Small investment/savings advice sought

Zero_Sum

You could open multiple bank accounts with limited higher interest & linked reg savers then recycle cash through them. Its a bit of effort but should beat inflation as theres currently 3 reg savers paying 5%. Nationwide pays 5% on £2500 for a year & TSB pays 3% on £1500.

You could dabble with Ratesetter which is probably the p2p platform with the smallest risk. You can get 3% for easy access or 4%ish for 1 year fix

Alexland

Zero_Sum wrote: »

You could dabble with Ratesetter which is probably the p2p platform with the smallest risk. You can get 3% for easy access or 4%ish for 1 year fix

With P2P it might look like a good steady return but the risk of sudden 100% loss is much worse than S&S volatility from a balanced mainstream investment product.

Apodemus

I would have given another vote for Premium Bonds as a way for the OP to get an upside chance with no downside risk. But it is clear from the first post that one of the concerns is inflation and associated currency fluctuation. Anyone that seriously worries about costs rising ahead of the returns available would surely bring forward purchases to use up the available cash? I’m not sure what is driving your own personal inflation rate but you could perhaps analyse this a bit further and stockpile as appropriate.

AnotherJoe

OP the problem is, what you want doesn't exist.

The sooner you accept that and look at the actual alternatives, the better.
I also think you have somewhat contradictory statements in that this seems to be a long term investment and yet also you only wish to lock it up for one year which doesn't fit with investments which are the only way to match or beat inflation long term.
I doubt you'll accept this but my suggestion is to partition your money, some, probably the majority, in a long term, trickle-in investment at a low-medium risk level (where you absolutely will see the value fall sometimes) and the rest, enough to cater for your occasional hobby spending, in an immediate access savings account, there are a few around that will give you 1.5% or so.
If you cant accept that, then let us know when you find one of these in the wild, just behind it is the savings account you desire.

Apodemus

Pah! White unicorns are ten-a-penny and so last year! The OP needs a pink one!

AnotherJoe

Apodemus wrote: »

Pah! White unicorns are ten-a-penny and so last year! The OP needs a pink one!

Indeed, they are so rare the only pictures are fakes.

LobsterMemory

Another one for Premium Bonds here

It's the only way with any chance to meet the objectives given the constraints and it's better than what he's doing now

Job done.