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Now you can give your child a great start to managing their money with their own Smart Start Spending and Savings Accounts. They’ll learn how to look after their own money and we’ll be there to support them.
To help you help them, to manage their own money, you can keep an eye on their accounts through your own banking app and Internet Banking. And you won’t need to worry, as Smart Start has set limits on what your child can spend. So they can’t spend money they don’t have.
With their Spending Account they’ll enjoy having their own contactless VISA debit card, to use in shops and online, giving them the freedom to manage their own money.
When it comes to their Savings Account, they’ll learn good savings habits and the value of setting money aside. As an incentive to save, they can even rename their account, to anything they like, such as ‘my new pair of trainers’. And, they’ll also have instant access to their money.
Through their own Internet Banking, they’ll be able to make payments in and out of their account and stay on top of what they’re spending and saving.
We’ll help your child learn about internet banking and give them tips on managing their money. Plus show them ways to keep their money safe and secure, with information on scams, fraud and how to stay safe online.
It’s easy to open Smart Start, all you need is your own eligible current account with Internet Banking set up.
Help your child get into good money habits and become money confident by opening Smart Start for them today.
Help your child become more money confident - open Smart Start for them today.
Back to topWelcome to Bank of Scotland and your new Smart Start Spending and Savings Accounts.
It’s time to get started and take control of your money.
When your debit card arrives you can buy things with your Spending Account, and you’ll also be able to save for things with your Savings Account. There are lots of great features…
Here’s the key things you need to know to get set up and make the most of your accounts. You’ll find easy-to-follow instructions in your Welcome email.
Number one: Register for Internet Banking so you can start to keep track of your money and manage it online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Ask the parent or legal guardian named on your account to help you, if you need it.
And number two: download our app from the Apple App store or Google Play to bank on the go.
Within a week of opening your account, we’ll send your contactless debit card through the post.
Use it to buy things online and when you’re out and about. As soon as you’ve paid once using your Personal Identification Number, or PIN, you’ll be able to pay contactless with a tap of your card.
You can even use it with Apple Pay if you’re aged 13 or over, or Google Pay once you’re 16. And if you need cash, use your card to withdraw at cash machines in the UK and worldwide.
Just remember that if you’re using your card overseas, charges may apply.
To keep your money safe, your PIN will be posted to you separately.
So, keep looking out for the things we send you.
For now, see more videos and handy tips about Smart Start on our website.
Thanks for choosing Smart Start. We look forward to helping you on every step of your journey.
Here’s how to make the most of your debit card.
First, make sure you’ve signed your card and memorised your PIN.
Think of a PIN as being like a key that unlocks your account and card. It’s just for you and it’s important as it helps to keep your money safe.
You can change your PIN to something easier to remember at any cash machine, but you’ll need to enter the PIN we sent you first, before you can change it to something only you know.
And if you can’t remember it, use our mobile app to view your PIN instantly. Never share or tell anyone your PIN, they could use it to take money out of your account or buy things without you knowing. And remember, never share pictures of your debit card online.
After you’ve made your first debit card purchase using your PIN, you’ll also be able to use your card to pay with contactless. It’s easy to tap your card where you see the Contactless symbol – use this if you’re in a shop and what you’re buying is within the contactless limit.
If you use your debit card to buy things online, remember to stay safe. Look out for the lock in the web browser address bar. It means the website you’re on is secure. On the Smart Start web page you can watch our ‘How to keep your money and your accounts safe’ video for tips to help you.
Of course, you’ll only be able to spend money that’s in your Spending Account. And to help you manage your money, we’ve made it easy for you, by setting spending limits. That way you can be sure you don’t overspend.
If you’ve misplaced your debit card, but know it’s not lost or stolen, you can freeze your card using our Mobile Banking app, to stop it being used online, in shops or in other countries. Then you can unfreeze your card when you find it.
Remember, it’s important you contact us straight away if you think your card is lost or stolen. So we can cancel it, to keep your money safe, and then order you a new one.
We hope you enjoy your new debit card. For more tips and guidance, take a look at our other videos on the Smart Start web page.
Back to topSo, how are you getting on with Smart Start?
Making the most of your Spending and Savings Accounts is as easy as 1, 2, 3.
Step one is to register for Internet Banking. Don’t forget to, as it means you can manage your money any time you like. You might want to ask the parent or legal guardian named on your account to help you.
Step two is to download our Mobile Banking app. Once you’ve registered for Internet Banking, you can use our app to bank on the go.
And step three is to pay into your Spending and Savings Accounts. Pay money into your Spending Account for everyday use.
It’s also a great idea to put some money away in your Savings Account, either for when you need money unexpectedly or to save up for something special.
If there’s anything you’re not sure how to do, take a look at some of the other videos and information on our Smart Start web page.
We hope you enjoy using Smart Start.
As well as your debit card, discover other ways to pay money in and make payments with your accounts.
There are different ways money can go in and out of your accounts .
