The Top Regular Savers Discussion Thread

Pickledonionlover

20122013 said:

Pickledonionlover said:

PowerSavingMode said:

Bridlington1 said:

clairec666 said:

Bridlington1 said:

For the RS nerds among you, I thought I'd mention this:

It appears there's been something of a ``RS drought" of late. The eagle-eyed among you might've noticed that that there hasn't been a single RS launched that is eligible to enter p1 of my thread since 14th November.

If I am not mistaken the previous longest gap between eligible RSs being launched was in May, when there were no eligible RSs launched between 15th and 29th May inclusive.

If another RS isn't launched by the end of the month then that'll be the longest I've gone without adding a new RS to the list since I took over the thread, this could well happen given 1st December is Monday and it's rare RSs are launched over the weekend.

Moreover if you look at the accounts that have been added to p1 of the thread in most recent to oldest:
14/11/25- Newcastle & Manchester Festive RSs are branch opening only so most shan't've been able to open them.
11/11/25- The two Skipton RSs exclude those who hold RSs already unless they close their RSs first so I can imagine most shan't've opened them.
10/11/25- Mkt Harborough is branch opening only so again few shall've opened it.

You have to go back to 3rd November before you find a RS being launched that everyone was immediately eligible for and that could be opened online, but even that was only at 5% and its appeal may be limited given that it doesn't allow early withdrawals/closure.

Yes, I was thinking it had been quiet. Which is quite useful for me actually, because I don't really have the capacity for any extra accounts right now. Hopefully there'll be some good accounts that pop up in January, as my TSB 6% is maturing and their current offer is only 5%.

From a mathematical/statistical viewpoint, there will always be natural peaks and troughs in activity throughout the year, but it might also be influenced by the upcoming base rate review.

I must confess I'm running short of spare funds. I currently have a lot of capacity at 6% (driven largely by having Loughborough's 1YSS at 6% gobbling up £2k/mth) which is drawing a lot of funds out of my lower RSs to the point where I am now nibbling into the NatWest/RBS DRSs.

December's RSs are proving to be a difficult balancing act in my case. I've just about managed to fund my accounts north of 5.5% this month but with next month's maturities I have are only enough to cover those north of 6% and about half of those at 6%. Then there's the complication that the BOE base rate could fall again next month, if it does then I'll be needing to speculate which accounts shall fall and by how much, possibly choosing to fund marginally lower RSs speculatively (as I sometimes did when interest rates were on the rise a few years back).

It's a nice problem to have though.

Yes, indeed. 

Might I ask if anyone is bothering to fund cash ISAs — whether to fund regular savers or not?

At present, I am mostly using a flexible CASH ISA to fund my regular savers. As a F/T (unpaid) carer now, I only have income from regular savers and as much tax-free income from my small private pension as I can afford, plus occasional income withdrawn from a considerably smaller S&S ISA.

As the equivalent (accessible) savings product with a savings rate to beat the CASH ISA I have is 4.975%, I am wondering whether it is worth bothering transfer out to another flexible ISA with a higher rate (one that offer the equivalent of a 5.525% non-ISA saver -- for now!) as my bonus rate ends mid-Feb 2026. But I think I am overthinking and confusing myself...

Perhaps it makes more sense to just fund save RS accounts at 5% and above, as I often dip down to £0 in the CASH ISA funding RS accounts at the beginning of each month and then replacing said funds as others mature.

Exactly what I do.

I pay circa £13k each month from a Virgin flexible ISA at 4.11% (equivalent to 5.13%) to a third party C/A to cover the RS.

So my threshold for new (and current ) RS is this 5.13%.

On Monday I'll have £50 left in the ISA but that'll get bumped up to circa £12k with maturities this next month.

👍 

will there be tax to pay from the interested earned from the RS? even though the funds are from a Flexi Cash ISA?

The funds are taxable (if you exceed your own threshold) only for the period its in the RS i.e. not whilst it's within the ISA

molerat

20122013 said:

will there be tax to pay from the interested earned from the RS? even though the funds are from a Flexi Cash ISA?

