Most online shops want you to pay for your goods with either a credit or debit card, which makes things tricky for people without bank accounts. If you don’t have either a credit or debit card, you may be able to use a prepaid card.

Click here to find out more about prepaid cards.

Online payment-processing companies

A lot of people selling on the Internet use a separate company to handle payments for them. They do this because it is easier for them and because these specialist companies are experts at handling electronic payments and making sure money is sent and received safely.

When you shop on the Internet, you might be asked to pay through one of these companies. It won’t cost anything extra but you usually have to register and will need an email account. It’s also likely that you will click through to the company’s own website to make your payment.

For more information see the Money Made Clear website and read the section on Online e-money accounts.

If you concerned about the safety of making payments online, see our page: Is it safe?