Monzo Perks goes from £7 to £9 a month and Max from £17 to £19. Here are all the new plan prices, the dates that matter, and the honest maths.
July 24, 2026Comments are off for this post.
InvestEngine Review: My Honest Take After Six Months
My honest InvestEngine review after six months: no-fee ETF investing, the real bonus odds, and who this low-cost UK platform actually suits.
July 23, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Best Current Account UK 2026: Ranked and Compared
Current accounts2026 Edit
The best current account is the one you actually enjoy opening
Picking the best current account in 2026 is no longer just about interest. It is about the app you tap ten times a day, the perks that quietly pay you back, and the switch bonus that lands in a week. So I have ranked the accounts I actually use, judged on design, everyday feel and real numbers, then grouped the rest by the job they do best.
Last updated: 22 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.
This is not financial advice, and CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Rates, fees and bonuses change often, so always check the provider and consider your own circumstances first.
Want the Monzo refer-a-friend bonus?
Monzo runs a refer-a-friend scheme where you and a friend can both get a bonus. The amount is randomly selected by Monzo at £20, £50 or £100 and shown in-app, so I keep the current offer and the steps to claim it updated on our referral page.
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July 20, 2026Comments are off for this post.
That Mortgage App on the Channel 4 Advert? It’s Sprive
Last updated: 20 July 2026
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
I have used Sprive with my Nationwide mortgage since October 2021, making regular overpayments through the app, so this is written from about four years of real use.
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.
This is not financial advice. It is one homeowner's experience, shared to help you make your own call.
So you spotted the Sprive advert on the telly and wondered what that mortgage app actually is. Here is the short answer: yes, the mortgage app on the Channel 4 advert is Sprive, and it helps you chip away at your mortgage a little faster. Below, I explain what it does, whether it is legit, and what it is like after four years of real use.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Want to try the app from the advert?
The current Sprive sign-up offer and how to claim it are kept up to date on our referral page.
Just seen the advert? The app behind it is explained below. For every Sprive guide in one place, see our Sprive guides hub.
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July 1, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Monzo Review UK: An Honest Opinion After Four Years
Last updated: 22 August 2026
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
This Monzo review is based on my own experience using Monzo as my main current account for over four years, on the £9 a month Perks plan. I run everyday spending, Pots and my Sprive mortgage overpayments through it, so this is real use rather than a weekend trial.
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. This page is general information, not financial advice.
Cool Factor: 4/5
Banking / Opinion
Welcome to my honest Monzo review, written from the inside rather than the marketing deck. I have banked with Monzo since well before it became a household name, so this is four years of daily use talking. Monzo is now the UK's largest digital bank, with more than 15 million customers. However, the interesting question is not how big it has become. Instead, it is whether the everyday account and app still feel special, or whether the spark is quietly fading.
Fancy trying Monzo with our referral link?
New customers can get a randomly selected reward of £20, £50 or £100. The current offer, and the exact steps to claim it, are always kept up to date on our referral page.
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June 30, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Sprive Gift Cards: The Reloadable Card Explained
Sprive gift cards are now reloadable. Here is how the one-card, Apple Wallet and auto top-up setup works, from four years of real use.
June 23, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Premium Bonds vs Investing UK: Which One Suits You?
Last updated: 21 June 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.
This is not financial advice. It reflects my own experience, so please do your own research or speak to a qualified adviser before making any money decisions.
Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
Premium Bonds vs Investing2026 Guide
Premium Bonds vs investing: a prize draw, or the stock market?
Premium Bonds vs investing is a money question I get all the time. So here is my honest, first-person take, because I have held both at once for four years. Crucially, this is not an either or for everyone. In my experience, the two really answer different questions.
Want the hands-off investing option?
Maybe you want investing that mostly runs itself, like the Premium Bonds draw does. In that case, a ready-made managed portfolio is the closest fit. The current JPMorgan offer, and how to claim it, are kept up to date on our referral page.
See the JPMorgan investing offer
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June 22, 2026Comments are off for this post.
How Does Sprive AutoSave Work?
Sprive AutoSave2026 Guide
Sprive AutoSave, explained in plain English
Last updated: 19 July 2026
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
I have run my Nationwide mortgage through Sprive since October 2021, so more than four years now, making regular overpayments through the app. Because of that, this guide to Sprive AutoSave comes from steady real use rather than a quick demo.
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.
This is general information, not financial advice. Sprive deals with your mortgage, so your circumstances matter and it is worth doing your own research.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
So what actually happens when you switch on Sprive AutoSave? In short, you set an amount, and each month it quietly moves that money into a holding pot inside the app, ready for your mortgage. Above all, you stay in control, because nothing reaches your lender until you tap to send it. Below, I walk through exactly how Sprive AutoSave works, where the money sits, and how to pause or switch it off, with notes from four years of real use.
Setting up AutoSave? The walkthrough is below. For every Sprive guide in one place, see our Sprive guides hub, updated as the app changes.
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June 18, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Tembo Money Review UK
My honest Tembo Money review after years of real use: HomeSaver rates, Lifetime ISAs, the mortgage service and the referral, tested for UK savers.
June 14, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Tom Insurance Review (UK): My Honest Take
Last updated: 14 June 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 or financial advice.
Cool Factor: 3/5
Tom insurance review2026 Edit
Fixed-for-life cover, a handy virtual GP, and a lot of phone calls.
This is my honest Tom insurance review, written as an actual customer rather than someone skimming the marketing. I took out a lifetime serious illness cover policy with Tom, so this Tom insurance review is based on living with the application, the price and the perks, not on a press release.
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 a Tom quote?
If this Tom insurance review has you ready to compare cover, you can start a quote through my referral link below. Meanwhile, the current offer and how it works sit on our Tom life insurance page.
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