The Top Easy Access Savings Discussion Area

DragonQ

CarolynCh wrote: »

I just found (by accident on the website) that Halifax offer a "Reward Saver" for current account customers paying in at least £1k per month. The "Reward Saver" is instant access and is paying 2.50% if you make less than 4 withdrawals in 12 months (or reduces to 2.25% if you make 5 or more).

If you're like me and have a Reward Current account just to get the free £5 per month (I just transfer £1k in and most of it straight out once per month) and also have a little in a savings account, it's worth swapping it over to this Reward Saver - really straightforward using online banking, I think it was no more than 3 mouse clicks to open and transfer the money but gives me 2% more interest.

I used to have their Online Saver Reward (not sure if the name is right) which was 2.6% plus the 0.2% reward, in addition to the Reward Current Account which gives £5 per month. However, I switched to Lloyds TSB Vantage, which pays 3% as long as you transfer in £1k per month and keep the balance between £3k and £5k. Wasn't much hassle as I already had a Lloyds TSB Student Account.

G_M wrote: »

Use www.saynoto0870.com. I haven't dialled an 0845/0870 to anyone for years.

Agreed, awesome website. Also look for "international numbers" on bank websites - these work just fine in the UK and are almost always geographic/national numbers that are free to call from mobiles if you're on a contract.

The only time I've ever had to call a premium number was when calling Yodel (delivery company). The only number I could find was 0844 - there were one or two others for HDNL (Yodel before the name change) but they all said I'd called the wrong department and refused to put me through, instead just giving me the 0844 number to call. I even had free 0845 and 0870 calls from my landline at the time but this doesn't include the ever-more-popular 0844 and 0871 numbers!!

cutesluvver

Tried to open Santander Issue 4 account......what a disaster!
Firstly it wouldn't accept my email address in the online application, so I had to do it by phone.
Was told I would receive my registration and pin numbers within days but 3 weeks later I'd heard nothing, so I rang them back up and was passed onto 4 different people before a girl telling me I had failed the security questions she had asked me!
So she advised me to go into my local branch and sort it out myself..........I haven't the time to go into banks which is why I want an online account in the first place!
So on my day off I did go into my branch, got my deposit back and closed the account, ING here I come!!!

dtnewick

I moved to Australia about a year ago & have had a bit of cash sat in my old bank account earning very little. I've finally got round to looking for a better rate (using recommendations from MSE), but I find that the rules state that I need to be a UK resident.

Any tips for best rate/institution for somone investing from overseas?

alanq

Coventry BS Online Saver (2). Ts&Cs very similar to November's Poppy Online Saver but without a charity donation.
3.15% AER including bonus for one year.
4 penalty-free withdrawals per year. 50 days loss of interest on further withdrawals.
http://www.coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk/savings-and-investments/easy-access/online-saver/online-saver.aspx?WT.ac=onlinesaver_flash

rubenrodner

Santander has reduced the interest today to 3% for eSaver accounts

Littleweedj

I just opened Santander's new E saver today without any problems at all - it was set up online within a few minutes. I checked my account and within hours all monies had been transferred as requested.

However, I go for best rate, not loyalty and the previous
e saver's bonus finished this week and decreased to a derisory rate. As per previous post, I had expected 3.10% but it has suddenly reduced to 3%!! As it's an easy access account I will now research for a better rate elsewhere. The way things are currently I think more and more banks will be raising their interest rates in the not too distant future. Well I hope they do, definitely time to give savers a break.

murphydavid

Littleweedj wrote: »

I just opened Santander's new E saver today without any problems at all - it was set up online within a few minutes. I checked my account and within hours all monies had been transferred as requested.

However, I go for best rate, not loyalty and the previous
e saver's bonus finished this week and decreased to a derisory rate. As per previous post, I had expected 3.10% but it has suddenly reduced to 3%!! As it's an easy access account I will now research for a better rate elsewhere. The way things are currently I think more and more banks will be raising their interest rates in the not too distant future. Well I hope they do, definitely time to give savers a break.

Me too.
However I'm more than a bit confused in that the account I opened was called eSaver (Issue 4) and their current one (two days later) is called eSaver (Issue 5). So how do I know that my Issue 4 is not less than 3%?
First I kind of smiled and thought just got in in time to get Issue 4 (3.1%) but when I look at the terms I now see that not only is the rate variable but the bunus is too.
I tried looking at their "interest rates for accounts no longer available" My account is not there unless its the one that says "eSaver (Issue 4) that was A&L eSaver (Issue 1)" in which case I'm getting a very low rate. What a time wasting mishmash.
I have now asked them to clarify.
Some time back I decided not to use Santander again but got hooked thinking to get the best rate. I now wish I had stuck to my resolve.

alanq

West Bromwich BS WeBSave Easy Access (4) w.e.f. 19.3.12. 3.16% AER, Min £10K, 4 penalty-free withdrawals, additional withdrawals 90 days loss of interest.
https://www.emoneyfacts.co.uk/news/savings-news.aspx?newsarticleid=214032

For the sake of 0.01% Coventry BS 3.15% Min £1 with 50 days loss of interest for addition withdrawals looks a better deal.

evenasus

murphydavid wrote: »

Me too.
However I'm more than a bit confused in that the account I opened was called eSaver (Issue 4) and their current one (two days later) is called eSaver (Issue 5). So how do I know that my Issue 4 is not less than 3%?
First I kind of smiled and thought just got in in time to get Issue 4 (3.1%) but when I look at the terms I now see that not only is the rate variable but the bunus is too.
I tried looking at their "interest rates for accounts no longer available" My account is not there unless its the one that says "eSaver (Issue 4) that was A&L eSaver (Issue 1)" in which case I'm getting a very low rate. What a time wasting mishmash.
I have now asked them to clarify.
Some time back I decided not to use Santander again but got hooked thinking to get the best rate. I now wish I had stuck to my resolve.

This shows the E Saver Issue 4 rate.
http://www.santander.co.uk/csgs/StaticBS?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1223416979348&cachecontrol=immediate&ssbinary=true&maxage=3600

murphydavid

evenasus wrote: »

This shows the E Saver Issue 4 rate.
http://www.santander.co.uk/csgs/StaticBS?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1223416979348&cachecontrol=immediate&ssbinary=true&maxage=3600

Thanks for that. Santander also confirmed that as I got in at Issue 4 the rate remains at 3.1% for me so I can re-gain my smile. I do wish they would make it easier for me to keep track of it, evidently they have two accounts no longer available called esaver Issue 4 and the most recent one (mine) is not yet on their pdf document showing all these older accounts.
I still have not worked out if this 3.1% can be changed within the bonus year or not. It would be nice to know that I don't have to keep checking it.