I would like to know if using and having a monzo card helps/hinders or has no affect at all to things like credit scores.
If not do you think it should or could be?
I am looking for credit card. I want to build credit and not have to upset my bank▶monzo thing…
Therefore, I wonder if it is possible to use a credit card in conjunction with my bank▶monzo thing.
Turning it into a triangle
Credit card topsup monzo (say £100 a month) Monzo is used for all day to day payements Bank pays off credit card debt (£100 a month again)
This would mean I can continue using monzo and build Credit.
I suppose my question is, can you top up monzo with a credit card? Or is there another way of doing this?
You can’t top up monzo with a credit card. Responsible lenders never allow ‘triangle things’ to enable people to churn money and obfuscate their finances.
Why not just get a credit card, use it a little bit and pay it off each month?
I’m not sure Monzo would help you build your credit rating, other than perhaps showing you have a bank account (although mine doesn’t appear on any credit reports so it may have no impact).
If you want to build your credit score, I would signup to a free credit scoring site like Experian or Clearscore. They will be able to tell you your score and also recommend credit cards you are likely to be eligible for. You will probably be able to get some credit cards (allbeit at high rates). Just use them a little and pay them off in full each month and you should soon start to build credit history.
If you do decide to go ahead with your scheme, I would make absolutely sure that your credit card doesn’t count a Monzo top up as a cash advance. If they do, you’ll pay interest from the day you top up.
Much better to just use the credit card for purchases and make sure you pay it off in full every month.
That does all make. I can see why monzo doesn’t affect credit scores and I can see why I can’t use the triangle idea also.
Only problem, this means that I can no longer use monzo…
my monthly purchases consist mostly of food shopping. Using a credit card ‘every know and again’ would cause confusion and would mean tracking finances on 3 different online accounts. I love being able to track my spending on the app, and I love being able to track my spending ONLY on the app.
One card as a cash card is best, not two… if I want to build credit history (which I don’t need now, but later). This means choosing between (insensible) credit cards and (sensible) monzo card…
Maybe Im being a bit pernickety but i really can’t be bothered with huge amounts of financial effort
Anyway thank you none the less.
Very good and quick answers.
Something I noticed when checking my creditscore, in prep maybe for a mortgage. When I checked my ClearScore report, my Tiny Challenger Bank account appeared in the report amongst everything else (which was scaringly accurate). Just wondering if someone from :mondo: can answer if it will appear in future reports?
Yeah the Monzo current account does report to credit reference agencies each month - spotted mine reporting the other day. Obvs at the moment it is reporting £0 owed as there are no overdrafts, so it won’t have any affect on mortgage application other than perhaps making an underwriter think “hmm this guy sure has a lot of random bank accounts with no balance - meh”
It should show up soon. My CA started mid July and I’ve had Sept and now Oct reporting received by noddle/callcredit
Was just being tongue in cheek about underwriters looking at 0 balance accounts. That should be no issue whatsoever. Fraud checks are done as standard by some lenders to check you don’t have any Cifas / convictions turn up.
Credit card topsup monzo (say £100 a month)
Bank pays off credit card debt (£100 a month again)
- meh”