Services Archives - Page 7 of 13

November 14, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

How to Start Investing UK: A Beginner’s Guide for 2026

Last updated: 7 October 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Your savings account probably gives you a forgettable return while inflation slowly chews up the value of your cash. Plenty of us know we should look at the alternatives, yet investing can feel like a locked club where you need a pinstripe suit and a secret handshake to get past the door. So, this guide on how to start investing UK-side is here to open the door.

We will walk through the difference between saving and investing, explain what a Stocks and Shares ISA actually does, share what has worked for us starting with small amounts, and look at beginner-friendly apps including Freetrade, Lightyear, Robinhood UK, Monzo Investments and J.P. Morgan Personal Investing. So, let us get into it.

Important: This article is for information only and does not constitute financial advice or a personal recommendation. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. This article contains affiliate and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them.

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 Apps, Finance, Investing, Services

November 11, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Wype Review UK – Is This Wet Wipe Alternative Worth It?

Last updated: 24 March 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.

Cool Factor: 4/5 — Stone cold

If you've been thinking about ditching wet wipes but don't fancy the hassle of reusable cloths, this Wype review is for you. Wype is a UK-made gel that turns ordinary toilet paper into a moist, fresh wipe — no plastic, no fatbergs, no guilt. With a UK-wide ban on plastic wet wipes now confirmed (Wales from December 2026, England from May 2027), the timing for a switch has never been better. So is Wype actually worth it? We've been testing it to find out.

Want the latest Wype offer?

Current pricing and any starter-kit discount are kept up to date on our Wype page.

See the latest Wype offer

Published by Stiv in Carbon conscious, Discount, Self-care Champion, Services, UK Made

Tags: bathroom essentials, eco bathroom, green home, planet friendly, refillable products, sustainable living, uk startups, vegan products, wet wipe alternative, wet wipe alternatives, wype review

November 8, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Affinity by Canva Review: Is the New Free Creative App Actually That Good?

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

Affinity by Canva is Canva’s new all-in-one creative app that combines what used to be Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher into a single, totally free program in this review we cover off everything from it's features to how it compares to Adobe's staples. It is aimed at people who want Adobe-level tools without paying a monthly subscription and it currently runs on Mac and Windows, with iPad on the way. Canva says this version is free forever and can export straight to Canva, which is a big shift from the old paid Affinity model.

Published by Stiv in Apps, Reviews, Services, UK Made

Tags: adobe alternative, affinity by canva review, affinity canva review, affinity design app, affinity photo designer publisher, affinity vs adobe, canva affinity app, canva ai tools, canva for designers, canva free design software, creative software uk, free creative apps, graphic design tools, illustrator alternative free, indesign alternative free, photoshop alternative free

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

Winter Energy Saving Tips: Cut Your Heating Bills and Stay Warm

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them.

When the temperature drops, energy bills tend to climb. However, a few smart moves can make a real difference. These winter energy saving tips cover everything from quick wins around the house to switching your energy supplier, so you can stay warm without spending more than you need to.

Whether you rent or own, most of these changes cost little or nothing. Some could save you hundreds of pounds over the colder months.

Want credit for switching supplier?

The current Octopus switching credit and eligibility rules are kept up to date on our referral page.

See the Octopus switch offer

Published by Stiv in Saving, Services

Tags: bills, draught-proofing, energy price cap, energy saving, heating, herschel infrared, insulation, mill heater, money saving, octopus energy, smart home, UK home, uk home hacks, winter tips

November 2, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

TrainPal Review UK: Split Tickets, PalPoints and Real Savings

Last updated: 24 October 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 and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them.

Cool Factor: 4/5, Stone cold

Welcome to my honest TrainPal review, where I put the app through its paces to find out whether it actually saves you money on UK train travel. After months of booking tickets, testing split fares, claiming Delay Repay and earning PalPoints, I'm sharing everything I've learned. On top of that, you can get up to £11 off your first ticket when you sign up with my invite code 57807b9c.

Want up to £11 off your first ticket?

Use my TrainPal invite link with code 57807b9c, and the discount applies automatically to your first booking.

Get up to £11 off your first ticket

Want every TrainPal guide in one place? My TrainPal guides hub collects them, including TrainPal vs Trainline, the membership tiers and PalPoints, and the current welcome offer.

Published by Stiv in Android apps, Apple apps, Apps, Discount, Reviews, Services, Travel lover

Tags: cheap train tickets, coolcuration reviews, palpoints, save money on trains, split ticketing uk, train apps uk, trainpal app, trainpal card, trainpal discount code, TrainPal referral code, trainpal review, trainpal uk, travel apps uk

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

Back Market Review UK: Honest Verdict on Refurbished Tech

Last updated: 24 March 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.

Cool Factor: 4/5 — Stone cold

Cool Factor

★★★★☆

4 out of 5 — Stone cold

This Back Market review UK is based on our own purchases (one Apple, one Android), months of real-world use, and a deep look at what thousands of other UK buyers are saying in 2026. We cover what works, what falls short, and whether refurbished tech from Back Market is genuinely worth your money. For a factual overview of the service, head to our Back Market service guide. If you want a discount code, check our Back Market discount code page.

Want a Back Market discount?

Our Back Market discount code page has the current code and referral link for money off a refurbished device.

