Vocal Voices

I go to the Co-op and my card is rejected. Go to the Co-op ATM and am told that my transaction cannot be processed at this time. Try another card - same thing. Try third card...

Go home and go to bank site - all cards have funds! Clean all cards with whatever is available....

Go back to Co-op and try again - same result.

"Are you with XYZ Bank?"
"Yes"
"Ah, we have had problems all day..."

Go to Asda and all is fine.

It is lucky I live near to alternatives, if I lived in the sticks.....!!!

Modern technology's a wonderful thing, but only when it works .....

I like cash, for just this reason.

What a faff!

John needed some 'just in case' cash the other week so I sent him to the Co-op ATM because it's inside the store and is free to use. I explained all of that, from a security POV and also the fact it's flippin' free, to him. Before the Co-op opened here last year we only had the one at McColls and that's a box in a dark corner of the car park and you're charged a fee.
He came back moaning that it'd charged him £1.50 to withdraw just £10. Couldn't understand that as I'd used it just a few days before and hadn't been charged.
Cloth ears had been to McColls.

I've actually regressed when it comes to ATMs. Up in Sutton Coldfield, the "Lebanese loop" scam (where they fit a device over the front of the ATM to retain your card) was rife on hole-in-the-wall ATMs so I always made sure I used the machines actually inside my bank. Down here at my bank's branch, the ATM is outside, there isn't one inside the bank, so I've now reverted to actually withdrawing cash via the staff at the counter .....

We usually get Cash Back (up to £50) when using a debit card when paying at the till at the supermarket.
It feels much safer there than at a 'hole in the wall'.

I never ever use a machine I just get cash at my bank counter
And use my card to do one line shopping don't like machines

I've been caught at the till like this before, when Nat West were having IT problems! Luckily we also have a joint Barclays account so I used the card for that instead, but it can be really annoying when technology fails

I'm not keen on 'random' ATMs any more, so many dodgy people about, so either get cashback in the supermarket, or in town I use the ATM inside the bank

Jo

We're with Barclays for our current account and the local branch recently, well a year or two ago, installed a row of the latest ATMs in the branch and they're really great so if I'm nearby I use them - quite often the counters are closed in there as these ATMs seem to do everything and for any queries there are staff members waling around with iPads and PIN machines - but walking past the other day there was a poster on the window saying that branch opening times are being reduced.

We have multibancos here, where you can pay bills, order cheques (we don't have cheque books here, just order loose cheques - and pay for them ) and do all sorts of other things.

All free - at the moment.