When I was in school (about aged 13) Barclays set up a basic account in a broom cupboard. I had a young savers account with Halifax and knew I had about £200 in there the thing was that was really out of bounds. I would save birthday and Christmas money but other than that my 50p pocket money ... Read review
Advantages: a reliable bank, great services Disadvantages: premium rate numbers to contact staff
...in school (about aged 13) Barclays set up a basic account in a broom cupboard. I had a young savers account with Halifax and knew I had about £200 in there the thing was that was really out of bounds. I would save birthday and Christmas money but other than that my 50p pocket money was spent on sweets and cheap toys.
I decided that in order to really save money I had to pay it into an account every week. At the time the manager from ... .../>
I have been with Barclays since although my account now had a minus figure and spending seems so easy.
Young Persons Account
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As a teenager my bank account had a basic rate of interest and I was given a paying in book. It wasn't until I got my first Saturday job at a local florist that I was given a bank card. My Young Persons Account suited me fine. I was able to get to my money when ... more
When I was in school (about aged 13) Barclays set up a basic account in a broom cupboard. I had a young savers account with Halifax and knew I had about £200 in there the thing was that was really out of bounds. I would save birthday and Christmas money but other than that my 50p pocket money was spent on sweets and cheap toys.
I decided that in order to really save money I had to pay it into an account every week. At the time the manager from a local Barclays bank visited the school and used a team of year 11 students to collect the money and stamp our paying in books. At the age of 16 I was able to withdraw about £75. I think back and think how little that was but at the time it bought me a CD, pair of jeans and a shirt for my sixth form interview. In those days saving money seemed so easy, spending it seemed very difficult. I spent hours shopping before I finally parted with my cash.
I have been with Barclays since although my account now had a minus figure and spending seems so easy.
Young Persons Account ------------------------------- As a teenager my bank account had a basic rate of interest and I was given a paying in book. It wasn't until I got my first Saturday job at a local florist that I was given a bank card. My Young Persons Account suited me fine. I was able to get to my money when I needed it and my employer was able to pay me each month.
Student Account --------------------- When I started at university in 2003 I decided that it would be great to sign up for a student account so I could get my free coach card. I travelled a lot and thought that the NX card would be great for me. I also received vouchers for Waterstones, discount vouchers for Megabowl and a mobile phone discount card. During my first appointment I explained that although an overdraft seemed great I wasn't keen on one as I was working at Somerfields and didn't need extra money. This sensible attitude lasted about 2 months until I saw my mates having so much fun. They all had £1500 overdrafts and as they were interest free I though "what is there to lose" I slowly increased my overdraft from £50 to £1500 over the next few years. I now have a £1500 overdraft and will have to start paying it back now that I am a graduate account.
Graduate Account ----------------------- I now have a graduate account however I have just been accepted at Plymouth University to do a Masters and will be starting in two weeks |I can now move back to a student account. In the 3 months I have had the graduate account I have been offered a few credit cards and loans to help me 'start in life' however I am happy with my job and my financial situation so won't be accepting any money anytime soon.
Regular Savings Account -------------------------------- I also have a Regular Savings Account I set the account up about 7 years ago and was told that as long as I paid a minimum of £25 in each month and kept below 2 withdrawals in a calendar year I could earn 2.25% interest and a annual bonus. I am useless at saving but it is still useful. I tend to place £200 in there each month and at the end of the month if I am struggling to afford something or if I get an unexpected bill I can pay it easily without getting into debt. Its mainly a 'safe' account where the money can only be touched for emergencies as opposed to my current account which is used daily for food, bills and personal items.
My Opinion on Barclays Bank --------------------------------------- SERVI CE ------------- In the 10 years I have been a customer with Barclays I can count the problems on one hand. In fact I can recall 2 problems. I had an issue four years ago when I had an Orange contract. Orange had taken the money from my account 4 days early and Barclays had basically let them. I went overdrawn and was charged £30. I explained this to Barclays and they were no help at all. I was charged by Orange as well and to be honest they were no help either. I ended up £40 out of pocket but in 10 years of banking I can't really complain.
The student and graduate accounts are rather special. In my branch (Plymouth) there is a floor dedicated to Student and graduate banking. If I have ever had a concern or any worry at all about my finances they have been very supportive offering help and advice. I can list at least 6 occasions when I have been struggling for money or desperately needed items for university and not had the funds they have agreed an interest free addition to my overdraft as long as I paid it back by the end of the month. They have also helped me budget so before I moved out of my parent's home they sat with me for over 45 minutes discussing ways to save money and earn some on the side. In fact it was Barclays Student advisors who recommended Dooyoo as it was featured in their termly student magazine.
