Credit Card - paying off

[HarryM1BYT]

I have an Halifax direct debit set up, to pay my credit card off at the end of each month. I don't keep much on the debit card, so I have to top it up in time - 10th.

On the 7th, I noticed my card was getting close to the payment day and there wasn't enough on the debit, so I paid the CC off in full directly from another card with lots of funds.

The CC despite having been paid off still took the amount from my DC, causing that to be overdrawn and in time they would be charging me £15 for the privilege, plus putting the CC into credit.

This is the second time this same thing has happened, but like before I got them to either drop the charges under threat of taking the considerable amount of credit in my accounts with them elsewhere. They gave in, but I would rather avoid having to bully them in future.

I do find it very confusing the date when the CC takes the payment, because it varies every month.

The DC earns no interest, so I keep nothing in it, the savings account does.

It would be good for it to all work automatically, where the money is transferred directly from savings account, to CC - or from savings account to DB just in time and the amount needed to pay the CC, but the Halifax say it cannot be done.

So I'm looking for another strategy, which doesn't rely on me to go through the hassle of shuffling funds about. Anyone???

To add to my problems, I almost lost all access to the internet, after the 7th, with emails going missing and almost no ability to browse, due to ISP problems.