Barclays - only self service on Saturdays nowadays - fucking annoying!

[AngryHedgehog]

Maybe I'm behind the times but I remember when I used to be able to pop into the bank on Saturday morning.

Lost my wallet today and was assured by Barclays I could withdraw cash in branch with ID or using the app. Thing is, I work Mon-Fri like most people so won't be able to get in tomorrow.

Checked online and 8/10 of my local branches are pop up 'Local' branches which is basically just a room in a library etc which doesn't offer cash services. The only two proper branches (both a fair drive away) only offer self service on a Saturday. I thought "oh well, I'll have to drive half hour into city centre" but that one's the same.

So basically I'm fucked until my new card arrives sometime next week. Got no food in house and had a busy weekend planned.

Maybe people just don't bank instore anymore, hence them removing this option, but it just seems useless for anyone that doesn't work close enough to go to a bank on their lunchbreak.

Is this just Barclays or is this the new standard? I'd probs consider switching after 20 years if it meant I could actually sort stuff like this on a weekend.

@DaisyHaites

I think Barclays might still have PINSentry where you have a little card reader at home that generates a security number for a new PAYE.

Ah I see, I remember those from years ago! DH had one and thought it was fascinating

A quick google to see when they were introduced (2007) shows OP may be able to use 'mobile' pin sentry now - worth a try at least

They only do it via the app now - I used to have a Barclays account

Maybe I'm behind the times but I remember when I used to be able to pop into the bank on Saturday morning.

I can remember when banks didn't open on a Saturday and closed at 3:30 in the week

My DH still uses PINSentry for his Barclays account.
Refuses to use a phone app, but does use online banking via a laptop.

@Carly944 your friends are talking bollocks. Possibly winding you up as you are an easy target.

do some of your own research into it and you will find it’s much more secure than a physical card.

My friends are not talking bollocks.

I work in banking myself.

My friends are my colleagues. I have a lot of friends who work in the fraud department. I have attended a lot of workshops and presentations on how to minimise fraud for our customers.

They have shown me lots of data and case studies of how fraudsters target customers using google/apple pay.

It is a very unsafe system. We try to prevent fraud happening to our customers who use google/apple pay.

It is not a safe system. As I said, if you don't believe me, go and do a quick google yourself.

Could you be any more condescending and rude.

"Do your own research".

Eh I work in banking and I have attended multiple fraud presentations.

I think I know.

Google and apple pay are hugely unsafe , and cause a huge amount of fraud problems

That's a great idea tbf. Just transfer to another bank and withdraw using that card.

Always have more than one account and I keep at least one of the physical cards at home.

I only use my phone to pay for things. The nearest bank to me is a 40 min car journey. So in reality I never go in a branch. I haven’t been in a bank since my daughter was born and she’s almost 5.

I've found Barclays a nightmare to be honest - if they didn't have a bank account that was good for avios points I wouldn't be using them.

Second the idea to have a few different accounts. A Revolut or Monzo would be good, I transfer some "pocket money" to my Monzo account every month and have my Barclays account as a back up and for bills etc.

Yeah I have three accounts with different banks. And i have three bank cards.
it's important to do that I think.

If you only have one bank account, and one card. If you lose the card, it makes everything very difficult.

Now if I lose one card, I have two others as back ups.

There is a Lloyds branch in my city, which is a blessing for ‘large’ transactions that their fraud department find triggering when done online.
Not sure about Barclays, they seem to attract anti-Zionist protests on Saturdays at the moment so I steer clear.

Interesting what is being said about Google Pay. I have Apple Pay on an iPhone and yes my walled is automatically opened when I stand near some ticket machines but I have my card set up so I have to double click to authorise a transaction. I use Face ID to unlock my phone and then I’d say that Face ID is triggered only 50% of the time to allow me to use the double click to authorise payment via my wallet.

I was against contactless for a long time but now I’m all in. On holiday having to carry cash was very annoying.

For emergencies I have 50 euros in a jar at home.

Slightly off topic, has anyone been able to use Apple Pay with a phone that has run out of juice, according to the internet It can be done.

Monzo or Starling are good to have, they make it super easy.
I wouldn’t use Revolut-they don’t have a UK banking license (they have Lithuanian) and you don’t have the same protection as with a UK licensed bank. They aren’t “dodgy” but it’s important to know that they aren’t actually a bank in the UK.

Barclays has systematically closed it's branches across local areas here so that it's become less and useful to have an account with them. I still have a back up one with them but Metro are doing good service, good hours and (sadly not as good as they used to be) and immediate replacement of lost damaged cards, so they can have use of my money.

I have to take a days leave to go to the bank.... And I bank with a big brand that isn't Barclay's.

For those saying switch to metro Bank - apparently my closest is 2hours drive away...

Metro Bank is open 7 days a week.

My local Barclays Bank is cashless!

Not any more it isn’t- it announced in March it was stopping that as they are losing so much money.

Our nearest bank (of any branch) is a forty minute drive away!

Luckily we can use the Post Office if needed but I have to be honest, I haven't needed to go to an actual bank in almost a decade.

Keep some cash safely at home for emergencies ?

OP You're lucky to have a bank that is open at all let alone a counter service on a Saturday!

I live in London and there is no branch of Barclays open anywhere near me at all. I have their debit card and other banks credit cards to use (although they are not all in use and are kept at home). I do all my banking online. Luckily I have a Post Office locally where I can get cash if I need it.

I learnt this the hard way.

You can't just have one bank account and one bank card.

It leaves you at the complete mercy of that one bank card. It's so easy to lose a bank card and it takes a week to get a new one.

I always carry three different bank cards now. And I carry them in different places. I have two in my bag and one in my card holder in my trouser pocket. So if I lose one, I'll have the other one

I've had an unexpected happy ending!

Had a call from a client to say they've got my wallet. Seems I dropped it outside the shop on way to site and the homeless chap who's always outside found it - I sometimes give him a few of the little bottles of water I always have in the van.

Seems he recognised me from my work ID and walked about half a mile to site to give it to the gate man! Restores your faith in humanity that sort of thing. Will have to give the guy a hearty thanks and whatever he wants to eat every time I see him going forward. ❤️

Ah that's really lovely.

How amazing.

That homeless man wouldn't have knkwn who you were if you hasn't helped him in the past.

So you being kind, helped you to get your wallet back.

Also that homeless man is just also a lovely man himself, is he could have just thrown it away if he felt like it.

It's lovely all round