Help - any ideas for easy to access, easy to set up bank accounts that I can link to PayPay?

[ohfourfoxache]

I’ve been inspired by the £10 a day threads and have signed up with prolific and qmee. Tried to link it to my Sainsburys saver and apparently I can’t transfer into it from PayPal.

So, any ideas about bank accounts that I can set up quickly, will let me pay in with PayPal and that I can essentially do behind DH’s back? I don’t want him knowing anything about this - I want to boost my savings without him trying to allocate the money to our normal savings accounts, I just want to try to save for little luxuries like new carpets without him just saying a blanket “no”

Any advice would be really appreciated

I bank with Smile and have never experienced any problems with them in the 15 or so years I've been with them. They've recently upped the way they deal with security on login, so it may be a little fiddly to set up but you can instantly find out what is going on with your money, they're available 24/7, you use any cash points to withdraw money and you can link it to paypal.

Is post and things going to be a problem? There are a lot of online banks - Revolut, for example, don't automatically send you a card or any paperwork and link to PayPal, and I've had an account with them for years. Monzo are popular but will write to you.

That said, I'd be hurt if my fiancé opened a secret savings account and I think it'd be quite damaging if I found out, which I don't think would be that difficult (but we tend to be quite open and I'd see the bank on credit files, as we're buying a house right now). If he's financially abusive, that's very different... but it's hard to tell from what you've said whether he is, or whether you've got an agreed savings system.

I know some people will say every woman should have a secret fund, so I suppose it's a matter of opinion, but if it's vital that he doesn't know, be careful about incoming posts/apps with lots of notifications/etc.

He has a habit of thinking “we’ve got £ there, let’s spend it on alcohol”. To the extent that we are MASSIVELY into our overdraft. And by alcohol, he can pack away 7-8 bottles of wine a week.

Anyway, after 20 years and 2 kids I would quite like my own little savings pot so I can start saving for new carpets (ours are trashed) and perhaps little luxuries like getting a double glazing panel for the fan light above the door. I’m not looking for a designer wardrobe or anything, just something that I can put towards benefiting the house. So yes, post etc could potentially scupper my plans!

Is there any way of paying cash/cheques into Revolute/Smile? Apparently some companies send cheques when you answer enough questionnaires

I have a monzo account they didn’t write to me except sent my card. I have only received one letter from them (which was the card) you choose your pin when setting up so doesn’t require additional paperwork to get your pin. Whole process took about 20 minutes and I use it regularly. It is a current account.