Get a Back Market discount code

Published by Stiv in Reviews, Services, Tech Hacks, Technology lover, UK Made

Tags: back market coupon, back market discount code, back market referral code, back market review, back market trustpilot, back market uk, best refurbished tech sites uk, buy refurbished uk, cool curation review, eco friendly gadgets, refurbished android uk, refurbished electronics, refurbished iphone uk, refurbished laptop uk, refurbished phones uk, refurbished tech uk, second hand tech, sustainable tech, tech deals uk

October 25, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

ManyPets Review UK: Is It Worth It? (Honest 2026 Opinion)

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 and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them.

Cool Factor: 4/5

This ManyPets review is our honest take on one of the UK's most popular pet insurers. We've looked closely at the plans, pricing, claims record, and small print to help you decide whether ManyPets is actually worth your money. Spoiler: it's very good, but it's not without a few catches you should know about before signing up.

Want the ManyPets sign-up perk?

Our ManyPets discount code page has the current referral link, which gets you a free Amazon voucher when you take out a new policy.

Get the ManyPets discount code

Published by Stiv in Cat Lovers, Dog Lovers, Reviews, Services

Tags: best pet insurance uk, cat insurance 2026, dog insurance 2026, lifetime pet cover, manypets amazon voucher, manypets claims, manypets pet insurance, ManyPets review, manypets review 2025, pet insurance comparison uk, pet insurance UK, uk pet insurance review

October 9, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

Monzo vs Biscuit Bank Account: Which Is Best in 2026?

Last updated: 22 August 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them.

Leaning towards Monzo?

New customers who join through a referral link can land a random reward from £5, up to £50 (sometimes up to £100), and we keep the live offer details on our Monzo referral page.

See the Monzo referral offer

If you are weighing up Monzo vs Biscuit for your everyday banking in 2026, the answer depends on what you actually want from your bank account. One pays interest and cashback on a free account. The other gives you some of the best budgeting tools in UK fintech. Both are app-only, both are FSCS-protected, and both let you spend abroad without fees.

In this comparison, we break down how Monzo and Zopa's Biscuit bank account stack up across savings rates, cashback, features, travel perks, and sign-up offers, so you can decide which one deserves your direct debits.

Comparing Monzo with more than Biscuit? I have also put it against Starling and Chase, and my Monzo guides hub collects every Monzo guide in one place.

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

Tags: app review, bank comparison, biscuit bank, coolcuration, digital bank, fintech, monzo, monzo vs biscuit, personal finance, savings account, uk banking, zopa, zopa bank

October 8, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

What Is Sprive, and How Does the App Work? (UK Guide 2026)

Last updated: 24 October 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

I've used Sprive since October 2021, with Nationwide and now Halifax as my lender. This guide is based on the actual setup process and daily use since then.

How does the Sprive app work? You link a current account and your mortgage, then set a monthly saving range. Sprive collects money by direct debit into a safeguarded balance, based on your spending. With one tap, that balance goes to your lender as an overpayment. Cashback from gift cards bought in the app adds to the same pot.

The one thing to check first is your lender's overpayment allowance, usually 10% of the balance a year on a fixed rate. Go over it and you can pay an early repayment charge, so set the range with that limit in mind.

This article contains affiliate and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them. This is information, not financial advice, and CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Just here for the sign-up bonus?

The current Sprive offer and the steps to claim it are always kept up to date on our referral page.

Get the Sprive sign-up bonus

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

Getting started with Sprive? This guide covers the basics. For everything else, from cashback to the prize draws, see our Sprive guides hub, all in one place.

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

Tags: cashback apps, cool curation, finance app, how Sprive app works, mortgage helper, mortgage overpayment, mortgage saving, Open Banking apps UK, pay off mortgage faster, personal finance uk, referral app, smart money apps, Sprive app, uk money tools

September 28, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

How to Reduce Mortgage Payments UK: Practical Ways That Work (2026)

Last updated: 13 October 2026. I checked every rate and lender option in this guide on how to reduce mortgage payments against the Bank of England, Moneyfacts and Citizens Advice on 13 October 2026.

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

I've overpaid my own mortgage through Sprive every month since October 2021, and in June 2026 I remortgaged from Nationwide to Halifax. These are the moves I've actually used or weighed up for myself.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate and referral links, which are paid links. If you click one and buy or sign up, I earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. Brands don't choose what I feature or what I say about them.

Not financial advice. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. This article is for information only. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Consider speaking to a qualified mortgage adviser before you change your repayment plan.

Want the Sprive sign-up bonus?

If automated overpayments appeal, the current Sprive welcome offer and the steps to claim it are kept up to date on our referral page.

Get the Sprive referral bonus

If you want to reduce mortgage payments, there are two different jobs to do. The first is cutting what the loan costs you: getting off an expensive rate, timing your remortgage and plugging the leaks that drain your budget. The second, meanwhile, is lowering the monthly figure itself when money is tight. Be aware, though, that some ways to shrink the monthly payment cost you more over time.

Looking to clear it sooner instead? Our guide to paying off your mortgage faster is the speed plan, and everything we have written on Sprive, the app I use to overpay, sits in our Sprive guides hub.

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

Tags: best mortgage apps UK, cashback towards mortgage, lower mortgage payments, mortgage comparison tools, mortgage interest savings, mortgage overpayment calculator, mortgage savings, mortgage savings UK, mortgage tips UK, overpayment mortgage UK, pay off mortgage early, reduce mortgage payments, save thousands on your mortgage, Sprive app