Saving tips and Finances

Yes gone up to ? £20,000 cash. I've stayed away from ISA as you say able to do better. But have fixed term ISA each which matures now so need to consider mine. OH pays tax and has £1000 interest tax free, just requires a bit more thinking! Also need to think about accessing should it be necessary 😲

I think our 5% ones are £250 and £300 per month, plus OH has just opened the Nationwide one which is also £250, and she has Santander which is only £200.

We used some of our ISAs to buy solar panels, which gives us a good return, and the rest OH loaned to DD on a BTL mortgage.  Win-win as OH gets more interest than the banks pay, and DD has a flexible loan at less than the banks charge.

Works for us all meantime.  If we need the money back, she can always get a mortgage from a bank as her LTV is low.

I mentioned uswitch previously, have just swapped to a new energy provider and have got a £125 reduction over the next year on a fixed dual fuel rate, it all helps.  

Who is your new supplier Brue.  I’m currently (no pun intended) at Bulb energy.

I decided to go with Engie (a revamped older supplier.) The Bulb offer was better but was a variable rate, I wanted to fix for a year on dual fuel. They will also offer their best cheaper tariff at the end but I will be on the look out for other deals. The annoying thing was Greenstar, who have let our account go without offering new alternatives and telling us we'd be on a higher rate. After they heard I'd left they offered a better rate, a quick way to lose business, like the insurance companies who do the same.

Transferred our ISA's to Nationwide Loyalty paying 1.4% variable, so if the rates go up we should benefit too, last week. All paperwork sorted and we collected the passbook yesterday. Mad-est part opened in branch, transfer from Virgin requested etc and informed once you receive the paperwork confirming the amount you can call in for a passbook. So we do - however to issue the passbook they have to declare the non existing passbook 'lost' BIZARRE. However all sorted.

Just one more appointment on Friday to change an existing Virgin account where they've reduced the rate to one paying more. Can' just change it over on a whim got to make the appointment and turn up with 2 forms of ID despite knowing most of the branch staff over years dealing with them.

Saved a tenner a onth as a result of chatting to the Sky folk in the shopping precinct. Our Virgin costs have gone up and up over the years, but we like the service, so got a price. Phoned Virgin, upgrade to V6 box new router free of charge, tenner a month off, 18 month contract. Glad we didn't have to change supplier as they can't guarantee you can keep your landlines number! 

So feel we've had a good spring clean.

Also did a couple of fixed bonds with Metro Bank, good rates - I think I may have mentioned them earlier in this thread but can't check and don't want to loose what I've typed so far.

I've just got gas and electric to sort, fixed deal ends June so a bit of breathing space.

Over the past few years I have always considered an ISA rate of 1 - 1.5% an insult and have gone for a stocks and shares ISA. Am prepared to wait out the market fluctuations and am pleased with the tax free profits so far.

It does require nerves of steel not to panic when there is a sudden drop but as there is no immediate call for funds by the kids, I regard the risks as paying better.

Redface were reaching the age where we perhaps won't be waiting for the long term resulrs to kick in before requiring some of the funds. I agree rates are pathetic. But OH  extremely cautious and wouldn't entertain that sort of ISA. I hope yours continue to perform.

I have had similar investments for 18 years and they have done well. I have seen some big drops on occasion ans as long as you can laugh when a few grand drops off it is fine. And yes I did laugh in 2008