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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

give a bank card to teen girl? how old

59 replies

imiami · 28/05/2023 15:57

My friend applied a bank card to her teen girl when she was 13 year old, she spent £1000 quickly, then she seized the card, now the girl is 15 year old, she got her card back from bank.
how old is better age for the bank card
Thanks

OP posts:
highlandspooce · 28/05/2023 17:28

Paying for 🤷🏻‍♀️

theblackradiator · 28/05/2023 17:28

PragmaticWench · 28/05/2023 17:23

My DC are 8 and 10 and now have debit cards. We can access their accounts via an app and receive a notification every time they use the card. This helps them learn NOT to spend like crazy, to learn how to budget. No adult should allow a child to spend £1000, that's the adult's failure.

can a child have a regular bank debit card at age 8?? my dd natwest account was from age 11 and above.

ditalini · 28/05/2023 17:43

Ds1 got one age 11 when he was old enough for an account with a card.

Ds2 aged 10 has a card via my Hyperjar account - I put his pocket money on there and he can decide to spend it on snacks on the way home from school or save for a few weeks for something better (we're talking a fiver a week). He'll get a proper account of his own next year.

Hyperjar and other similar apps are owned by the adult so no age restriction. Fewer features than goHenry but also no charges. I get an alert on my phone any time he uses it and there's no way for him to spend more than is in his "jar" in the account.

skyeisthelimit · 28/05/2023 17:50

Your friend is an idiot if she gave her DD access to £1K.

My DD has had a Santander Mini 123 account since she was 13 (now 15). She gets £10 a week paid into it and has a debit card that she can use when out and it is also linked to my Amazon account. Her life savings are in a separate account that she cannot touch.

DD also has a Revolut Junior card linked to my Revolut card, so that she has a backup and I can top it up via the app. (I got the Junior card free when it was on promotion). She had access to this from 11 and can only spend what I transfer onto it. It can also be stopped instantly if she loses it.

There are so many kids bank accounts out there which are free. I would never pay for anything like go henry.

MissDollyMix · 28/05/2023 17:55

DS is 12 and has his own NatWest account with a debit card. He gets a very small monthly allowance and uses the app to keep on track of his spending. He loves using it to save up for treats. We used to have goHenry cards but they were a bit of a pita and cost money. I’ll be getting my 10 year old her own account as soon as she’s old enough (11 I think)

WordtoYoMumma · 28/05/2023 17:59

We use hyperjar. Kids have had a card since age 11.

BiddyPop · 28/05/2023 18:14

I think dd was 13 or 14 when DH got her a Revolut card. She could only spend what was in the account. DH could transfer money to her almost instantly when needed (and debate how "needed" it really was)! But he could also see where she was spending until she was 16.

It means that now, while she still asks for topups, she is better at managing it and (sometimes) thinking ahead to what she'll need and when. And she's getting a current account with a debit card this summer as she's now 17 and has a summer job.

reluctantbrit · 28/05/2023 18:22

DD got her own Nationwide account when she was 11. She gets her montly pocket money paid into it and that's it. I may pay extra when she is out for a full day to pay for her lunch and I pay the money for her hairdresser into it as well as they are cashless.

The account can't be overdrawn and I don't need to monitor her spending, it's her pocket money and she has to sort it out herself.

mondaytosunday · 28/05/2023 19:10

My kids have bank accounts but before 18 they can't go overdrawn- they can only spend what's in it. They have separate savings accounts that i control - they don't realise that they could have access if they wanted. They are happy with this arrangement.

Baystar · 28/05/2023 19:58

Both of mine had current accounts from age 11, I set-up a standing order each month, that's their pocket money, if they spend it on day 1 then tough, they have to wait until following month, we wanted them to learn how to manage money. No OD on the account so they can't spend what isn't there.

SystemSeven · 04/06/2023 08:12

We use GoHenry, but my son wants a normal bank account when he is 13. I like GoHenry as you can set a daily spend limit, so if his card did get stolen than they wouldn’t be able to strip his account. Also, we have restricted it from being used online. Can you do that with any bank or building society accounts? If so, then I would swap.

Wallywobbles · 04/06/2023 08:22

Mine had them at 10 & 11. They had an allowance and had to keep accounts until they really understood money in & out. No overdraft facility at all.

