Pre-paid debit card

arielsmelody

Registered User
Jul 16, 2015
515
0
My OH has a financial LPA for his mum, but we live several hours drive away. A relative living close by does her weekly shop for her, but now she has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's she can't use her own chequebook / bank card to give them the money. He was thinking about organising a pre-paid credit card they could use for the shopping, but we wondered if anyone else had a similar situation and if there are any better options?
 

2jays

Registered User
Jun 4, 2010
11,598
0
West Midlands
Hi

After much head banging against the wall moments trying to sort out mums debit cards with the bank, the only solution I found was to get a post office money card. The ones you can get when you go on holiday.

I got mums in £sterling so she could use it in England. Sadly she could never remember her PIN number and it very quickly became redundant.


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arielsmelody

Registered User
Jul 16, 2015
515
0
Yes, that looks like a pre-paid credit card kind of thing. There isn't any question of his MIL being able to remember how to use it, so it would have to be set up so that it was OK for the relative to have their own card and pin number.
 

Katrine

Registered User
Jan 20, 2011
2,837
0
England
I use a CashPlus MasterCard so that my mum's carers can draw cash or pay for shopping with it as a debit card. I have a weekly standing order going in to it from a joint bank account that is in my mum's name and mine. I can monitor the use of this card online. If the balance gets too high I adjust the SO to skip a payment, or I can top up if needed.

In my case it made sense to take out the card in my own name. You could do this and then you can monitor it online. If the card is taken out in your helpful relative's name then it is their account and their money, technically, so online access might be more problematic. You can take out the card in your own name and then add additional card holders: http://www.mycashplus.co.uk/cashplus-extras/additional-cards.aspx
 
Last edited:

Jessbow

Registered User
Mar 1, 2013
5,678
0
Midlands
Depending on where she shops, you could purchase *Gift* cards or the major supermarkets, Hand it over and the subtract what you spend and leave the outstanding balance on the card.

You could buy and send cards as often as required. Places lie Tesco, you can also use click and collect if its or more than groceries.
 

Mimi1977

Registered User
Jul 21, 2015
20
0
Katrine

I am looking at a cash-card option for my mum. She's in hospital - lost her bank card, but she's probably past being able to manage that at the moment. I don't live in the UK and some of these cards wont let a non-UK resident sign up. I have got so far with a PockIt card in my mums name and her address, it's gone to her home address. I just need to get it to the hospital from her house and then I will just be able to top up as you do on line. It seems a very good option going into the furure, as my mum banks with HSBC and it looks like they wont let me have a debit card :(

Nothing is easy from a distance and seems to be complicated if you are not a UK resident. I just plod on.
 

SaraC

Registered User
Apr 30, 2017
1
0
Try qck-card. It come to any name to mailbox for free. Then you need to activate card and pay the activation fee.
Possible deposit your card with bank transfer or with bitcoins.
No ID required.
 

creativesarah

Registered User
Apr 22, 2010
9,638
0
Upton Northamptonshire
I have got one but I cant remember what its called
I find it great to have just incase you can do the swipe and pay thingy with it so you dont have to have the pin number if its only for a small amount
As you can tell I am having a bad day
Service will be resumed as soon as possible!
 

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