What is the best short term saving option?

Tantalus86

Hi all, I require your wisdom.

With the current financial situation I'm in, I'm looking for the best short term savings options in order to (hopefully) buy a property in the next few years.

I currently have roughly what I would spend in a year (on everything, rent, food, bills, etc etc) sat in an instant access savings account at 3.06% in case I were to lose my job and/or some other kind of emergency.

In addition to this I have put my full allowance in a cash ISA for this year.

So I'm sat in the quite nice position (for me anyway) of having enough saved away for a rainy day plus my full ISA allowance, for me to consider locking any new savings money away for a period or some riskier saving option to try and increase my return. The question is, what's best to do this?

1) S&S ISA
This has been recommended to me a few times but as I see it I don't consider this a short term solution.

2) Fixed Rate Savings account.
For 1/2/3 years, however the rates on these don't seem particularly attractive atm.

3) Bonds.
Similar to above.

4) P2P Lending
I don't consider these long term options but for a few years they don't seem that bad. I've currently got a zopa account earning approx 6% but are there p2p options?

5) ?
Anything else?

psychic_teabag

Have a look at regular-saver accounts for new savings (or can drip-feed existing savings). Can get up to 8% at the moment, I think.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/608697

For other p2p options, have a look at http://www.p2pmoney.co.uk/