Money saving Archives - Page 2 of 3

April 29, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Sprive vs Plum vs Chip: Honest Comparison (2026)

Last updated: 10 September 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

I've been using Sprive with my Nationwide mortgage since October 2021, making £100 monthly overpayments through the app. This comparison is based on over four years of real use alongside Chip and Plum.

Sprive vs Plum vs Chip is the question that keeps coming up whenever anyone in the UK talks about saving money automatically. All three apps promise to do the hard bit for you. But they are not the same thing, and picking the wrong one means you are either missing features you need or paying for ones you do not. Here is how they actually compare after months of using all three.

Between the team, we run all three. Sprive handles mortgage overpayments. Chip is our primary auto-saver. Plum runs alongside Chip so we can see how the two compare in real life. Each has earned its place on someone's home screen, but for very different reasons.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Some apps in this comparison offer investing features, which carry risk including the possible loss of capital. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Sprive's current sign-up offer

If Sprive ends up being your pick of the three, the latest welcome bonus is always on our referral page.

View the current Sprive bonus

Comparing money apps? The three-way verdict is below. For everything we have written on Sprive in one place, see our Sprive guides hub.

Published by Stiv in Apps, Finance, Money saving, Personal finance, Saving

Tags: app comparison, auto-saving apps, Chip, Chip vs Plum, fintech UK, money apps UK, mortgage overpayment, personal finance uk, Plum, savings apps UK, Sprive, Sprive vs Chip

April 22, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Apps to Save Money UK 2026: The Ones We Actually Use

Last updated: 10 September 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

There are hundreds of money-saving apps in the UK app stores. Most of them are rubbish. The best apps to save money are the ones we've tested over the past few years, narrowed down and kept on our phones because they actually work. No fluff, no apps we downloaded once and forgot about. Just the ones that earned a permanent spot.

Between the team we've got about 12 money apps installed. Half of them we actually use. The other half sit there judging us. We tried about 20 apps before settling on this list. Some were too fiddly. Some had great ideas but terrible execution. A couple were brilliant but shut down. These are the survivors.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Some apps in this list offer savings and investment features. Your capital may be at risk. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Our top money-saving pick

If you only set up one, make it Chip: it is the app that has quietly saved us the most by moving money before we miss it.

Try Chip

Published by Stiv in Apps, Finance, Money saving, Personal finance, Saving

Tags: airtime rewards, auto-saving, budgeting apps, cashback apps, chip app, emma app, JamDoughnut, money saving apps, monzo, personal finance uk, Plum app, saving apps UK, Sprive, TopCashback, TrainPal

April 21, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Refurbished Laptops UK 2026: Top Picks and Where to Buy

Last updated: 21 April 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

A brand new MacBook Air costs over £1,000. A refurbished laptop with the same specs, a 12-month warranty, and a 30-day returns policy costs under £750. Same laptop. Same performance. Just without the new-box smell. If you have been wondering whether refurbished laptops UK buyers can actually rely on are any good, the answer is yes. We know because we buy them. Here is how to buy refurbished laptops in the UK without getting burned.

Two of us are typing this on refurbished MacBooks right now. One came from Back Market, the other from the Apple Refurbished Store. Both arrived looking and performing like new. The Back Market one was about 30% cheaper than buying new.

This post contains referral links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps fund the site. As always, our recommendations are based on genuine experience, not commissions.

Published by Stiv in Money saving, Services, Smart Home, Sustainable Living, Tech News, Technology lover

Tags: Back Market, laptop buying guide, MacBook Air, refurbished laptops, refurbished MacBook, refurbished tech, sustainable tech, ThinkPad

April 16, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

When Should You Remortgage UK? Timing, Tips and What to Watch For (2026)

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

I've been remortgaging and overpaying my own Nationwide mortgage since October 2021, using Sprive to make £100 monthly overpayments. This guide draws on that real experience alongside verified market data.

Knowing when to remortgage UK is one of the most valuable financial moves you can make as a homeowner. Get it right and you could save thousands over the life of your deal. Get it wrong and you risk haemorrhaging money to your lender's standard variable rate while you scramble to sort a new deal. A surprising number of homeowners either leave it too late or jump too early and pay penalties they did not need to. Several of us on the CoolCuration team have remortgaged in the last couple of years, so this guide draws on real experience alongside verified market data.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Important: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or mortgage advice. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not provide regulated mortgage advice. Always consult a qualified mortgage adviser before making decisions about your mortgage. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Sprive welcome offer

Once the new deal is sorted and you turn to overpaying, the latest sign-up bonus is kept up to date on our referral page.

Check the current Sprive bonus

Published by Stiv in Money, Money saving, Mortgage, Personal finance

Tags: fixed rate, homeowner tips, mortgage, mortgage broker, overpayments, personal finance, remortgage, Sprive, SVR, uk finance

April 11, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Chip Prize Saver vs Premium Bonds UK 2026: Which Is Actually Better?

Last updated: 10 September 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Over 22 million people in the UK hold Premium Bonds, which makes them the nation's most popular savings product. Yet most holders have never weighed up Chip Prize Saver vs Premium Bonds side by side, and the numbers reward a closer look. Around 62% of Premium Bonds holders have never won a single prize, according to AJ Bell. The prize fund rate sits at 4.35% from the September 2026 draw, with each £1 bond facing odds of 21,000 to 1. NS&I has moved both twice this year. The rate ran at 3.30% with odds of 23,000 to 1 from April, went to 3.80% and 22,000 to 1 in July, then landed where it is now when NS&I announced the change on 18 August 2026.

