savings Archives - COOLCURATION

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

April 11, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Chip Prize Saver vs Premium Bonds UK 2026: Which Is Actually Better?

Last updated: 9 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Over 24 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 3.30% for the June 2026 draw, with each £1 bond facing odds of 23,000 to 1. From the July 2026 draw, however, NS&I lifts the rate to 3.80% and shortens those odds to 22,000 to 1.

Meanwhile, Chip's Prize Savings Account offers an alternative: a prize-draw savings account that claims roughly 3.5 times better odds than Premium Bonds, plus quarterly big prizes reaching £250,000. 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.

Open Chip via our referral

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.

Published by Stiv in Apps, Finance, Money, Money saving, Saving, UK Made

Tags: Chip, Chip Prize Saver, FSCS, NS&I, Premium Bonds, prize draw savings, savings, savings comparison, tax-free savings, UK savings

March 21, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Monzo vs Chase UK: Which Bank Account Is Better? (2026)

Last updated: 9 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.

After the bigger sign-up bonus?

Chase's refer-a-friend offer pays £50 when you join and deposit £1,000 within 30 days; our referral page walks you through it.

Claim the Chase £50 offer

If you're weighing up Monzo vs Chase in 2026, you're in good company. Both are app-only banks, both are free to open, and both promise to make managing your money less painful. However, once you dig past the slick onboarding screens, the two take noticeably different approaches to savings, cashback and everyday features.

Chase (a trading name of J.P. Morgan Europe Limited) lures new customers with a boosted saver rate and 2% cashback on everyday spending. Monzo, the UK's original fintech darling, counters with powerful budgeting tools, paid plan perks like a free Railcard, and one of the most feature-rich banking apps on the market.

Below, we break down every meaningful difference so you can pick the one that actually fits your life. We also link to both referral offers if you want a bonus for signing up.

Published by Stiv in Apps, Banking, Comparisons, Finance, Investing, Personal finance, Reviews, Saving, Services

Tags: app review, bank comparison, cashback, chase, chase uk, digital bank, fintech, monzo, monzo vs chase, personal finance, savings, uk banking

December 15, 2020 — Comments are off for this post.

Airtime Rewards 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.

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 Airtime Rewards review covers everything we think you need to know about one of the UK's most effortless cashback apps. Link a card, spend as normal, and watch credit build up towards your phone bill. It sounds almost too simple to be true, but after using it for years we can confirm: it actually works. We also have a referral code that gets you up to a £5 bonus when you join and spend £5 within 7 days.

Cool Factor: 4/5 — Stone cold

Want the Airtime Rewards bonus?

Our referral page has the current code and the steps to claim up to a £5 bonus when you join and spend £5 within 7 days.

Get the Airtime Rewards bonus

Published by Stiv in Android apps, Apple apps, Apps, Reviews, Saving, Student

Tags: airtime rewards, airtime rewards review, android, app, apple, apps, cashback, cashback app, discount, phone bill, referral, saving, savings