Cash ISAs: The Best Currently Available List

Paul_Herring

tiptoe_mouse wrote: »

Only hitch is the interest is stuck outside the tax shelter forever.

That only applies if you don't put it back into an ISA shelter before April '09. (i.e. you have until then to make up your mind whether or not to keep it out.)

tiptoe_mouse

Paul_Herring wrote: »

That only applies if you don't put it back into an ISA shelter before April '09. (i.e. you have until then to make up your mind whether or not to keep it out.)

I probably didn't express myself very well. I certainly intend to put the Icesave payout into an ISA before the tax year.

What I was getting at is the fact that if it was in an ISA now, the interest would be accruing inside the tax shelter. As it is, I won't be able to put the interest I'm earning at the moment into the ISA as the Icesave certificate specifies the amount I can reinvest.

I'm hoping that there will be some new ISAs launched towards the end of the tax year. I'm in no rush to decide on one at the moment whilst interest rates are in such a state of flux.

tiptoe

MarkyMarkD

Kazza242 wrote: »

Do you mean where I have added ':starmod: NEW :starmod:' next to an ISA? If so, then I think you misunderstand what 'NEW' means in this context. It means that an ISA is new to the list (or returning to the list after a period of absence). It doesn't relate to the rate at all.

The ' :staradmin NEW RATE :staradmin' relates to a recent rate change, but I removed all of them immediately after the announcement from the BOE that base rate was being reduced to 1.50%.

If I made that mistake, when I look at your tables frequently, how much more would someone coming to the tables cold be likely to make the mistake?

Unless "NEW RATE" appears anywhere, "NEW" appears to mean "NEW RATE".

Why does it matter if an entry is new to the table?

Kazza242

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

If I made that mistake, when I look at your tables frequently, how much more would someone coming to the tables cold be likely to make the mistake?

Unless "NEW RATE" appears anywhere, "NEW" appears to mean "NEW RATE".

Why does it matter if an entry is new to the table?

As far as I'm aware, you are the only MSE to come to the conclusion that "NEW" means "NEW RATE".:) I've been using the 'flags' for as long as the thread has been going, which is nearly two years now and no one else has (to my knowledge) made the same assumption. Perhaps when I create the new thread later this year, I will add a 'key' which explains what the "NEW" and "NEW RATE" flags mean.

It is important to add a "NEW" flag next to any new addition to the thread, so that people viewing it can quickly see any new ISAs that have been added to the list recently. As it is a pretty long list, it is difficult to spot any new additions without the flags and it is difficult to find out which changes have been made when the list is updated. At present, the flags are very important as the list is changing now on an almost daily basis.

When I do a major update I usually create a post detailing the changes. However, I've done three minor updates this week already and I haven't posted the changes/additions as there'd be too many, but I have added the "NEW" flags to the items added to the list.

fullstop

Noticed a different provider providing a 1 year fixed rate of 3.65% ISA It's The Norwich & Peterborough BS. Rate has not changed since 8/12/08. It accepts transfers in.

http://www.npbs.co.uk/

MarkyMarkD

Thanks for the reply, Kazza. I'm still not sure why it matters if an entry is "new". If your money is already invested, all you need to know is what the best deal is - if you are a rate tart - so you can move your money. Whether that's new or not is irrelevant - it just matters if it's better than your present rate. If your money isn't already invested, again you only care what's best - not what's new.

Kazza242

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, Kazza. I'm still not sure why it matters if an entry is "new". If your money is already invested, all you need to know is what the best deal is - if you are a rate tart - so you can move your money. Whether that's new or not is irrelevant - it just matters if it's better than your present rate. If your money isn't already invested, again you only care what's best - not what's new.

Well, I think your opinion that is isn't important to highlight the new items added to the list, is in the minority going by the responses to the thread and the dozen or so PMs I receive every week from MSEs.

I disagree with what you've posted above. An MSE checking the 'Best ISAs Currently Available List', wants to see not just the rates, but the 'new' items that have been added - probably since their last visit to the thread. It saves time looking through the whole list - when they can quickly look at the 'NEW' items to see if they better the rate that they're currently getting.

The thread operates in a similar way to a website - when adding new items you highlight the changes, so that those visiting the thread can quickly see what's been recently added. It's worked really well during the duration of the thread, so I see no reason to change something that makes it easier for ALL MSEs to see what the latest additions are. Also, as I am the creator of the list and the editor too I get the final say.;)

The_Enforcer

In my view what could accompany the deals new to the list is the date when the rate was last changed (available on the details tabs on products listed at www.moneyfacts.co.uk), as is already displayed next to products that have altered their rates since appearing on the list. This would help the reader to judge which ISAs have factored in recent Bank of England rate changes from those that haven't.

MarkyMarkD

OK, Kazza. Thanks again for the comments.

The Enforcer is reiterating a repeated request - so, Kazza, can we have the last change dates on all rates, not just the recent ones, so people can judge how many rate changes may still be "in the pipeline"?

KingL

Alliance & Leicester Easy ISA - 3.50% (as of 01/01/2009)
Rate guarantee? No. Minimum deposit: £1. Operated via: Internet and Telephone.
Notes: Rate includes a 1.00% bonus payable to 31.09.2009.

The bonus is 1.5% until 15 Feb 2010, according to their website