Spending tips

How to pay money in and make payments

As well as your debit card, discover other ways to pay money in and make payments with your accounts.

There are different ways money can go in and out of your accounts .

A Bank Transfer is when money goes from one person’s account to another’s. Someone could pay you like this by sending money from their bank account to yours, using the account number and sort code found via our Mobile Banking app and Internet Banking.

Similar to this, you could use ‘Pay a contact’. Instead of using an account number and sort code to pay someone, you can pay them through their mobile number instead, using our app.

A Direct Debit is when you give a company permission to take money out of your account on a set date, or nearest working day. You could use a Direct Debit to pay for something you want to pay regularly - like a monthly subscription for the gym.

A Standing Order is a payment that is always the same amount of money, going out of your account on a day and frequency you choose. For example, you could use it to make a payment to your Smart Start Savings Account on the 1st of every month. You can set an end date on your Standing Orders, or it can be ongoing until you cancel it. You can see these payments using our Mobile Banking app and Internet Banking.

Also, if someone gives you a cheque, you can pay it into your Smart Start Spending Account by using our app and following the steps provided, including taking a picture of the cheque.

Another way to pay is using Google Pay® if you’re at least 16 years old, or Apple Pay® if you’re aged 13 or over. This is a quick and easy way to pay with your phone, as long as your phone supports it.

Once you’ve set up Apple Pay or Google Pay, you’ll be able to use your phone just like your debit card when you see the Contactless symbol in-store – just tap and pay.

To help you manage your money, we’ve set up payment and spending limits. You can see these limits in your Smart Start Welcome Pack.

And if you’re nearly at your balance limit, and have smart alerts set up on our app, we’ll send you a notification.

Don't forget, you can keep track of your balance anytime by logging onto our Mobile Banking app, tablet or Internet Banking using a computer.

So, now you know about payments, don’t forget to watch our other videos that help you with your Spending and Savings Accounts. You’ll find them on the Smart Start web page.

Make the most of your debit card

Here’s how to make the most of your debit card.

First, make sure you’ve signed your card and memorised your PIN.

Think of a PIN as being like a key that unlocks your account and card. It’s just for you and it’s important as it helps to keep your money safe.

You can change your PIN to something easier to remember at any cash machine, but you’ll need to enter the PIN we sent you first, before you can change it to something only you know.

And if you can’t remember it, use our mobile app to view your PIN instantly. Never share or tell anyone your PIN, they could use it to take money out of your account or buy things without you knowing. And remember, never share pictures of your debit card online.

After you’ve made your first debit card purchase using your PIN, you’ll also be able to use your card to pay with contactless. It’s easy to tap your card where you see the Contactless symbol – use this if you’re in a shop and what you’re buying is within the contactless limit.

If you use your debit card to buy things online, remember to stay safe. Look out for the lock in the web browser address bar. It means the website you’re on is secure. On the Smart Start web page you can watch our ‘How to keep your money and your accounts safe’ video for tips to help you.

Of course, you’ll only be able to spend money that’s in your Spending Account. And to help you manage your money, we’ve made it easy for you, by setting spending limits. That way you can be sure you don’t overspend.

If you’ve misplaced your debit card, but know it’s not lost or stolen, you can freeze your card using our Mobile Banking app, to stop it being used online, in shops or in other countries. Then you can unfreeze your card when you find it.

Remember, it’s important you contact us straight away if you think your card is lost or stolen. So we can cancel it, to keep your money safe, and then order you a new one. If you’re under 16, the parent or legal guardian named on your account will need to make the call for you.

We hope you enjoy your new debit card. For more tips and guidance, take a look at our other videos on the Smart Start web page.