Financial Victory

Online UK Bank Account

Small victories can be ever so sweet. In this case, the victory is financial. A simple, easy-to-do financial transaction that could have been accomplished in moments back home in Roanoke turned into a herculean task here in Edinburgh. The learning curve was very steep. And, it involved numerous false starts, much uncertainty, and considerable frustration. Mike is now victorious. Well, a small victory anyway.

Beth's membership at the local fitness club can be paid for with cash, with a credit card, or with direct debit. Turns out that there is a huge preference for direct debit here. So much so, that the membership fee doubles when not using a direct debit from a local UK bank. Mike, being Mike, is ever vigilant about spending unnecessarily, so he did not want to overspend for the membership.

That involved opening a UK bank account...which can not be done without proof or residency...which we don't have because we are renting an Airbnb flat...which drove Mike into the new world of online banks. He eventually found an online bank that offered a UK account without residency proof. And he eventually found a way to transfer money into the UK bank account so the fitness center could direct debit. So, after failed attempts at several banks, after several failed attempts to transfer money into his new UK bank account, and after two weeks of trying, he is declaring success. Interesting what makes some people happy.