Pectolase and slow motion
I went into town today on the bus to get the pectolase I need to start my batch of gooseberry wine. Before going I tried to pay my electricity bill by phone which I’ll get two quid off if they get the money by tomorrow. They said I can’t do a fast payment on this transaction – it’ll take a few days. I decided to pay by cash in the bank, so there wouldn’t be any problem. Ha!
I waited quite a few minutes to be served in this larger branch of Lloyds TSB and was told that paying by cash makes no difference and it will still take up to four days for payment to get to…. [she hunted on the bill for which bank was to receive payment] … NatWest. I thoughtthe reason it takes a while is because they have to make sure I have funds and that the payment clears. Never mind. I said I’d hang on to my money and left. It’s not urgent but I wanted my prompt payment bonus.
I went to a branch of NatWest brandishing a bundle of notes and asked whether if I pay cash over the counter, it will be credited to the recipient immediately. No – it still takes up to four days! She said the physical piece of paper has to…. something or other – I’d already started to mumble my disdain and move away.
How pathetic that banks in the days of instant everything still take for ever to transfer money. Funny how they’re the ones to benefit from this slow motion as they treat the money as their own to do with as they like while it’s in their possession.