The Top Regular Savers Discussion Thread

vandanfc

s71hj said:

Can you have the tsb monthly saver without having a tsb current account? 

It would appear not:

Special conditions: You must have a TSB current account to open this account. If you close your Monthly Saver before the end of the 12 month term, you won't be able to open another account before the first anniversary of this account.

clairec666

s71hj said:

Can you have the tsb monthly saver without having a tsb current account? 

No - "Only available to TSB current account customers". No idea what happens if you close the current account while the monthly saver is open - maybe somebody else can confirm.

I can confirm though that you don't need to keep the standing order to make payments in. I pay in by faster payment from Natwest and it hasn't ever been rejected.

clairec666

gt94sss2 said:

Bridlington1 said:

fuzzzzy said:

chris_the_bee said:

MisterMotivated said:

chris_the_bee said:

Happy one thousandth page!

Suffering from premature celebration...? 

Pre-emptive strike

Happy 10,000th comment? 

I've often thought it would be handy to have a list of bank/building society faster payment cut off times for interest purposes to refer back to, as far as I know this isn't something that has existed anywhere before, so I've decided to compile the list myself.

I have seen similar threads in the distant past on MSE and at least one other forum.

It won't be your intention but some will end up trying to use the information to try and get interest from more then one institution on the same day/balance.

Unsurprisingly, this leads to account closures and bans relatively rapidly 

If someone wants to mess around with multiple transfers in order to gain a relatively small amount of interest, I guess they do so at their own risk. I imagine it would take a significant number of transfers in order to get banned. Admittedly I play the system a little bit - I'm stripping out my Natwest DRS to fund other accounts, and unless it's to an account with an earlier cut-off time, I'll wait until after 6.30, hoping that Natwest will still pay out interest for that day. Can't see how this behaviour can get me banned though. 6.30 is also the time I get in from work, so that's when I'll so my evening banking activities. And I haven't bothered making any calculations to see if I've actually got double interest. It'll only be a few pence each month anyway.

Confused_Dog

PixelPound said:

What's your biggest factor for choosing a RS?

- Highest interest rate? 

- fixed rate of interest? 

- withdrawal options? 

- Monthly Deposit limits? 

Obviously a High interest earns as much as you can (barring BoE cuts), where as fixed could beat these if there is more than a couple of cuts during the term. Maybe it's where you keep the emergency fund, so an option to withdraw it if something happens and it's needed is a big factor. Or maybe you don't like faffing around with lots of small monthly amounts and one with a high deposit limit means bigger total interest at the end. 

For me, in order:

• Decent, high interest rate that remains competitive throughout the term .
• The ability to open and operate the account online.  This is because is I am disabled with a mobility impairment.  I live near the operating area of Messrs Dudley Building Society but going to a branch with a load of forms, cash, passport and bills is a faff when you have limited support.
• Relatively \easy Access withdrawal options.  Not just for withdrawing to move the money to a more competetive account should a rate drop like a stone, but also if we have something we need to pay for urgently like a plumbing emergency or a washing machine.

Darlington Building Society have hit the sweet spot with their Regular Savings offerings, their most recent one offers two withdrawals a year, the third closes the account and the Interest Rate of the current issue 3 is 4.75%.  https://www.darlington.co.uk/savings-account/12-month-regular-saver/  Should "events" intervene with further cuts in interest rates from the Bank of England in 2026 then 4.75% may be looking good in the summer.

Stargunner

Confused_Dog said:

PixelPound said:

What's your biggest factor for choosing a RS?

- Highest interest rate? 

- fixed rate of interest? 

- withdrawal options? 

- Monthly Deposit limits? 

Obviously a High interest earns as much as you can (barring BoE cuts), where as fixed could beat these if there is more than a couple of cuts during the term. Maybe it's where you keep the emergency fund, so an option to withdraw it if something happens and it's needed is a big factor. Or maybe you don't like faffing around with lots of small monthly amounts and one with a high deposit limit means bigger total interest at the end. 

