a French bank account in which to put some spare cash..

[mint]

[quote user="Mrs KG"]We've had a LDD and an LEP for some years. The LEP we don't touch but the LDD which pays virtually nothing in interest is for any unexpected expense ie household repairs such as a replacement hot water tank the other year that cost just over 1000 euros and we can transfer the money quickly into the current account if necessary. Mrs KG[/quote]

Mrs KG, I don't agree that the LDD pays "virtually nothing in interest".  It pays the same as a Livret A and stands at 0.75% at the moment.  Whilst it might be peanuts, it's still better than our interest paying account in the UK which is some derisory amount like 0.05%.

Whilst I am here, can you please explain whether the money in a LEP is instant withdrawal or withdrawal with notice or what?  Please answer as I have to be sure of my ground when we have our RV with the conseilleur next Monday; thanks.

[mint]

Please ignore the question in my previous post.  Have found the answer in NH's invaluable link, thanks, Norman.

Can someone please just explain what this phrase means, it's under conditions for deposits and withdrawals in the link:

Aucune opération ne peut avoir pour effet de rendre le compte débiteur.

I guess it's in financialese and that is one language in which my knowledge is definitely lacking[:)]

[Doodle]

"Mrs KG, I don't agree that the LDD pays "virtually nothing in interest". It pays the same as a Livret A and stands at 0.75% at the moment. Whilst it might be peanuts, it's still better than our interest paying account in the UK which is some derisory amount like 0.05%."

Agreed but my LEP as referred to in my post pays an amazing 1.25%! Mrs KG

[NormanH]

On the other hand many people here may be over the limit to qualify for a LEP

I think that phrase simply means that you can't do anything that would make the account go into the red..

[mint]

Thank you, Norman, for explaining that phrase.  I thought it meant that as well so it's good to have my understanding confirmed.

Worth a try even if over the limit.  There is a note to say that if you expect your income to fall, they will take that into consideration.  So, with Brexit and the expected drop in sterling, you might just be able to get one?

[nomoss]

[quote user="mint"]Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha!  I am so reassured......er may be not......[:D]  I keep hearing about robots getting cleverer than humans. .............................................................

[/quote]

I think that's only cleverer than some humans[:D]

[mint]

Er, nm, I wish I could say that I could count THIS human in your "some" humans[:-))]

[mint]

Just seen Harnser's and andy's replies so apologies for my late response.

What I do is exactly what Harnser has suggested:  leave the money in our UK accounts until we need some and then I tend to change enough for at least 6 months' bill payments.  For day-to-day shopping, purchases on line, petrol, medical bills (no, not big ones other than to the dentist and optician[:(]), I use our credit cards which, being Nationwide ones, get interbank rate and no further charges.

What I have read in a financial publication is that the very fact that you live in an EU country COULD mean that UK insurance companies MIGHT be unable to pay your pension, even to your UK bank accounts.  In accordance with what andy has said above.

So, in such a situation, I want to be sure that we would have enough of the reddies until, one hopes, it all gets sorted out and they find, by tweaking the system, that they could pay us after all!  I find it hard to believe that suddenly hundreds of thousands of UK people living in the EU could be indefinitely deprived of their private pensions[:-))] 

I said "hard to believe" but these are crazy times and the formerly unbelievable could indeed become everyday reality;