Cash is King

[TheOstrich]

I have just paid the plumber by BACS. Ye Gods!

He claimed he never received the cheque I sent him last month, so I managed to put a "stop" on it (10 minutes trying to find out how to do so on Online Banking because the instructions on the help page did not match the reality of the online website).

Then I set out to pay the bill through Online Banking. This is the first time I have ever attempted it. Got all my paperwork set up, mobiles switched on, funny bank card reader to hand.

Firstly my bank didn't like the payee account details I put in. I triple checked them off two previous invoices and they were fine. Warned by the bank I was proceeding "at my own risk ".
Next it wanted to verify the transaction, using a convoluted method involving my debit card, my card reader, and two codes. I carefully did everything it wanted. It said "rubbish, do it again, and this time you've only got 120 seconds to complete the transaction. Tick ... tick ... tick ..."
Put the debit card into the card reader again and got "This card is not responding" . Card reader then has to clear itself before I could try again.
Eventually I got a response, and completed the transaction with about 30 seconds to spare.

Printed out the confirmations, and the paper promptly jammed in the printer!

So, that was my first attempt at using Online Banking to make a payment. It was also, and I say this with some certainty, my last.

Does anyone else have such a palaver, or is it just me?

[saundra]

Ho heck ossie no I don't it scares me to death that's why I like cash to pay
But I do pay some bills via a secure website


You now need a cuppa and a pasty

[Kaz]

It can be a palaver, but I do use it. Once a transfer is set up, there's no need for the reader for following transfers to the same recipient

[JoM]

I hate using the Pinsentry reader that Barclays supplied so I now get a code from the online banking app and use that to log into our account through the website. I could use the app for everything but find that the website gives more options and more detail.

[jenniren]

I do most things through online banking. We're with Nationwide and the site is user friendly. Like Kaz says once a transfer is set up it's very straightforward,

[JanB]

That in thingy is a nightmare for me, especially this time of year. The internet either freezes or goes of completely There is no way I'd try and send money over or transfer stuff.

I just ring them up now

[TheOstrich]

Just as a postscript, I mentioned above that one task I had was to "stop" the lost cheque. Googling my bank's name and "stop a cheque" brought up a help page saying it could be done through online banking and gave instructions - none of which matched the online banking website when I logged on. After 5 minutes of fruitless faffing around, I used the bank's secure help link and fired off an email asking how it could be done. Got an automated reply saying they'd reply inside 5 working days.

So I spent another 5 minutes poking around the website and eventually I discovered at the bottom of a drop-down link under "any other information" ...... "stop a cheque" ! So I accessed that, and did the deed.

This evening, I've had an email from a nice Customer Support Officer saying a cheque cannot be stopped online, and ending "hoping you have a wonderful day". You couldn't make it up, could you?

No, I haven't had a wonderful day. I've had an hour of headbanging, wondering what the heck I was doing . Never again.

[JanB]

Let's all go back to the old days.

Write a cheque, send it off.

[Workingman]

I use the Jo method. Get a one-time code on the phone to login then use the bank's website. Transfers are easy.

Similar with online purchases. Before the payment is made I get a pop-up asking for some random digits from a six digit PIN it then sends me a code to enter and once that's done the payment is made.

Mind you I have yet to cancel a cheque. I cannot remember the last one I wrote but I do remember using a quill, an ink pot, and blotting paper.

[cruiser2]

I use online banking to pay some bills. Have done this recently with the plumber and electrician.
I set up the payment details on the secure bank account. I need two seperate pass words to enter my account.
When I am ready to send the payment, a PIN os sent to my mobile phone. I am only given five minutes to enter this number.
If I do not have my mobile phone I cannot complete the transaction.
I have never had any problems. You are reminded several times to make sure it is not a scam before pressing the completion button.
Only use it for people who have done work for me and have sent an email to me to check before I Pay.