If I ever visit to pay money or draw money out the advisor will ask how I am or whether I am spending the money on anything special. When I tell them I am buying something for the wedding they get excited and congratulate me. I have always found them very pleasant and nice to speak to. I must admit some branches I have visited in the past have been a little dull and gloomy but my branch in Plymouth is a lovely experience.
Three months ago I realise on my online statement that my card had been fraudulently used. The fraud department were lovely and sent claim forms out immediately. I was lucky protected under the graduate account and got all my money back. They called a week later to ask if I was feeling better and if they could help me with anything. The service was exceptional and I felt very safe dealing with the department staff.
MY BRANCH ------------------ I am always amazed at how well organised and tidy my local branch is. The windows are immaculate and the cash machines well maintained. All of the staff look tidy and act in a professional manner. Unlike some banks I have visited with mates there are not paying in slips or receipts strewn across the floor.
The funny posters are placed around the store and if there is a longer wait than normal these are pleasant to look at and read. The glass barrier between the cashier and myself is always clean and on some occasions I have seen staff polishing the surface before opening the counter.
My branch opens very day 9:30am - 4:30pm and Saturdays 10am - 4pm. Unlike other banks they trade all hours of the day and do not stop taking cash/paying cash until closing time. I find their opening hours very reasonable. Although at 4:35pm on a Friday afternoon I have been known to grumble a bit but then that's my fault for not getting there on time, not the bank for closing on time.
INTERNET --------------- I will not go into detail about the Barclays website or internet banking as there is a separate category for this. I have however found the Internet Banking feature very useful and I couldn't possibly manage without it. I manage all of my payments online. I tend to find myself transferring money between accounts each month before pay day but the online banking gives me a chance to do this without going overdrawn or missing important payments. I also like to think that if it wasn't for Internet Banking I would not have noticed the fraudulent transactions.
SUMMARY --------------- I have an account with Alliance and Leicester and although the interest rate I get with Alliance and Leicester is better I would argue that service is poor compared to Barclays. I cannot think of one thing wrong with Barclays and am pleased I have my account with them.
There does have to be one little gripe and that is the fact it can cost a lot to ring the bank. The 0845 number can be expensive especially if kept on hold for a while.
Advantages: Ideal for high rate taxpayers looking to track base rate Disadvantages: Lack of choice and dubious overall value
Barclays Open Plan
Formerly an inspiration from the Woolwich, it was said when Barclays took them over that a big part of the reason was that those who claim to be fluent in finance were impressed by this financial model.
Well, they liked it so much they bought the company. And a couple of years on we were faced with a saturation level advertising campaign to bring the concept to the people. Promising savings of billions for the nation! So, as ... ...a simple concept. You tell Barclays how much you want in your current account. As a minimum and maximum. If you drop below the minimum, it will sweep money out of your savings account to ensure you do not go overdrawn and get clobbered for charges. Should you exceed the maximum in your current account, it will sweep these funds in to your savings account to allow you to earn a higher rate of interest on it. The only disadvantage is that Barclays ...
daveops 27.04.2003 (17.05.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barclays Bank Accounts
Advantages: Decent Interest, Friendly Stuff, Useful freebies and manage your money machines Disadvantages: Can't do online banking till 16+ (on Young Persons account)
REVIEW OF BARCLAYS "BARCLAY PLUS" ACCOUNT.
****WHY I CHOSE BARCLAYS****
At the age of 13 (this year!) i finally started taking an interest in fiance (i even understand alot about the NR Crises!).
So i spent about a week googleing, seeing what NatWest, Lloyds TSB, Halifax, HSBC, Abbey, Nationwide and The Co-operative bank had to offer.
I didn't bother looking up Barclays because i had heard bad things about them on TV (Watchdog & News), but eventually ... ...the account was given a barclays statement folder, card wallet, paying in book protector and a pen!
Got Debit Card, Paying in book, card pin and welcome letter with account details within a week.
****VISA CONNECT CARD****
I've read bad reviews on here about the Visa Electron Card, and when i opened the account i expected to get that card.
But to my surprise when i opened the envolope to find the card it had the Visa logo with the word "Debit" ...
SuperDude13 11.10.2007 (12.10.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barclays Bank Accounts
Advantages: Pleasant local staff Disadvantages: Too big, too impersonal and uncaring
...warning.