For me, in order:

• Decent, high interest rate that remains competitive throughout the term .
• The ability to open and operate the account online.  This is because is I am disabled with a mobility impairment.  I live near the operating area of Messrs Dudley Building Society but going to a branch with a load of forms, cash, passport and bills is a faff when you have limited support.
• Relatively \easy Access withdrawal options.  Not just for withdrawing to move the money to a more competetive account should a rate drop like a stone, but also if we have something we need to pay for urgently like a plumbing emergency or a washing machine.

Darlington Building Society have hit the sweet spot with their Regular Savings offerings, their most recent one offers two withdrawals a year, the third closes the account and the Interest Rate of the current issue 3 is 4.75%.  https://www.darlington.co.uk/savings-account/12-month-regular-saver/  Should "events" intervene with further cuts in interest rates from the Bank of England in 2026 then 4.75% may be looking good in the summer.

The interest rate is variable, so if there are any further BOE cuts, then this could also be cut. 

There are far too many regular savers paying more than 4,75%, so this is of no interest to me.

Born2Save_3

Hattie627 said:

surreysaver said:

PixelPound said:

What's your biggest factor for choosing a RS?

- Highest interest rate? 

- fixed rate of interest? 

- withdrawal options? 

- Monthly Deposit limits? 

Obviously a High interest earns as much as you can (barring BoE cuts), where as fixed could beat these if there is more than a couple of cuts during the term. Maybe it's where you keep the emergency fund, so an option to withdraw it if something happens and it's needed is a big factor. Or maybe you don't like faffing around with lots of small monthly amounts and one with a high deposit limit means bigger total interest at the end. 

The higher the rate, the more effort I'm willing to go to to open it.

Deposit limits are irrelevant for me.

The lower the rate, I look at how much effort it is to operate the account (can I do it online?). Is the rate fixed? Is it easy access? (so I can withdraw money should the rate become uncompetitive).

I will open an uncompetitive account just to become a member of an organisation I am not a member of, to be in a position to secure any loyalty accounts and to make it easier to apply for accounts with that organisation in the future, but I will only pay the minimum into such accounts.

For example, three weeks ago I travelled to Manchester, Market Harborough and Durham to open Manchester's, Market Harborough's and Newcastle's Festive Regular Savers.
Last week I travelled to Stoke and Edinburgh to open Hanley's and Scottish's Regular Savers.
But when making such trips, I try to combine them with a visit to the area as a tourist as well. Owing to the industry I work in, it doesn't cost me anything (apart from my time) to make such trips.

I can travel for free anywhere in Scotland on the buses with my over 60 bus pass. Unfortunately there isn't much in the way of local building societies in Scotland except Scottish BS in Edinburgh. It would be great if my travel pass would take me to northern England. I'd be delighted to visit all the nice places there like Penrith, Furness, Newcastle, Darlington etc, might even make it as far as Yorkshire or Lancashire for Chorley, Leeds, Manchester. Midlands or Wales might be a bit too far just for account opening, unless I could open 3 or 4 in one trip. Perhaps better to avoid darkening the door of Principality BS in case they haul me in for questioning.

If you can estimate the profit you'd make on Northern England branch based RS and how much the travel may cost you. Your Scottish bus pass could get you to the Scotland/England border.  There is a NCL BS branch at Berwick upon Tweed.

I've seen some very reasonable day rover bus tickets in North East England. It's been a long time since I used one, but I did have a look at some recently. This could get you to other NCL BS branches. 

But it may be better to head West for Cumbria as there are three local BS there (Penrith Building Society, Furness Building Society and Cumberland Building Society), plus there is a NCL BS branch in Carlisle.  I think there would be day rover tickets around Cumbria, plus I've seen some bus companies keep the £2 single journey tickets too.  Of course accommodation would significantly increase the cost. You could consider this a holiday with a purpose as these areas are quite pleasant.

