Nectar Card

Advantages: Lots of retailers to collect with
Disadvantages: Online points may not equal amount of cashback available elsewhere

...The nectar card is the loyalty card associated with Sainsbury's, however it has since branched out and is affiliated with many companies which allows for maximum point collecting! Let's start with the basics, you get 2 points per pound spent at Sainsburys or 1 point per litre of petrol bought at the Sainsbury's petrol garage. Each point accumulated is worth half a penny, so you need 2 points to equal 1 pence. If you redeem your points in store at Sainbury's then you will need minimum 500 points for £2.50 off o your shopping. Points need to be redeemed in increments of 500. Points can also be collected in other stores, for example Dolland and Aitchinson also give 2 points per pound, as do Homebase. As far as I am aware however, you cannot redeem your points against your total bills in these stores. Points can also be collected...

rachieb123 06.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Nectar Card

Money, Money, Money

Advantages: Saves you time and effort, free to set up, leaves the money in your account to the last possible moment
Disadvantages: If you're no careful you can lose track of spending, mistakes have been known to happen

...A large part of my last job in the UK involved sorting out the troubles customers got themselves into when they “forgot” to pay their store card bills, and at least 5 times a shift I could be heard to mutter the immortal words “Well why don’t you set up a Direct Debit?” I’ve got a few of the lovely DD things – one for my rent, another for my credit card and a third for my staff card, but just what are they? 1. What is Direct Debit? Direct Debit is a simple and safe method of paying bills and subscriptions automatically from your current account. You and the company in question agree the amount to be collected and the date on which this will happen, and then you sit back and relax. From then on the amount will be deducted from your account on a regular basis. The company can only take up...

zoe_page 23.01.2003 · Read review
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Review of Direct Debit Card/Payment Services

I'm Just Ringing To Tell You I'm Not Dead!

Advantages: Quick and simple to set up; Never get into arrears with bill payments
Disadvantages: Might be difficult to budget for if you are not paid monthly

...the same every month. That means I know that on the 22nd of each month, Severn Trent Water will take the amount that I have agreed. This cannot change without at least 7 working days notice, therefore it is fixed. However, I pay my phone bill on a variable direct debit. This means that whatever the bill comes to, that is the amount NTL will take. Of course, this is harder to budget for as some months it can be as low as £7 and others as high as £20. Credit card bills are usually paid this way to, with the company taking the minimum payment on a direct debit. The company should send you a statement with the amount they are going to take well in advance of the payment being made so you can make sure funds are in your account. CAN I CHOOSE HOW MUCH I WANT TO PAY? This depends on the company and what the bill is for. I pay my council tax...

AnitaM 08.12.2003 · Read review
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Review of Direct Debit Card/Payment Services

Make a Bee Line for the Nectar Card !!

Advantages: A good way to save for the extras at no extra cost
Disadvantages: None at all.

...invest it for the child (although you can transfer to another provider at any time).Anybody can contribute to a CTF including friends and family - all they need is the account number (remember that only the child can access the money and only when they reach 18). With Nectar you receive 1,000 points when you apply and send in your voucher. Another 1,000 points if you set up a regular direct debit at the same time (minimum payment of £10 per month).You can use your Nectar points to top up your child's fund. and the childs account will be with the only provider where you can manage the account online. "HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR POINTS ?" You can spend your vouchers instore - Sainsbury's, Argos, Blockbuster or Vue and the points will be automatically deducted when your card is swiped. You can spend your points online. All you do...

oldchem 03.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Nectar Card

Oyster Card

Advantages: Convenient
Disadvantages: You could lose it!

...We Londoners are insistent people. We want cheap travel to anywhere in one of the biggest cities in the world. We want it regularly, without delays and seven days a week?if possible. Not too much to ask then?oh and we want a convenient travel card rather than paying with cash for each individual journey. Of course. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the Oyster card then. For those who don?t live in London or perhaps have never even stepped foot in the capital, the following paragraphs may read like absolute gobbledegook, but trust me, I think I know what I?m talking about and I think it makes sense. The Oyster card is basically a form of electronic ticketing used on public transport ? buses, some National Rail trains, trams, underground and the Docklands Light Railway system within Greater London. The blue card, which costs just a £3...

carl.mcqueen 26.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Oyster Travel Card

Vanquis Bank and Credit Card

Advantages: Gives credit to those who wouldn't otherwise get it.
Disadvantages: Very high interest, terrible customer service.