My account with Barclays Bank was opened way back in the early 70s when I was saving to get married. I remained with the Central Liverpool Branch because it was next door to my place of work and I continued saving until I became pregnant. By this time I had accumulated a small nest egg (or so I thought) which I could use to purchase a pram, cot, baby clothes etc., Nearing the end of my pregnancy, I felt secure enough to purchase the necessary ... ...No chance........because of the mess Barclays agreed that they would fund the next full structural survey when I found a suitable property. All went well I found a beautiful house, the surveyors were instructed. They seemed to have all the necessary credentials and I again waited for the results. Having been told by telephone that all was well, we instructed solicitors to begin work although the written document we were told would follow in a week ...
ANNJSEC 19.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barclays Bank Accounts
Advantages: have done what they need to Disadvantages: akward online access - low interest
...actually been a customer of barclays for just over a year, and have a joint current account, and joint e-saver account which is used for the general household finance (bills, mortgage etc). This may or may not be long enough for me to comment on the accounts, but I can compare it to Natwest (who I had my sole accounts with from the age of about 16 to last year) and Lloyds TSB who I moved my sole accounts to from Natwest (as I felt I could be getting ... ...another day!).
We chose Barclays for the joint accounts, as it seemed sensible for us to use the same bank that one of us was already with, and as mentioned above, I wasn't that happy with Natwest. Other half had been with Barclays for a while, (even worked there at one point), so we went with them.
The current account has a very low rate of interest, just a few pence every now and again (they appear to pay interest every 3 months, but it does ...
clarebarker 07.08.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barclays Bank Accounts
Advantages: Fee-free, interest-free overdraft. Disadvantages: Only give you £50 cheque guarantee limit.
...an account with them. Barclays don't offer these cheap gimicks, but read on to find out what you do get.
When I converted my current account to a Student Account last year, Barclays offered me an interest-free fee-free overdraft of up to £1350 (check with your branch as it may have increased), a Student Barclaycard with an instant credit limit of £200 (and remember, once you've had the card for at least three months, you can ask the bank to increase ... ...doubles up as your Delta card), as well as your own Student Advisor who is more or less always on hand to help you out. Having an account with such a large bank is beneficial, as you can be assured that you will always have access to your money. I'm not sure what they're interest rates are, as these tend to change on a daily basis, so it's best to check with your local branch. On the whole, I've been with the bank for two years now, and I'm very ...
agapi_mou 16.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barclays Bank Accounts
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Advantages: options for young people, full range of services Disadvantages: non agreed lending means another £20 a day
BarclaysBank is one of largest British banks and offers a full range of financial services including loans, credit cards, mortgages, insurance and pensions.
The standard BarclaysBankaccount (for over 18's) offers a bank card and access to an agreed overdraft limit without any monthly fee, however there is sill interest to pay. The interest rate is lower than an unarranged overdraft as an agreed overdraft attracts a rate of 15.6%APR, but non-agreed lending costs a ridiculous £20 per day!
Unlike most other banks, cheques up to £1,000 are available immediately for use with no inconvenience of a 3 day wait.
Other Barclaysbanking service costs are: banker's drafts: £10, stopped cheques: £10, additional statements: £0.50, all quite reasonable really. and euro to sterling currency exchange is free!
And like many banks, Barclaysbanking ...
CLDbizz 17.11.2008 (18.11.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Barclays Bank
I have held a BarclaysBank Additions account since it's launch about five years ago - this provides, for a fee of £6 a month telephone banking and a number of other extras. These include a will writing service and extended warranties on purchases.
Recently I have combined this with the online service and now banking really is available 24 hours a day wherever you are.
I can check a balance in seconds without having to speak to anyone and the website allows bill payment, standing order creation and balance transfers.
Recently the service was extended to allow you to apply for an overdraft extention, I tried this even though was phone request was refused only weeks ago - amazingly my overdraft facility was doubled in less than fifteen seconds - a strange inconsistency in an otherwise relaible service. ...
winprizes2000 28.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Barclays Bank
Advantages: Online Banking , great customer service , debit card , interest free overdraft Disadvantages: nothing
It all started when i was 14 years old , i had a Barclayplus account , which was fantastic it had a cash card or with parents consent a connect debit card , plus a £10.00 buffer , which means you can go overdrawn on up to £10.00 , it also comes with online banking , but you can only register in branch if you are under 16 , when i reached 18 i upgraded my account to a standard barclaysbankaccount , i had a £1000 overdraft , which i used all the time and there interest on overdrawn balances is really low , and you could have an agreed overdraft limit , which is interest free. i also then added a barclaycard credit card to the account when i was 19 , which is a very good credit card , when your balances are over £1.00 you only earn 0.11% but you can open a day 2 day saver account which work parallel with the current account which earns 4 ...
jackiam 21.12.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Barclays Bank
