Four Premium Bonds alternatives open to new savers, with each provider's published odds, prize tables, access rules and protection.
June 23, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Premium Bonds vs Investing UK: Which One Suits You?
Last updated: 9 September 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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April 18, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Best Savings Options for the New Tax Year UK 2026/27
Last updated: 10 September 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.
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April 11, 2026Comments 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.
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.
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September 3, 2025Comments are off for this post.
Best Savings Account UK 2026: Every Rate Checked
Last updated: 10 September 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.
This guide is for information only and does not constitute financial advice. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.
UK SavingsSeptember 2026 Edit
Every rate here was read off the bank’s own page tonight
Picking the best savings account UK savers can open comes down to one question: how soon do you need the money back? Get that right and the rate follows. So I checked every figure below directly on each provider’s own website on 6 September 2026, rather than lifting it from a comparison table.
The Bank of England base rate sits at 3.75%, held at the most recent decision. Easy access tops out near 5%, one and two year bonds sit just under 5%, and the best regular savers still pay 8%. Below you will find easy access, notice accounts, regular savers, fixed bonds, cash ISAs and NS&I, each with the deposit-taker named.
Want the £20 Zopa Biscuit bonus?
Zopa’s referral offer is live again, and the current terms and the exact steps sit on our referral page.
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