A Bank Transfer is when money goes from one person’s account to another’s. Someone could pay you like this by sending money from their bank account to yours, using the account number and sort code found via our Mobile Banking app and Internet Banking.
A Direct Debit is when you give a company permission to take money out of your account on a set date, or nearest working day. You could use a Direct Debit to pay for something you want to pay regularly - like a monthly subscription for the gym.
A Standing Order is a payment that is always the same amount of money, going out of your account on a day and frequency you choose. For example, you could use it to make a payment to your Smart Start Savings Account on the 1st of every month. You can set an end date on your Standing Orders, or it can be ongoing until you cancel it. You can see these payments using our Mobile Banking app and Internet Banking.
Also, if someone gives you a cheque, you can pay it into your Smart Start Spending Account by using our app and following the steps provided, including taking a picture of the cheque.
Another way to pay is using Google Pay® if you’re at least 16 years old, or Apple Pay® if you’re aged 13 or over. This is a quick and easy way to pay with your phone, as long as your phone supports it.
Once you’ve set up Apple Pay or Google Pay, you’ll be able to use your phone just like your debit card when you see the Contactless symbol in-store – just tap and pay.
To help you manage your money, we’ve set up payment and spending limits. You can see these limits in your Smart Start Welcome Pack.
And if you’re nearly at your balance limit, and have smart alerts set up on our app, we’ll send you a notification.
Don't forget, you can keep track of your balance anytime by logging onto our Mobile Banking app, tablet or Internet Banking using a computer.
So, now you know about payments, don’t forget to watch our other videos that help you with your Spending and Savings Accounts. You’ll find them on the Smart Start web page.
Back to topWhen it comes to taking care of your accounts and your money, the most important thing is to keep it safe from fraud. Fraud is when someone tricks you into losing your money.
Together, we can beat the fraudsters. Here are three vital steps that will help you avoid scams.
Number one: stay safe with your card.
Remember to keep your debit card with you, inside a purse, wallet or bag – so it’s secure and out of sight.
Never tell anyone your PIN or share photos of your card on social media. And, if you’re using a cash machine, make sure no one can see you enter your PIN.
Don’t forget, if you’ve misplaced your debit card, but know it’s not lost or stolen, you can quickly freeze transactions in shops or in other countries using our Mobile Banking app. Then you can unfreeze your card when you find it.
It’s really important that if you think your card IS lost or stolen you let us know straightaway.
Call 0800 028 8335.
Tell us via Internet Banking, our app or by giving us a call and we’ll cancel it for you and order you a new one.
Number two of our three steps to staying safe is ‘Bank safely’. With Internet Banking you can do your banking anytime, anywhere, using your mobile phone, tablet or computer. So make sure you stay alert to stay safe.
When you’re banking online or with your app, never share your account or personal details and always remember to log out when you’ve finished. So make sure you stay alert to stay safe.
Some fraudsters may try to trick you by phoning, texting or emailing you and pretending to be your bank asking for your account details, like your password or PIN, or asking you to transfer money into a new account. We would never do this. If you’re not sure who’s calling you, stay safe by hanging up.
Unsure about a call?
Hang up.
Got a strange text or email?
Don’t reply.
And never reply or click on links in suspicious text messages or emails.
Step three is to stay safe shopping online. Shopping online can be easy and save you time. But not all websites are safe.
Look out for the lock in the web browser address bar. It means the website you’re on is secure.
There are more helpful tips for fighting fraud on our website. And, for other useful advice, watch the rest of our videos on the Smart Start web page.
Be sure to keep your card safe, bank safe and shop safe as you enjoy Smart Start.
Saving and spending tips.
Your Smart Start Spending Account is for everyday spending, while your Smart Start Savings Account is for putting money aside to save up for something you want – like a pair of trainers, a new game or a mobile phone.
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your accounts.
Tips to help you spend and save.
Seeing how much money you have in your Spending Account is important. This is called your ‘balance’. If you know how much money you have, you can learn to budget. And that means you can plan out your money, making sure you don’t spend more than you have or want to spend.
To help you manage your money we’ve set up payment and spending limits. You can see these limits in your Smart Start Welcome Pack.
Having a Savings Account means you can put money away every week, every month or whenever you’d like to.
It’s easy to ‘transfer’ money between your Spending and Savings Accounts. This means ‘moving’ money from one account to the other, and you can do it anywhere with the Mobile Banking app , a tablet or with Internet Banking on a computer.
Saving a little when you can, could help you reach your savings goal.
Also, naming your Savings Account after the thing you’re saving for can make it fun when watching your savings grow.
Another great way to save easily is to switch on Save the Change®.
Every time you buy something on your debit card, we'll round up the amount you spent to the nearest pound, and move the difference from your Spending Account into your Savings Account.
Enjoy making the most of your money, and if there’s anything you’re not sure how to do, check out our Smart Start web page for more information and helpful videos.
Back to topSave the Change® is a registered trademark and used under licence.