First time for nearly 20 years having my own bank account. Help please

[Invasionofthegutsnatchers]

Firstly I'm an intelligent woman with postgrad qualifications and a successful career, I'm just very inexperienced with financial stuff.

I'm separating from my husband who has always managed the money. Im not denying this was a bad decision on my part. We have a joint account. First step is obviously to get my own current account.

My monthly pay is just over 1k. Can I pick any bank to go with? Is it best to take documents eg payslips, passport, driving licence into a branch? Or do it online. Please talk me through what to do. Thanks

@dmask before we got married we had separate accounts, he still dealt with all the outgoings and charged me a sort of monthly bill to pay him from my account.

I was a reckless spender as a student
He's an accountant. It sounds extreme that I've never been in charge of my money but I want to change that now and I need to anyway.

Don’t go with Monzo. Have a search of the horror stories online.

Go with a standard high street bank like Halifax etc - the one with a branch nearest to you just so if you do ever need to physically go into a branch it’s easier.

If you’re worried I would take your passport and proof of address and just go into a branch near you. They’ll help you set it up and get you onto online banking.

You won't be able to get the switching bonus unless you use the special switching service that transfers everything over and closes the joint account. At the very least this will require co-operation from your exH, so I don't know if you will get this? However, you probably do want to close any joint accounts with him as part of the separation?

Second/third all the recommendations for Moneysaving Expert.

There’s easy to understand guides to everything financial and consumer rights that you could imagine, budget calculators, and also a weekly email that keeps you up to date with these things, so if you get that, you’ll learn loads over time.

Good luck

You should be able to set up a bank account at any post office

You do know that Natwest has had lots of complaints about just shutting down people's accounts?

Just go with First Direct. I have 3 bank accounts and I wish it was all in a First Direct account. Trust me on this.

I’m sure most banks do, but I know people who have had issues with banks like
monzo etc and have only heard good things about NatWest from friends and family, and now my own personal experience. Everyone has a preference, just giving my point of view. NatWest were an example, previously had both good and bad experiences with Santander and HSBC. Personal preference at the end of the day but have heard a lot more
horror stories about online only banks over high streets

There was a long running thread on here about the difficulties someone had when Natwest just shut their account without any warning.

I've got a Starling personal snd business account and personally they have been great. Daughter has Monzo and Natwest.

Son tried to set up a Natwest account and nothing but hassle. Went to Starling.

As you said personal experience.

I agree with @LindorDoubleChoc, First Direct is a good option. Good luck, it’s worth engaging in your finances.

I don’t understand this thread. Surely the OP could just Google the answer to this. Literally every bank will have the info on their website on how to open an account 🤨
Are you after a hand hold or something? Are you worried it’s making the split more “official”?

For someone getting £1k a month I highly doubt a detailed analysis of all bank accounts is worth it.

OP just pick one. Either a physical bank near you or one of the new one online ones. It’s not difficult.

This thread is from August. I would imagine the OP has opened the account now.