Meanwhile, Chip's Prize Savings Account offers an alternative: a prize-draw savings account with a £10,000 grand prize every month and no interest at all. Both are a gamble on the return, not on the capital. You can hold either for a year, win nothing, and watch inflation eat the value of the money. We are not saying Premium Bonds are bad. Indeed, they are backed by the Treasury and pay tax-free prizes, which is a real advantage. However, if you have not compared them to anything in years, this is worth ten minutes of your time.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Want to try the Chip Prize Saver?

Our Chip referral page carries the current new-customer bonus and the sign-up steps, kept up to date.

Open Chip via our referral

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It is not a recommendation to open, close, or switch any savings or investment product. Always do your own research or consider a qualified financial adviser before making financial decisions. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change. All product details were verified at the time of writing but may change, so always check the provider's website for current terms.

Published by Stiv in Apps, Finance, Money, Money saving, Saving, UK Made

Tags: Chip, Chip Prize Saver, FSCS, NS&I, Premium Bonds, prize draw savings, savings, savings comparison, tax-free savings, UK savings

April 11, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Refurbished Phones UK 2026 – iPhones, Androids and Top Deals

Last updated: 11 April 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

There are two types of people at CoolCuration: those who would sell a kidney for the latest iPhone, and those who would rather eat their own SIM card than leave Android. The office group chat is basically a rolling debate about widgets versus AirDrop. However, there is one thing we all agree on: buying refurbished is the smartest phone move you can make in 2026. This guide rounds up the best refurbished phones UK buyers can get right now, covering flagships, budget gems and sustainable picks from both sides of the divide.

Here is a number that should stop you in your tracks. A refurbished iPhone 15 Pro on Back Market right now starts at around £400. That is roughly what you would pay for a brand new iPhone 16e. One gives you the same chip as an iPhone 15, a single camera and no ProMotion display. The other gives you a titanium flagship with a 48MP triple camera system, ProMotion, and full Apple Intelligence support. Let that sink in.

Published by Stiv in Buying Guides, Carbon conscious, Comparison, Comparisons, Money saving, Technology lover

Tags: Amazon Renewed, Apple Intelligence, Back Market, iPhone 15 Pro, Pixel 8 Pro, refurbished Android, refurbished iPhones, refurbished phones, refurbished phones uk, Samsung Galaxy, SIM only deals, sustainable tech

April 7, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best eSIM for UK Travel 2026: Stay Connected Abroad and at Home

Last updated: 5 September 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Trying to find the best eSIM for UK travel in 2026? Whether you are a UK resident heading abroad or a visitor arriving in Britain, eSIM technology has made staying connected simpler, cheaper, and far less faff than swapping physical SIM cards at the airport. In this guide, we break down the top eSIM providers, which UK mobile networks support eSIM, and how three budget-friendly options can keep you online without burning through your holiday fund.

Published by Stiv in Comparison, Comparisons, Mobile Networks, Money saving, Tech Hacks, Technology lover, Travel, Travel lover

Tags: eSIM, eSIM UK, EU roaming, giffgaff, Honest Mobile, mobile data, roaming charges, SIM only, Smarty, travel eSIM, travel tips, UK travel

April 6, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Octopus vs Ovo Energy 2026: Which UK Supplier Is Better?

Last updated: 27 August 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

If you're weighing up Octopus vs Ovo for your next energy switch, you're not alone. Both are major UK suppliers, both talk a big game on green energy, and both want your direct debit. So which one actually delivers? In this head-to-head comparison, we break down pricing, customer service, green credentials, smart tariffs, and everything else that matters when choosing between Octopus Energy and Ovo Energy in 2026.

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Published by Stiv in Energy, Money saving, Services

Tags: energy comparison, energy switching, green energy, octopus energy, Ovo Energy, price cap, smart tariffs, UK energy supplier

March 25, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

April 2026 Energy Price Cap: What the £117 Drop Means for Your Bills

Last updated: 29 March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

The April 2026 energy price cap has been confirmed by Ofgem at £1,641 per year for a typical dual-fuel household, down £117 (6.6%) from the Q1 level of £1,758. That is a genuine saving. However, the relief looks set to be short-lived. Cornwall Insight now forecasts the July cap could rise to £1,973, an increase of £332 in a single quarter. So the next few weeks are a critical window for reviewing your tariff.

Thinking of fixing before July?

The current Octopus switching credit and how to claim it are on our referral page.

Grab the Octopus switch credit

Published by Stiv in Carbon conscious, Energy, Money saving, Saving, Services

Tags: April 2026, energy bills, energy price cap, fixed tariff, octopus energy, Ofgem

March 22, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Energy Profits Cap UK: Why It’s Time to Cap What Energy Companies Earn

Last updated: 27 August 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

The idea of an energy profits cap in the UK just got its most high-profile backer yet. Lord Richard Walker, the government's Cost of Living Champion and executive chairman of Iceland, has called on ministers to impose a temporary cap on the profits of energy and petrol companies to stop them cashing in on the Middle East crisis. With bills forecast to rocket again by summer, we think he's absolutely right. In fact, we'd go further.

Not waiting for reform?

Switching to Octopus comes with credit for new customers, and the live offer sits on our referral page.

See what Octopus offers switchers

Published by Stiv in Cost of living, Energy, Money saving

Tags: Cost of Living, electricity prices, energy bills UK, energy nationalisation, energy profits cap, gas prices, Middle East energy crisis, Ofgem price cap, renewable energy, Richard Walker