WHEN John started farming, writing a cheque never needed the authority of a credit card to verify it, the written amount of money would be honoured by the bank. Indeed a bank card would be no use on such occasions.

So he has never felt the need for a debit or credit card until now, when as we are planning a long trip away, we have been advised by our travel company for John to take a credit card with us in case of emergencies.

We thought it would be a simple matter for John to apply for one. After all his bank had dealt with him for years and, hopefully, see him as both credit and trustworthy.

Not so. He did not meet their criteria it appeared and had no credit record for them to refer to. It took an appeal to our agricultural business manager to secure him a card after his initial application was rejected.

Tut tutting away we applied to my bank for him to be granted a card as an additional user. They agreed. But another bank would not. Well not initially.

We had to meet a seemingly endless set of criteria and even have his passport authenticated by an authorised individual.

We chose to ask our old GP as he appeared to meet the criteria on the list of accredited persons. But it turned out asking a retired GP was not permissible. This was not clarified on the application, or as a reason to reapply. John was just told to apply again and if I had not persisted and got through to a senior person within the bank, we would probably still be applying. In the end we gave up but at least the bank has acknowledged their lack of clarity and actually put £50 onto my card as an apology.

So we have given up applying for John. It is just too much fuss and when we thought it through, unnecessary. As long as we can get home in an emergency, which we can, we do not need all these cards cluttering up our wallets.

It does mean, however, that I am now chief banker. Master of the wallet. Now that is a risky business. I am certainly not as fiscally responsible as John. Prone to impulse purchases. Fail to keep track of my account. Rack my brain when statements come through as to what I have spent my pennies on.

If only the banks gave out cards based on monetary responsibility rather than the hope that you will be one of life’s big spenders, I would have none and John’s wallet would bulge with plastic.