Opening many current accounts?

Are there any disadvantages to opening many current accounts (I have 4 at the moment. I’m 19) apart from the initial drop in “credit score”? I find it a lot easier to manage money in multiple current accounts because it is easier to control a budget for different things (large essential things, saving, everyday spending, and non-essential stuff).

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Personal view? Not really, no.

Credit score is a something and nothing and that’s about the only thing that will be impacted.

You may want to avoid temptation by not having an overdraft on all of these accounts, however!

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Other than the initial hit you mentioned the only other thing I can think of is credit utilitasion. They like to see you using a certain amount of your available credit.

So if you open more accounts you might have more credit and your percentage will drop.

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One of them is a student account so had a decent overdraft but I avoided the overdraft option on the others. I have been nowhere near using my overdraft on any of them and I am aware of the risks.

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I avoided getting an unarranged overdraft on 2. Another is a student account but I haven’t used the overdraft on that one and I don’t know about the other one (only just opened it).

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Fair enough. Good to know.

Credit utilisation as Ordog discusses is more to do with credit than current accounts so that shouldn’t be impacted at all. Not that I’m a great believer in any of these metrics anyway.

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Sorry, Feathers is correct. I always assumed it took into account overdrafts too but I checked and it strangely doesn’t :thinking:

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Thanks for your help!

I know basic things about banking and credit etc but not all of the more complex details so I’m glad you were able to help with my concerns :slight_smile:

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No problem.

Convention has long held that people only have one current account but the reality is that you can have more.

If you find a financial system that works for you but needs a number of different accounts then go for it.

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I have 16, plus Revolut, TransferWise, Monese, Dozens etc.

I just like seeing how each company does things. And I collect the cards, have done for years.

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I may also have a bit of an obsession about the cards :laughing:

I have also gone for accounts that have slightly different features - good student account, good savings account, cheque imaging etc so it’s not just about budgeting.

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I have 2 - I want to get a 3rd but fear it will impact me.

I have 0 overdrafts and don’t plan on getting one as of yet

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I have 11 current accounts. Zero credit.

No overdrafts on any of them. Don’t believe in them.

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I used to have 3 or 4 but they were never used. In my minimalist lifestyle that I live I asked myself why and then closed them all down. Now I just have Monzo.

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I’m almost there. In fact, today I received an email from HSBC informing I’ve not used my current account for 3 months and so it’ll be closed in 9 months with no use. No big deal. I’ve used Midland/HSBC since the late 80’s as my primary accounts so HSBC had had its fair share of income from me.

Bye then! :door:

That leaves several other unused legacy accounts to die by the wayside, plus Revolut which may be ignored, in the quest for personal-finance-karma

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I do like the idea of trying them all out and messing with them. I think I would enjoy it but then again I’m lazy :joy:

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Has this affected your credit score? Opening so many?

Any credit score impact related to opening an account drops off after 6 months anyway.

I’ll try not to repeat my opinion of the scores themselves :grinning:

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The impact of the Lloyds account I opened in Oct/Nov last year has just dropped off my meaningless number now.

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My credit score is of no interest to me but, in answer to your question, yes.

When I took 5 switch bonuses in 2017/18, it took a hit.

And this year, opening multiple Virgin Money accounts for the 2% interest, plus another switch bonus, in space of about six weeks, my credit score took a hit.

As I said before though, I am not concerned about the fictional number, nor do I foresee me ever needing credit.

I am not a lover of being in debt, so avoid it as much as I can.

I do hold credit cards, but more for emergency use nowadays than cashback.

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