The Top Regular Savers Discussion Thread

masonic · 2026-08-12T17:43:32+00:00

Providers (must?) give an illustrated interest figure in their summary information that will usually be based on paying the maximum into the account on the 1st of each month. It won't cover 13th payments and other tricks, but gives a guide to the approximate amount you could receive. But it is questionable whether such a figure should be given much weight in making comparisons.

allegro120 · 2026-08-12T17:48:14+00:00

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82100447#Comment_82100447

ESBS

I also received email today. Logged in and account was already showing. It was just before 5pm so I will fund it tomorrow (not sure when their cut off time is).

clairec666 · 2026-08-12T18:03:43+00:00

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82100986#Comment_82100986

The estimated balance calculation is, as you mention, based on opening and funding on the 1st of each month. I think what @Slinky wanted to know was the maximum possible interest with optimal funding strategy etc.

It's difficult to calculate exactly, what with different length months, whether you can fund on non-working days, etc.

As a rough guide, use the provider's "expected balance" as a starting point. Accounts like First Direct which work on a "monthiversary" basis will be pretty close to that value. For all other accounts, my crude calculations suggest that opening as late as possible in the month then funding on the 1st for each subsequent month could gain you 14-15%. For accounts which don't process your deposits on a non-working day, bring your estimate down a touch as you won't always be able to fund on the 1st each month. But it'll differ from year to year.

As for 13th payments, you'll clearly get more interest overall compared to the standard 12, but you'll have deposited more too, so it's harder to make a direct comparison.

Slinky · 2026-08-12T18:47:36+00:00

Thanks Bridlington for considering my suggestion.

When I mentioned perfect, what I meant was a maximum contribution record, not the strategy of wringing out every last groat and farthing!

Without knowing until mentioned above about the Regular Savings Calculator, (which seems to be buried somewhere not obvious on the website!), I made rough calculations for 12 months by multiplying total contribution, by percentage interest rate, and dividing by 2, which will do me for now until I can run everything through the RSC.

allegro120 · 2026-08-12T18:48:26+00:00

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82100986#Comment_82100986

They probably must because this piece of information is always present in “key facts”. I always skip this section. It doesn’t help with making a decision whether to apply for an account or not and I don’t like counting money that I have not yet earned😀

Joseph1215 · 2026-08-12T18:58:46+00:00

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82100957#Comment_82100957

I got locked out yesterday using a mobile phone. No room on the screen for the code boxes. I tried on a laptap this morning and it was fine. Only seems to happen with Beverley, although they use the same portal as a lot of others.

Bridlington1 · 2026-08-12T19:25:19+00:00

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82100986#Comment_82100986

Indeed, if you look at total interest earned a 5% RS with a £500/mth max deposit is more valuable over a year than a 10% RS with a £50/mth max deposit, but in my case the 10% RS would be much more valuable as the vast majority of my savings are at 6%+ anyway.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101043#Comment_82101043

No worries, for a slightly more accurate figure for the 12 months, instead of dividing by 2, you could multiply by 13/24.

At the end of the day though even if the method of calculating the figure was universally agreed, the rest of my reasons would still stand.

Any further suggestions though feel free to let me know, as others will testify I do implement some suggestions, and a lot of thought has to go into any decision to implement it.

Bobblehat · 2026-08-12T19:41:09+00:00

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101043#Comment_82101043

When I open a new RS I set up a table in a spreadsheet to give what I think is as close an approximation as possible of the likely interest the RS will generate. It gives me an idea of how much I might have to shift (manipulate) if I get close to the £10K self-assessment threshold over all of my RSs and other taxable saving account interests. It also helps to plan ahead with funding ongoing RS (or other) from the proceeds of recently matured RSs.

I take into account whether I pay the first two payments (e.g. 29th and then 1st of next month manually from funds generated from the previous maturing RS) and also the days any following Standing Orders will go out, including when SOs are shifted due to weekends and Bank Hols. The table can easily cope with rate changes and either 12 or 13 payments or any other combination of, for example 6, 10, 15, 18 or 24 months. It also copes with generating a broad estimate of the interest generated from the funding remaining in the EA holding account. All done by simple copy and paste from previously generated tables to reduce the work required.

The point of all this preamble is to say …. even though I try to take into account all the factors that might influence the final interest payment … my prediction, seldom, if ever, matches the actual interest generated! Sometimes it's within pennies (Great!), sometimes it's quite a few quid out(?).

For @Bridlington1 to put one figure to represent the interest generated from just one set of many variable factors for each RS would be almost pointless, except for a small proportion of those holding that account and funding under those conditions.

I do the calculations because I only hold around 24 RSs (i.e. try to organise 2 maturing each month … but with some variations) … could you imagine the work required to generate the interest for the number of RSs @Bridlington1 lists in his extensive tables … and keep it up to date!!