The Big Savings Wiki

It wasn’t a poll, it was in the feedback section so there’s the option for people to vote on the idea.

@AlanDoe

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The savings offerings on the HTB website seem to change frequently (for fixed rates at least - they’ll withdraw everything and there will be nothing for a while but then reappear). But they do have the advantage of offering joint savings for fixed and variable rates.

We opened an 18 month fixed rate account at the end of 2022. The application process on the website was easy enough. The credentials for online account logon came through by post so a bit of a wait but nothing major. Once you have an account opened online, I think that to open a second account you have to phone them.

Paying in was easy though not reflected online until next working day I think.

Written communication is clear, professional, nicely done.

There’s no app (not such an issue for savings though) and logon is with a hard to remember user ID.

However on the whole, although I’d never heard of them either, a really good experience and if they have another decent fixed rate we’ll probably stay with them when this one ends in May.

Hope this helps.

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It does @projectfortytwo, thank you. I’ve checked their FCA registration and there is a warning that they are only registered for certain activities. Couldn’t spend the time then to check what the exemptions were. R-

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Returning to this, I have a further question. What difference is there between interest paid monthly and it being paid annually if it’s calculated on a daily basis? Other, that is, what you see in the account balance. R-

It gives you the opportunity (at least with some banks) to have the interest paid out to your nominated account as a monthly income. Apart from that, the AER will be the same, provided that you don’t withdraw the interest.

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Thanks @mikez - that was much more straightforward than I’d imagined. R-

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This question was asked on the MSE Forum and (unsurprisingly) engineered quite some discussion and debate.

The obvious initial advantage is being able to control which tax year your interest is paid (and which PSA it could reflect in).

The debate spiralled quickly into whether you receive the same level of interest, and micro calculations.
For example, one stated that the interest is paid and credited monthly at the gross rate. If this is withdrawn each month it obviously does not compound and so AER may not be achieved.
Another claimed that annual interest is calculated daily at the AER rate, so if you closed an annual interest account down mid-year, you would achieve more interest than a monthly one!

Personally, I don’t care which is correct as I cannot be bothered with micro pennies, but some clearly do.

:person_shrugging: :thinking:

Been looking at saving accounts again, Want an out of sight out of mind kinda thing but also want instant access as it would be for an emergency fund and one that does not have a monthly limit on deposits and withdrawals.

Been eyeing up chip and Wealthify but Chip being app based only means the app is always there on my phone looking at me. :smiley: Anyone got any bad experiences with either or any othe recommendations?

I find the Zopa ISA very appealing. I’m getting 5.08% on a flexible cash ISA and withdrawals and deposits appear in minutes. You can also split it up into pots all in the same ISA which I find to be very handy.

You could try Paragon. No app, not bad rates. Access via website.

Opened a Wealthify instant access and a chip instant access.

Initial deposit to chip worked well via open banking with RBS, Tested a withdrawal and was instant. Now RBS keeps blocking me from depositing again. :smiley:

Wealthify initial deposit as a test of £20, Failed with RBS, worked with Nationwide. Test withdrawal of £19 yesterday at 5.50pm and it is still not processed. Under manual review they say, but because it was after 5.30pm they don’t do manual reviews until they next day :rofl: :rofl: so much for instant access.

The fraud algorithms don’t like this sort of activity.

I had same with TSB and Moneybox last week. So stressful that I won’t be depositing any more in that particular ISA.

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yea I mean I understand why but it’s a pain in the arse.

Have also noticed that the Chip app doesn’t work while on my works wifi network and the phone signal here is terrible so can’t access the app at all.

may check out Tandem

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Won’t be for everyone but Yorkshire Building Society has a £50 monthly esaver at 8% (variable), with three withdrawal dates per year.

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I need a pay raise to keep up with all these regular savings accounts :grin:

Opened mine this morning, along with a HSBC RS @ 7% FIXED.

Though no withdrawals on that one, other than closure which then reduces the interest rate to a paltry amount.