...A couple of months ago we made the mistake of getting a credit card "for emergencies", it was meant to be...but as always happens, it was used when it wasn't necessary (mainly by my husband!!!!). Vanquis Bank are a company who offers credit to people with a bad credit history (i.e. CCJs, missed payments etc and just no credit history). Anybody who has ever tried to get credit for the first time will know its sometimes very difficult, if you have never had any kind of credit given to you, companies won't take you on, as they don't know if your a risk or not...and so Vanquis offer a "credit score boosting card"...basically they give a credit card with £300 limit on it to people who have never before had a credit card and probably don't know how to use them correctly. (Before you start...I'm not calling everyone with no credit history...

stephbond89 14.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Vanquis Credit Card

Working for the well known card shop

Advantages: nice staff, not complicated work
Disadvantages: not the best paid job!

...I used to work at Clinton cards years ago when I was younger - in fact it was my first job! The shop may have changed slightly since then on how it's run but judging by the other reviews, it hasn't changed much! I was employed by Clinton cards for just under 3 years and during this time I did do quite a bit of training. I'll start from the beginning and cover as much as I can! Applying and the interview: I saw the ad placed in the window that they needed staff for the busy Christmas period on a temporary basis - this was just what I was looking for as at the time I was just going into college and needed a weekend job. I asked in the store for an application and the girl behind the counter was really nice and advised me that once I completed the form they would probably be in touch within a day or two. I actually completed...

frankiecesca 02.10.2007 (29.12.2008) · Read review
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Review of Clinton Cards

large payments

Advantages: credit for people without credit history
Disadvantages: very vaque advice and curious loopholes

...I have had a Vanquis card for only a few months and was using it to build a credit history. I do not want to incur interest and so I pay off the balance every month. Last month I was going on holiday and decided to take the card with me for emergencies. I rang them to make sure my payment would be cleared in time and was advised that yes it would be without any problem. However, when on holiday I found I could not use the card. On return i rang them to find that despite the payment being with them for ten days it had not cleared on to my account and was advised this is normal practice with larger payments? I asked where in the terms and conditions this was highlighted and they confessed it wasn't. I then insisted they process my payment that day and was told it could take up to another 5 working days. So in total from when they recieved...

Merlou 21.07.2005 · Read review
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Review of Vanquis Credit Card

Anyone for chips?

Advantages: Decrease in fraudulent activity, more efficient customer service
Disadvantages: forgetting your PIN!

...N.B. Admittedly this could be under the wrong heading. Although it doesn?t come under Direct Debits, it does come under payment services, perhaps a general heading in this category would be useful; anyway that is why I have added it here! For the sake of argument we?ll call it blurring the line! Chip and PIN is a new initiative being pioneered by the banking sector and a number of major retailers. Chip and PIN will be a revolutionary change for consumers in the way in which the complete card transactions at the point of sale. ?Chip and PIN what is it? Chip is an intelligent piece of microchip technology that will be added to all plastic payment cards including debit cards (E.g. Switch) and credit cards (E.g. Visa and MasterCard) this chip will store the cardholder?s personal details. Pin is a personal identification...

redpen 01.07.2003 (03.07.2003) · Read review
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Review of Direct Debit Card/Payment Services

Credit Card payments

Advantages: None that I can see
Disadvantages: You will be robbed blind if you are not vigilant

...Lloyds TSB is a very dishonest instituition. I have a credit card with them which was a visa card. They sent and told me that they are upgrading to mastercards and that I would be getting one soon. I later received two text messages asking me to call and register my card. I called and told them I ddi not receive a card, they told me they were going to cancel the card and reissue me with another. I paid some money onto my visa card as the other one hadn't arrived. When I checked my internet banking I realised that the money went to the visa account and since then they had issued the mastercard. I called them on the 11th July and they told me it would be transferred over. To this date 10th August, it still has not been doenand I keep incurring further charges. I call them every day and their response is that the money is on the card that I...

debralex 10.08.2007 · Read review
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Review of Lloyds TSB