Where the heck do I put all of my money?

Arriving in the UK in a few months and have heard nothing but horror stories on the difficulty it is to obtain a bank account, especially if you don't have a job yet.

I was told HSBC has a special passport account but when I filed for bankruptcy a couple years ago I owed HSBC 20k so me getting an account with them in my remaining lifetime is not an option.

What are my options?

When I arrived it was extremely easy to open a bank account. I went to a Barclays close by and opened the bank account that day. Be sure to bring with you your latest bank statement and of course your passport. Since you don't have any credit you can only get the lowest card, but you can always upgrade later on.

The card usually arrives at the address you provide them within about 4-5 days.

Be sure to bring with you your latest bank statement.

I have a bunch of $ in a bank of Montreal account currently. So just bring my most recent bmo statement with me???
Doesn't make any sense because I will be closing my account right before I leave Canada so that account will not exist anymore.

I'm not 100% sure, but it should still work. I still have my account open in Canada while I'm here. The bank statement should be to prove that you're in good standing with your bank and possibly an alternative way to get ahold of you if you do leave the country. If anyone has any experience with closing their account that might be better.

the default solution often tends to be to stick it away in a savings account or certificate of deposit. Next to spending it or placing it under your mattress, this is about the worst thing you can do with your extra income, but more on that later. In general, one of the toughest decisions to make in personal finance is to figure out where the heck to put your money because it involves answering a lot of tough questions. Let’s get the easy parts out of the way first.