Savings Accounts
There are two tables: the first table only shows accounts that meet our strict criteria:
- High interest rate - to maximise your return
- Instant or near-instant access - to pay credit card bill promptly.
- No penalty or limit for withdrawals
- The account can be managed by internet or phone.
- If a maximum holding amount exists, it is at least £30,000
- Introductory rates are ignored
- Minimum interest rate of 5.50% AER
The second shows accounts that have restrictions. e.g. the rate may be an introductory rate or there may be limitations on the withdrawals. The minimum interest rate in this table is 5.75% AER
| Company | Account | AER | Min | Max | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Harborough BS | Onthedot 2 | 3.50% | £1 | £150k |
 Late Jan - currently unavailable. Down from 4.15 12/1/9 |
| Yorkshire BS | Internet Saver | 3.25% | £1 | £1m |
Down from 3.75% 1/2/09 |
| The AA | Internet Saver 1 | 3.07% | £1 | £5m |
Interest must be paid into another account. Down from 3.59 1/2/9 |
| AKBank | Easy access | 3.00% | £1 | £ |
Rate down from 4.0 on 23/01/09 Phone only |
| ICICI | HISave | 2.95% | £1 | £ |
Down from 3.55 early Feb 09 |
| Northern Rock | e-Saver | 2.90% | £1 | £250K |
Down from 3.65 15/1/09 |
| Newcastle BS | Net Savings 7 | 2.84% | £250 | £250k |
Down from 3.34 early Feb 09 |
| Intelligent Finance | iSaver | 2.75% | £1 | £ |
Reduced from 3.25 on 1/2/09 |
| Principality BS | eSaver | 2.55% | £1 | £1m |
Down from 3.07% 1/2/09. Initial deposit by cheque |
| Tesco | Internet Saver | 2.50% | £1 | £100k |
12 month bonus removed. Down from 3.6 5/2/9 |
| Anglo Irish Bank | Easy Access 3 | 2.50% | £500 | £ |
Down from 4.55 on 9/01/09 |
| Birmingham & Midshires | Direct Internet Savings | 2.40% | £1 | £2m |
Down from 3.15% 16/01/09 |
| Birmingham & Midshires | e-Saver (2) | 2.35% | £1 | £5m |
Reduced from 3.38 on 2/2/09 |
| Birmingham & Midshires | Easy Internet Savings | 2.25% | £1 | £2m |
Down from 2.75 1/2/09 |
| BMW Finance | eSaver | 2.25% | £1 | £1m |
Down from 3.25% early Jan 09 |
| Sainsbury | Internet Saver | 1.75% | £1 | £ |
Down from 2.25 9/01/09 |
| Capital One | Base Beater | 1.55% | £1 | £ |
Down from 2.05 % 2/2/9. Base rate guarantee to July 2010 |
| Accounts which meet most criteria but have restrictions |
| Company | Account | AER | Min | Max | Notes / Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICICI | HiSave Fixed Rate Account | 4.30% | £1000 | £ |
Fixed rate 4.3% for 12 months or 3.25% for 6 months. No withdrawals |
| Citibank (Egg) | Egg internet | 3.50% | £1 | £100k |
Incl 2% variable bonus for first 12 months. Nex cust only |
| ING Direct | Savings | 3.50% | £1 | £1m |
Rate effective 15/1/09. Inc 1.46% bonus for 1 year |
| Bradford & Bingley | eSavings (6) | 3.10% | £1K | £2M |
Includes 12 month bonus of 1%. Rate down from 3.6 1/2/9 |
| Abbey | Instant access Saver 2 | 3.00% | £1000 | £2m |
Down from 3.5 Feb 09. Includes 1% bonus for 12 months. Phn & branch |
| Capital One | Bonus Saver 3 | 2.55% | £500 | £1m |
0.8% bonus for 12 months. New customers only. Down from 3.05 Feb 09 |
| