Personal finance Archives - Page 4 of 4

September 21, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Taxfix Review UK: Is It Worth It for Self Assessment?

Last updated: 9 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 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.

If you are looking for an honest Taxfix review UK, you are in the right place. Taxfix (formerly TaxScouts) is an online tax service that pairs you with an accredited accountant to file your Self Assessment. No jargon, no HMRC rabbit holes, no trips to an office. You answer a handful of questions, upload your documents and let someone qualified handle the rest.

We have used the service ourselves and followed its evolution from TaxScouts to Taxfix. Below is our full verdict, including what works, what could be better and whether the price is justified.

Cool Factor: 4/5

Thinking of trying Taxfix?

The latest new-customer offer and how to claim it are kept up to date on our referral page.

See the latest Taxfix offer

Published by Stiv in Discount, Finance, Personal finance, Services

September 3, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Savings Account UK 2026: Top Picks Compared

Last updated: 10 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Affiliate disclosure: 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.

Finding the best savings account UK savers can open right now is harder than it sounds. Rates have settled after the highs of 2024, but with the Bank of England base rate sitting at 3.75% (held 30 April 2026; next decision 18 June 2026), there are still rewarding options out there if you know where to look. The trick is matching the right account type to how you actually save.

Below, we compare the top easy-access accounts, regular savers and fixed-rate bonds available in June 2026, highlight the referral bonuses that can sweeten the deal, and explain what to watch out for before you move your money.

Published by Stiv in Finance, Investing, Personal finance, Saving, Services

Tags: 2025 savings rates, best savings account uk, cash ISA, Chase saver, chip app, chip savings, easy access savings, FSCS, instant access saver, prize saver, regular saver, savings rates 2026, uk savings accounts, Zopa Biscuit

June 4, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Stock Events App Review: A Portfolio Tracker Worth Your Time?

Last updated: 9 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 advice. 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.

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.

This Stock Events app review covers everything we like (and a few things we do not) about one of the highest-rated portfolio trackers on both app stores. Stock Events promises a clean, ad-free way to monitor your stocks, dividends, earnings, and more from a single screen. After spending time with it, here is our honest take on whether it delivers.

Cool Factor: 4/5

Published by Stiv in Finance, Investing, Personal finance, Reviews, Services

Tags: app review, best portfolio tracker app, chip app review, dividend tracker, dividend tracking app, Freetrade review, Investing apps UK, investment apps, lightyear review, nutmeg review, portfolio management apps, portfolio tracker, Stock Events, stock events app review, stock events review, stock market, stock watchlist app

January 1, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

How to Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster (UK): 7 Moves That Save Thousands

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is the strategy I follow myself. I've been overpaying my Nationwide mortgage since October 2021, using a combination of Sprive's auto-save feature and tracking the impact over time. This is based on over four years of real use.

If you want to pay off your mortgage faster in the UK, you don't need extreme budgeting or a "one weird trick". You need a clear plan that focuses on the biggest levers: interest rate, consistency, and avoiding fees. This page is the master strategy guide. It shows you what to do, in what order, and what to check so you don't accidentally trigger Early Repayment Charges.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

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 information, not financial advice, and CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Grab the Sprive welcome bonus

If Sprive ends up being part of your plan, the latest sign-up offer and how to claim it live on our referral page.

See the current Sprive offer

Published by Stiv in Discount, Finance, Money saving, Personal finance, Saving, Services

Tags: cashback apps UK, compound interest savings, home finance UK, how to pay off mortgage faster, mortgage calculator, mortgage overpayments, mortgage repayment, pay off mortgage faster, Sprive app, Sprive review, UK mortgage tips

July 3, 2024 — Comments are off for this post.

Emma App Review: Is It Worth Paying For?

Last updated: 9 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 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.

Want to test Emma properly?

Our referral link stretches the standard 7-day trial to a full 30 days on any premium plan.

Start a 30-day Emma trial

This Emma app review breaks down what the budgeting app actually delivers for UK users in 2026, from the limited free plan to the paid tiers that unlock the features most people will want. Emma connects your bank accounts, credit cards and investments into a single dashboard using Open Banking, and layers on budgeting tools, subscription tracking and spending insights. It is well-designed, useful and impressively well-connected to UK financial services. The main gripes? The pricing is steep for a budgeting app, and the constant nudges to upgrade to the Ultimate plan get old fast.

Cool Factor: 4/5

Published by Stiv in Android apps, Apple apps, Apps, Finance, Investing, Personal finance, Reviews, Saving, Services, Uncategorized

Tags: budgeting apps, budgeting tools, debt tracking, Emma app review, Emma app UK, Emma referral code, expense tracking, financial management, money management, personal finance, subscription tracker

April 4, 2024 — Comments are off for this post.

Is Sprive Any Good? Honest UK Verdict for Homeowners

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Quick context before the verdict: I pay a Nationwide mortgage myself and have put £100 a month through Sprive since October 2021, so this opinion rests on over four years of actual overpayments rather than a quick trial.

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.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and this is not financial advice.

Thinking of trying Sprive?

If you decide to give the app a go, the current sign-up bonus and the steps to claim it are kept up to date on our referral page.

Claim the Sprive sign-up bonus

Is Sprive any good? That is the question most UK homeowners land on after hearing about the mortgage overpayment app for the first time. You have probably seen it on Dragons' Den, spotted it on Trustpilot, or had a friend mention it over a pint. In my experience, for many people with a mortgage who want to overpay but struggle to stay consistent, Sprive does the job well, though whether it suits you depends on your lender support and your habits. It is not magic, it is not going to halve your mortgage overnight, and it is not for everyone. But after using it since October 2021 with my Nationwide mortgage, making regular monthly overpayments, I think it earns its place on your phone. Here is why. Read more

Published by Stiv in Discount, Finance, Personal finance, Reviews

Tags: budgeting, cashback mortgage app, is Sprive worth it, mortgage app UK, mortgage overpayment app, mortgage overpayments, Open Banking, pay off mortgage faster, personal finance apps, Sprive, Sprive review, uk fintech, UK mortgages

December 23, 2020 — Comments are off for this post.

ESG Investing With JPMorgan Personal Investing

Last updated: 10 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 advice.

Cool Factor: 3/5

ESG investing with JPMorgan Personal Investing gives UK investors a managed, hands-off way to back companies with stronger environmental, social, and governance credentials. I hold several pots on the platform myself, all set to the socially responsible investing (SRI) style at the maximum risk level, so this is a view from real use. The portfolios are transparent and backed by MSCI analytics. But when the platform sits under JPMorgan Chase, named the world's largest financier of fossil fuels, the contradiction is hard to ignore. Here is my take.

This ESG investing JPMorgan review is based on my own pots in the SRI style, plus a close look at the methodology and the wider context, rather than on marketing copy.

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.

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.

Published by Stiv in Android apps, Apple apps, Carbon conscious, Finance, Investing, Personal finance, Reviews, Services, Technology lover