isa Archives - COOLCURATION

April 19, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Trading 212 Review UK 2026 — Honest Verdict After 3 Months

Last updated: 10 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This Trading 212 review reflects my own experience using the app daily for three months alongside Freetrade, my main broker.

This is our honest Trading 212 review after three months of using it alongside Freetrade, our main broker. When Trading 212 kept coming up in conversations, we figured we should give it a fair shot. After using it daily for a full quarter, the verdict is clear: Trading 212 is a perfectly fine platform trapped inside a frustratingly cluttered app. The fees are competitive, the savings rate is genuinely good, but the experience of actually using it every day left us reaching for Freetrade instead. Here is why we are sticking with the alternatives.

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 article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of capital. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always do your own research or consult a qualified financial adviser before making investment decisions. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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.

Cool Factor

★★☆☆☆

2 out of 5: Lukewarm

Published by Stiv in Finance, Investing, Reviews

Tags: Commission-free trading, finance, Freetrade, investing, investment apps, isa, reviews, Trading 212

April 18, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Savings Options for the New Tax Year UK 2026/27

Last updated: 10 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Every April, we go through the same routine. The ISA allowance resets, savings rates shift, and there is a brief window where everyone actually pays attention to where their money is sitting. The best savings options for the new tax year are worth sorting now, before the motivation fades and another 12 months slip by. Here is what the CoolCuration team is doing with ours this year, along with a look at the platforms and accounts worth considering right now.

This year there is an added urgency. The 2026/27 tax year is the last year under-65s can put the full £20,000 into a cash ISA. From April 2027, cash ISA contributions will be capped at £12,000 for anyone under 65, with the remaining £8,000 needing to go into stocks and shares or other ISA types. So if you have been meaning to top up your cash ISA, this is the final window at the current limit.

Important: this is not financial advice. This article is for informational purposes only. Nothing in this post constitutes a recommendation to open any particular account, invest in any product, or take any specific financial action. Savings rates, ISA rules, and tax treatment can change at any time. CoolCuration is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and cannot advise you on what is right for your circumstances. Always do your own research or speak to a qualified, independent financial adviser before making financial decisions. 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 ISA, ISAs, Money, Personal finance, Saving

Tags: 2026, cash ISA, chase, Chip, investment ISA, isa, monzo, new tax year, personal savings allowance, Premium Bonds, savings, savings accounts, Trading 212, zopa

March 15, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Cheapest Investment App UK (2026) – FX Fees Compared

Investing · FX fees2026 Edit

Commission-free is not cost-free

Last updated: 21 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Looking for the cheapest investment app in 2026? The headline says "zero commission". Yet the foreign exchange (FX) fee on every US share quietly adds up. So we rechecked the live pricing for Lightyear, Robinhood, Trading 212, Freetrade, InvestEngine, Hargreaves Lansdown and J.P. Morgan. Then we worked out the real cost of buying a US share on each.

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.

Not financial advice. This piece reflects what works for us, not a personal recommendation, so please do your own research or speak to a qualified adviser before investing. 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.

See the lowest flat FX fee in our comparison

Of the apps below, Lightyear currently has the lowest flat FX fee on US shares. The latest sign-up steps are kept up to date on our referral page.

See the Lightyear FX offer

Published by Stiv in Finance, Investing, Personal finance

Tags: Freetrade, FX fees, investing, investment apps, isa, Lightyear, monzo, Trading 212, uk investing

November 26, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

UK Budget 2025 Explained: What It Means for Your Money

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research or consult a qualified financial adviser before making any financial decisions.

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.

The UK Budget 2025 landed on 26 November, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves announcing a package of measures that quietly raise the tax burden on millions of households. So while headline Income Tax and VAT rates stay put, the Autumn Budget 2025 freezes thresholds, cuts the cash ISA allowance and raises taxes on dividend and savings income — hitting earners, savers and investors in ways that are easy to miss at first glance.

Here is what changed, when it takes effect, and what it could mean for your finances.

Published by Stiv in Finance, UK Made

Tags: Cost of Living, isa, Pension, personal finance, Taxes, UK Budget 2025

November 5, 2025 — Comments are off for this post.

JPMorgan Personal Investing Review UK, Is It Worth It?

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: 4/5

This is my honest JPMorgan Personal Investing review for UK investors. I've spent time with the platform, tested the app, compared the fees, and put together a clear take on whether it deserves your money. If you're weighing up a managed investment platform for your ISA, pension, or general investing, this should help you decide.

This review is based on years of my own use. I've been a customer since the Nutmeg days, I was even a small backer in their Crowdcube raise before JPMorgan bought the business, an Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) holding that earned me roughly a 50% return on that little stake when the sale went through, and today I hold several growth pots, a pension and a Lifetime ISA on the platform. So this comes from real, ongoing use rather than marketing material.

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.

Want the JPMorgan new-customer offer?

The current new-customer offer (6 months of investing with no management fees at the time of writing) and full terms are kept on our referral page. Capital at risk. Terms and conditions apply.

See the JPMorgan referral offer

Published by Stiv in Finance, Investing, Reviews

Tags: chase bank, investing, investment platform, isa, jpmorgan, JPMorgan Personal Investing, managed portfolio, money management, nutmeg, personal investing, referral code, robo advisor uk, sipp, uk investing

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