Born2Save_3

Confused_Dog said:

PixelPound said:

What's your biggest factor for choosing a RS?

- Highest interest rate? 

- fixed rate of interest? 

- withdrawal options? 

- Monthly Deposit limits? 

Obviously a High interest earns as much as you can (barring BoE cuts), where as fixed could beat these if there is more than a couple of cuts during the term. Maybe it's where you keep the emergency fund, so an option to withdraw it if something happens and it's needed is a big factor. Or maybe you don't like faffing around with lots of small monthly amounts and one with a high deposit limit means bigger total interest at the end. 

For me, in order:

• Decent, high interest rate that remains competitive throughout the term .
• The ability to open and operate the account online.  This is because is I am disabled with a mobility impairment.  I live near the operating area of Messrs Dudley Building Society but going to a branch with a load of forms, cash, passport and bills is a faff when you have limited support.
• Relatively \easy Access withdrawal options.  Not just for withdrawing to move the money to a more competetive account should a rate drop like a stone, but also if we have something we need to pay for urgently like a plumbing emergency or a washing machine.

Darlington Building Society have hit the sweet spot with their Regular Savings offerings, their most recent one offers two withdrawals a year, the third closes the account and the Interest Rate of the current issue 3 is 4.75%.  https://www.darlington.co.uk/savings-account/12-month-regular-saver/  Should "events" intervene with further cuts in interest rates from the Bank of England in 2026 then 4.75% may be looking good in the summer.

Interesting that you highlight Darlington.  Shame they didn't have a commemorative RS for the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway this year.

Archerychick

Dizzycap said:

judgingjudy said:

RBS Digital Regular Saver

I’ve had a payment bounced back today for funds I’ve added to this account to replace money that was withdrawn earlier in the month. 

The amount seems random as I’d taken out about £1425 on the 2nd, funded it last week with around £1220 from a matured Principality RS so had another £200 or so to pay back in when I get paid on Monday. 

They’ve today returned £676 and a few pence to me, saying I can only add £150 per month. Don’t know where they got the £676.xx from, and I’ve not had this problem before, but I’m not going to pick at that thread as it doesn’t actually state anywhere in the T&Cs that this is permitted, and I don’t want to draw attention to the fact I’ve done this a couple of times. 

A shame if this loophole has been closed, especially on the day an interest rate cut has been announced (although at 5.25% this account will be now less attractive than my ISA)

I had the same with my RBS Digital RS. I withdrew £2k on the 5th December and replaced it back in full on the 12th only to have £1099 (?) returned to my RBS Current account with the message you can only deposit £150 per month. As the interest rate for the digital RS will be cut to 5.25% as of 19th January 2026, I'm in no rush to replace the returned amount and will just add monthly funds with whats left over / compound interest.

The same has also happened with my Natwest Digital RS (Interest rate cut to 5.25% as of 19th January 2026) It was a nice loophole while it lasted!

Is anyone having issues with trying to open a Dudley BS 5.5% Var Online Festive RS? I keep getting an unsuccessful due to technical issues message along with the BS telephone number after submitting my online application?

How quickly did your funds bounce back from the NatWest RS? I had taken some funds out at the start of this month to fund other RS, and put back in £200 of it yesterday lunchtime. This hasn’t bounced back into my current account yet. 

invuk

Sorry if this sounds a bit thick but if you open a monthly saver does that mean you can deposit the maximum in each calender month at any time? In other words I could deposit the limit on 31/12/25 and 01/01/26. New to all this so just trying to get my head round it all! I appreciate the input from everyone on here by the way. TIA.

clairec666

A couple of niche regular saver questions:

1) Anyone had experience of refreshing Monmouthshire regular savers? Is it fairly straightforward? I might need to free up some funds in January to fill other accounts, and timing-wise Monmouthshire looks like my best option (not the members RS obviously as this is NLA)

2) Any accounts which allow unused allowance to roll over to the next month? Skipton, First Direct and HSBC come to mind, anyone know of any others?