Not wanting to be political....BUT!

ecosse48

As regulars here are all to aware it's desperate trying to find a decent return for our savings.

Goodness knows what the future holds for the thrifty if D Cameron gets into power... He has spent part of his day slating NH&I for "stifling the private sector" with their unrealistic generous interest rates for both 1 & 2 year bonds....

The fact he appears to be out of date given the bonds were withdrawn last wk much to the chagrin of many here is irrelevant....what he thinks the prudent are due is very worrying ..

Where now !!!!!:mad:

bendix

On the contrary. It is incredibly easy to find a decent return for your savings, but you have to have a bit more imagination than the usual 'stick in the bank' mentality.

Corporate bonds for example. If you buy them to maturity and buy direct rather than through managed funds can easily guarantee you 5-6% without breaking into a sweat, and much more if you want to take a punt.

gozomark

Also, 3%+ in an instant access account v inflation of 1% or less, is a very decent return...

Blah99

Gilts are also an option:
http://www.dmo.gov.uk/index.aspx?page=Gilts/Buysell

Debt_Free_Chick

gozomark wrote: »

Also, 3%+ in an instant access account v inflation of 1% or less, is a very decent return...

I'm not so sure. For a basic rate tax payer, the net rate is only 2.4% and a miserable 1.8% for a higher rate taxpayer.

CPI was 1.5% in October and the markets expect long term inflation to be in the order of 3.5%.

Debt_Free_Chick

ecosse48 wrote: »

Goodness knows what the future holds for the thrifty if D Cameron gets into power... He has spent part of his day slating NH&I for "stifling the private sector" with their unrealistic generous interest rates for both 1 & 2 year bonds....

Does he have a point, though? The Government is paying a rate of interest that the private sector can't obtain in the market. So, is the Government just "spending" money it doesn't have?

(I assume you mean NS&I ...?)

To be honest, it's all too complex - there are too many interlinking factors and I don't pretend to understand half of them, let alone the sum total!

purch

Goodness knows what the future holds for the thrifty if D Cameron gets into power...

Yes, I can see where you are coming from. :rolleyes:

Gordon the Moron has done 'wonders' for all of our futures.

ecosse48

Bendix, RE using your imagination, You have a point, but As one whom has wasted a small fortune over the years, including loosing not a little on share trading, no ones fault but my own :mad: If only MSE was about at the time.!! But as I head for OAP retiral,(for the moment I have retired early due to ill health) I am much more cautious with my cash now
My view is Mr Cameron would be better served looking after the interest of savers, whom are voters, rather than slavishly serving the financial instutions. Surely the banks should be trying to match or better NS&I not go running to politicians whom support them to lobby the govt to remove the bonds.... It's a sad sign of the times I think when the govt can beat out of site the rates offered by banks for our savings......

DFC, yeah I meant the NS&I ;-)
I agree with you 2.4 for a basic rate tax payer is lamentable, this from the crooks that are busily trying to figure ways to pay themselves unearned bonuses


Purch, LOL ;-) poor GB ..NOT

In truth, despite their protestations I reckon that no matter who was in power at the time bailing out the banks was a no brainer, what a mess we would be in if GB never did it. That in no wise excuses him for the mess both the economy and our reserves were/are in......


Time for savers to rebel :beer: