Bank account without regular salary

Lunah

I'm going to Uni as a mature student in September. I'm taking voluntary redundancy and have a fair bit of savings as have been very frugal for the past few months thanks to this site.

I need a bank/savings account to put my VR and savings, get a good rate and a cashcard that allows me to regularly withdraw.

The problem is, most of the decent interest rate bank accounts require a regular salary to be put in (which I won't have) or the best rate savings account seem to be all online without an ATM card.

Can anyone advise? Not particularly bothered about it being a 'student' account, just the one that's best for me.

Thanks in advance

DrSyn

I am going to assume you already have some type of bank account,which has a debt (ATM) card attached. Where you can keep a ready cash float for every day spending.


Why not place most of the money in a telephone quick access savings account, that pays a reasonably good rate of interest (at least for the first year). When you need more money,transfer it from the savings account to your bank account.

I suggest the follwing:

ING Direct Savings (3% for first year)
Anglo Irish Bank, Easy acess account (issue 3). 2.4%
Saga Telephone Saver (if your over 50). 2.75%

Telephone Savings account rates can be found at vatiou sites, such as: www.thisismoney.co.uk