# Use overdrafts within pots **URL:** \ **Category:** Feedback & Ideas\ **Created:** [18 February 2023 15:14 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404 "2023-02-18T15:14:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![simonlawton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@simonlawton](https://community.monzo.com/u/simonlawton)\ **Post date:** [18 February 2023 15:14 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/1 "2023-02-18T15:14:40Z")
Hi, I think overdrafts should be usable within pots. It makes no sense to reject a payment when the account has an overdraft facility. ---
**Author:** ![Revels](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/monzo/user_avatar/community.monzo.com/revels/32/120556_2.png) [@Revels](https://community.monzo.com/u/Revels)\ **Post date:** [18 February 2023 15:45 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/2 "2023-02-18T15:45:59Z")
> [@Pot as overdraft](https://community.monzo.com/t/pot-as-overdraft/29993): > > I’m not sure if this has been suggested yet, but I would like the ability to create an overdraft pot and set it so that should I go overdrawn the money from the pot is used rather than having to apply for an actual overdraft. Overdrafts are a saftey net, but I’d like the option to create my own before I ‘borrow’ from the bank. Shane This is mentioned a lot, Monzo seemingly have no interest in changing it. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_G](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/monzo/user_avatar/community.monzo.com/peter_g/32/89632_2.png) [@Peter\_G](https://community.monzo.com/u/Peter_G)\ **Post date:** [18 February 2023 15:49 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/3 "2023-02-18T15:49:45Z")
Isn’t this a bit different? That topic is saying create a pot you can use as an overdraft. I might have misread @simonlawton, but I thought he was asking whether you can go overdrawn in a pot (e.g. your pot balance is £5, you have an account overdraft of £100 but you then use a virtual card to spend £10 - right now that would, I think, be rejected, rather than take the pot into the overdraft). @simonlawton what did you mean?! ---
**Author:** ![Revels](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/monzo/user_avatar/community.monzo.com/revels/32/120556_2.png) [@Revels](https://community.monzo.com/u/Revels)\ **Post date:** [18 February 2023 16:16 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/4 "2023-02-18T16:16:29Z")
Oh so you wouldn’t reject a virtual card if you had money in the account? So the inverse? ---
**Author:** ![MichaelDavidson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@MichaelDavidson](https://community.monzo.com/u/MichaelDavidson)\ **Post date:** [18 February 2023 18:14 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/5 "2023-02-18T18:14:16Z")
It sounds like he is saying that if you have a £100 overdraft and no money in a pot, but a payment for, say £10 comes out, then rather than rejecting the payment, the £10 comes from the overdraft. possibly by automatically moving £10 into the pot, reducing the overdraft from £100 to £90 ---
**Author:** ![Carlo1460](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/monzo/user_avatar/community.monzo.com/carlo1460/32/122202_2.png) [@Carlo1460](https://community.monzo.com/u/Carlo1460)\ **Post date:** [19 February 2023 17:37 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/6 "2023-02-19T17:37:07Z")
Pots are for budgeting. If you’re over spending your budget you need to reconsider. If you don’t want a payment to decline you need to use your main card not your pot card. Simple really, otherwise totally defeats the object of pots and you’re better off using your main card. You could utilize pots better and add more than you anticipate, meaning you have a buffer if you exceed your predicted pot balance. ---
**Author:** ![simonlawton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@simonlawton](https://community.monzo.com/u/simonlawton)\ **Post date:** [20 February 2023 09:13 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/7 "2023-02-20T09:13:09Z")
@MichaelDavidson Yes that’s right. I appreciate pots are for budgeting, however I have all my bills paid directly from a bills pot. If a bill was unexpected more than anticipated and you have an overdraft. Just think it should be able to use it from the pot rather than reject the payment for the sake of maybe a few pound. ---
**Author:** ![JIMMWX](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/monzo/user_avatar/community.monzo.com/jimmwx/32/95737_2.png) [@JIMMWX](https://community.monzo.com/u/JIMMWX)\ **Post date:** [20 February 2023 13:17 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/8 "2023-02-20T13:17:43Z")
I actually happen to agree in this context. When I did have a bills pot I’d always have a float of £100 over what was needed for this exact reason. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelDavidson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@MichaelDavidson](https://community.monzo.com/u/MichaelDavidson)\ **Post date:** [20 February 2023 13:18 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/9 "2023-02-20T13:18:44Z")
> [@simonlawton](#): > > Yes that’s right. I appreciate pots are for budgeting, however I have all my bills paid directly from a bills pot. I agree; I think everyone would agree that ports are to budget, but not all direct debits are fixed; having your overdraft in play for the unexpected increase would be a great feature. It would save time, hassle and potential fines for missed payments. Having the over amount transferred from the overdraft (main account) to the pot automatically to cover the shortfall could make a big difference to some people. ---