NoTouch · 04/06/2023 10:43

SystemSeven · 04/06/2023 08:12

We use GoHenry, but my son wants a normal bank account when he is 13. I like GoHenry as you can set a daily spend limit, so if his card did get stolen than they wouldn’t be able to strip his account. Also, we have restricted it from being used online. Can you do that with any bank or building society accounts? If so, then I would swap.

Do kids actually use cards, even to get cash out? Ds used his phone to pay for 99% of things (with on emergency £10 tucked in phone case in case phone didnt work), he never took his card out.

I dont see the point of these gohenry cards that you need to pay for or daily spending limits , the aim is to teach them and give them automony to manage their own account and deal with the consequences if they make a mistake. Controlling doesn't let them learn.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 04/06/2023 10:48

NoTouch · 04/06/2023 10:43

Do kids actually use cards, even to get cash out? Ds used his phone to pay for 99% of things (with on emergency £10 tucked in phone case in case phone didnt work), he never took his card out.

I dont see the point of these gohenry cards that you need to pay for or daily spending limits , the aim is to teach them and give them automony to manage their own account and deal with the consequences if they make a mistake. Controlling doesn't let them learn.

Show quote history

I agree with you! The whole point is for them to learn to manage it for themselves, which they can't do if a parent is controlling daily spend!

And yes, dd uses her phone to pay for stuff, never the actual card. Not sure how she gets cash out, or if she ever does!

highlandspooce · 04/06/2023 11:01

I dont see the point of these gohenry cards

They have their place. I always thought like you and my DC has current accounts with debits cards from age 11. Until one of them couldn't because she is autistic and suffers selective mutism and was unable to come to the bank to open the account. I set up a pre paid card and she knows I would not normally pay for such things but for us it is a solution as she now has a debit card. Still waiting for a time where she is able to tap it to pay for things herself sadly but the card is there and ready when she does feel able.

DoYiu · 04/06/2023 11:09

Mine has had a card since they were 12 and a hyperjar account for spending. They learned to make different jars for different kinds of spending but ultimately the total there is what I put in.

DoYiu · 04/06/2023 11:11

Bank account and debit card since 12, as well as hyperjar account and card.*

Ambi · 04/06/2023 12:45

DD 15yrs lost her wallet on the bus last week and was smart enough to cancel her card on the app and request a new card right away.

Giselletheunicorn · 04/06/2023 12:48

My 9 year old has a Starling debit card and pocket money goes straight into his account - which is linked to DH's account. DH gets a notification on his phone whenever DS makes a purchase and sets spending limits. (Tbh, DS is not out on his own and we tend to carry the card for him, so we know what hems buying anyway. But it means there's some accountability and we can talk to him about good spending/saving habits. When he's a bit older, he can carry the card himself.)

NoTouch · 04/06/2023 22:14

Ambi · 04/06/2023 12:45

DD 15yrs lost her wallet on the bus last week and was smart enough to cancel her card on the app and request a new card right away.

That is what happens when you give them the guidance, responsibility and accountabilty without watching and controlling their every move and spend, they might make mistakes but they learn and step up when its needed.

Well done your dd!

dementedpixie · 04/06/2023 22:17

Both mine got current accounts with debit card from age 11. They were opened online

highlandspooce · 04/06/2023 22:29

dementedpixie · 04/06/2023 22:17

Both mine got current accounts with debit card from age 11. They were opened online

Which bank do they have?

I spent hours trying to find an account I could open online for DD and ended up getting a pre pay because I couldn't find one Sad

dementedpixie · 04/06/2023 22:43

What age is your dd?
We opened ours with Santander

highlandspooce · 04/06/2023 22:45

dementedpixie · 04/06/2023 22:43

What age is your dd?
We opened ours with Santander

She is 13 now, I have just looked and I can open online with them so thank you I will do that.

Under 13s have to be done in branch which is the problem I had when she turned 11 so juts went with the pre pay option.

dementedpixie · 04/06/2023 22:45

@highlandspooce if she's 13+ she can open online with Santander. It must have changed since my dcs got theirs as I'm sure ds was 11 when we opened his. Now for under 13s you need an adult to also have an account with them