Any interest earned outside the ISA is taxable.

surreysaver

20122013 said:

Pickledonionlover said:

PowerSavingMode said:

Bridlington1 said:

clairec666 said:

Bridlington1 said:

For the RS nerds among you, I thought I'd mention this:

It appears there's been something of a ``RS drought" of late. The eagle-eyed among you might've noticed that that there hasn't been a single RS launched that is eligible to enter p1 of my thread since 14th November.

If I am not mistaken the previous longest gap between eligible RSs being launched was in May, when there were no eligible RSs launched between 15th and 29th May inclusive.

If another RS isn't launched by the end of the month then that'll be the longest I've gone without adding a new RS to the list since I took over the thread, this could well happen given 1st December is Monday and it's rare RSs are launched over the weekend.

Moreover if you look at the accounts that have been added to p1 of the thread in most recent to oldest:
14/11/25- Newcastle & Manchester Festive RSs are branch opening only so most shan't've been able to open them.
11/11/25- The two Skipton RSs exclude those who hold RSs already unless they close their RSs first so I can imagine most shan't've opened them.
10/11/25- Mkt Harborough is branch opening only so again few shall've opened it.

You have to go back to 3rd November before you find a RS being launched that everyone was immediately eligible for and that could be opened online, but even that was only at 5% and its appeal may be limited given that it doesn't allow early withdrawals/closure.

Yes, I was thinking it had been quiet. Which is quite useful for me actually, because I don't really have the capacity for any extra accounts right now. Hopefully there'll be some good accounts that pop up in January, as my TSB 6% is maturing and their current offer is only 5%.

From a mathematical/statistical viewpoint, there will always be natural peaks and troughs in activity throughout the year, but it might also be influenced by the upcoming base rate review.

I must confess I'm running short of spare funds. I currently have a lot of capacity at 6% (driven largely by having Loughborough's 1YSS at 6% gobbling up £2k/mth) which is drawing a lot of funds out of my lower RSs to the point where I am now nibbling into the NatWest/RBS DRSs.

December's RSs are proving to be a difficult balancing act in my case. I've just about managed to fund my accounts north of 5.5% this month but with next month's maturities I have are only enough to cover those north of 6% and about half of those at 6%. Then there's the complication that the BOE base rate could fall again next month, if it does then I'll be needing to speculate which accounts shall fall and by how much, possibly choosing to fund marginally lower RSs speculatively (as I sometimes did when interest rates were on the rise a few years back).

It's a nice problem to have though.

Yes, indeed. 

Might I ask if anyone is bothering to fund cash ISAs — whether to fund regular savers or not?

At present, I am mostly using a flexible CASH ISA to fund my regular savers. As a F/T (unpaid) carer now, I only have income from regular savers and as much tax-free income from my small private pension as I can afford, plus occasional income withdrawn from a considerably smaller S&S ISA.

As the equivalent (accessible) savings product with a savings rate to beat the CASH ISA I have is 4.975%, I am wondering whether it is worth bothering transfer out to another flexible ISA with a higher rate (one that offer the equivalent of a 5.525% non-ISA saver -- for now!) as my bonus rate ends mid-Feb 2026. But I think I am overthinking and confusing myself...

Perhaps it makes more sense to just fund save RS accounts at 5% and above, as I often dip down to £0 in the CASH ISA funding RS accounts at the beginning of each month and then replacing said funds as others mature.

Exactly what I do.

I pay circa £13k each month from a Virgin flexible ISA at 4.11% (equivalent to 5.13%) to a third party C/A to cover the RS.

So my threshold for new (and current ) RS is this 5.13%.

On Monday I'll have £50 left in the ISA but that'll get bumped up to circa £12k with maturities this next month.

👍 

will there be tax to pay from the interested earned from the RS? even though the funds are from a Flexi Cash ISA?

You pay tax on interest that is earned outside an ISA. You do not pay tax on interest earned within an ISA. 
Hence why taxable interest is multiplied my 0.8, and non-taxable interest by 1.25 to obtain the non-taxable/taxable equivalent (assuming basic rate tax)

Bob2000

FIRST DIRECT.
l opened my second FD regular saver last night at 9.33pm, after my first  one mature a month or so ago.
After completing the application via my app, it stated it will take three working days to be available to see and fund.
I've just gone on the app, and it's already there! There is currently  no money in my current account, so will the automatic standing order be initiated tomorrow?