**Author:** ![Revels](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/monzo/user_avatar/community.monzo.com/revels/32/120556_2.png) [@Revels](https://community.monzo.com/u/Revels)\ **Post date:** [20 February 2023 13:21 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/10 "2023-02-20T13:21:39Z")
If your direct debit fails from your bills pot, it will be taken from your account. You’re also notified if any direct debits change. ---
**Author:** ![Ordog](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/monzo/user_avatar/community.monzo.com/ordog/32/22446_2.png) [@Ordog](https://community.monzo.com/u/Ordog)\ **Post date:** [20 February 2023 13:30 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/11 "2023-02-20T13:30:39Z")
You also get the option to retry a failed direct debit before a certain time. So you can avoid fees 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![simonlawton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@simonlawton](https://community.monzo.com/u/simonlawton)\ **Post date:** [20 February 2023 13:37 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/12 "2023-02-20T13:37:55Z")
It’s not just direct debits. I have Monzo premium so a card linked to a pot for other bills. ---
**Author:** ![Ordog](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/monzo/user_avatar/community.monzo.com/ordog/32/22446_2.png) [@Ordog](https://community.monzo.com/u/Ordog)\ **Post date:** [20 February 2023 13:54 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/13 "2023-02-20T13:54:32Z")
Whether a direct debit or not, it still takes it from your main balance if there isn’t enough in the pot doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![simonlawton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@simonlawton](https://community.monzo.com/u/simonlawton)\ **Post date:** [20 February 2023 14:36 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/14 "2023-02-20T14:36:55Z")
No, might for standing orders but not card payments ---
**Author:** ![Ordog](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/monzo/user_avatar/community.monzo.com/ordog/32/22446_2.png) [@Ordog](https://community.monzo.com/u/Ordog)\ **Post date:** [20 February 2023 14:42 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/15 "2023-02-20T14:42:30Z")
Ah yes, I’ve just read about them. They were created to ringfence your money so makes sense that they get declined: > [@](#): > > Set money aside for an upcoming holiday then book your travel and accommodation from that ringfenced cash. That way you’re in total control of your spending, because you decide where the money comes from and how much you can spend. While you’re away, pay on card from the same Pot to use it as your holiday spending money, so all the expenses for that trip come from one place. > > Holidays are one example of how you’d use paying from a Pot, but there are many others. > > Stop at a café on the way to work and pay for your morning croissant directly from your Pastries Pot. > > Give yourself a self-care budget for things like Deliveroo or beauty treatments and enjoy it, without having to worry about overspending. > > Even create a Pot for making charity donations so you get a statement at the end of the year showing all the causes you supported. > > How you use it is entirely up to you. > **[Take total control of your spending by paying on card, from a Pot](https://monzo.com/blog/pay-on-card-from-a-pot/)** > > Pay from a Pot using a virtual card on Apple Pay or Google Pay. An overdraft for cards connected to pots kind of makes sense… I think 🤔 But also goes against the reason they were created too 🤷 ---
**Author:** ![StuartL](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/monzo/user_avatar/community.monzo.com/stuartl/32/95229_2.png) [@StuartL](https://community.monzo.com/u/StuartL)\ **Post date:** [20 February 2023 15:07 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/16 "2023-02-20T15:07:26Z")
Would be good if you could allocate a certain portion of your overdraft to different pots though. That way you could still have the intended segregation plus some wiggle room. e.g. Bills pot can use up to £100 of my overdraft but my RSPCA pot with linked virtual card can’t go into the overdraft at all ---
**Author:** ![mrchristianwebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dfb087/32.png) [@mrchristianwebb](https://community.monzo.com/u/mrchristianwebb)\ **Post date:** [15 November 2024 14:16 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/17 "2024-11-15T14:16:16Z")
I would tend to agree with you, but other banks like TSB offer an auto-balance function to avoid this. I would really welcome this option. ---
**Author:** ![mrchristianwebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dfb087/32.png) [@mrchristianwebb](https://community.monzo.com/u/mrchristianwebb)\ **Post date:** [15 November 2024 14:21 UTC](https://community.monzo.com/t/use-overdrafts-within-pots/144404/18 "2024-11-15T14:21:18Z")
There is now the option to create a safety net saver in Monzo. Wonder if you could set a current account minimum balance (mine is £5) and top up from the safety net every time you get overdrawn? I put all my ‘spending money’ (after putting my arranged expenditure into pots) into a high interest savings account which pays interest daily. I what I need every week onto my Chase card for 1% cashback. However, sometimes I spend on Monzo for the cashback/convenience of the overdraft, then I top my money back up from a ‘overflow/safety net’ pot. TSB already has a function where they auto-balance from your savings if you get overdrawn. just seems like a useful way to avoid overdraft fees. Hope Monzo considers this. It makes sense to be able to take this from the 'safety net ’ pot you can create.