th birthday and has recently switched to a debit card. She is very sensible and has a separate savings account to her bank account. She found some notes in the street a couple of years ago and took them to the police station. Nobody claimed the money so she was allowed to keep it after a certain time had passed. That went into her savings account!

Mine got a nationwide debit card at 11. I don't feel the need to check her spending - if she had the cash instead I wouldn't be able to keep tabs on that. She likes it as it is contactless which pleases her greatly.

I don’t understand the comments on here about not letting them have a debit card only a cash card that’s not going to stop them buying anything except online

Cash card can't be used in-store either. Can only be used in a cash machine

@dementedpixie I meant that they would withdraw and then spend.

Nationwide Flex One the summer before my 2 started Secondary. Made an appointment for them both then took a back seat while they discussed with Advisor. Both choose Debit Cards - pleased to report they’ve never lost their cards or forgot their PINs (unlike me) - they’re now 16.

DS1 (15) has a GoHenry card. We like it as we can send sarcastic messages to each other when we transfer money.

It also has a good "chores" section, where kids can earn money. I must admit, we haven't used that. 🙄

My 15 year old has a HSBC card. He's had it since he was 13.

I transfer his pocket money to it and he manages it. Apart from one dodgy order from something in China that didn't arrive, he's been ok. Lesson learnt.

Mine both have go Henry. I like it because I get alerts when they spend money of how much and where. Plus I can top up their money in seconds on my phone which has been useful in emergencies.

Actually I don't agree that it's easier to burn through money with card rather than cash. If they've got a bit of cash in their pockets it's so easy to fritter it away on sweets, stationery, bits of tat, loans to their mates (or just lose it!) but they tend to think a bit more about what they're buying if they have to whip a card out.

My DDs (14 and 12) also have the Nationwide FlexOne with a debit card. They can't go overdrawn and it even pays a little bit of interest! You do have the choice of getting the same account with a cash card instead of a debit card (which basically just works for getting cash out of ATMs) but I don't really see any advantage in that.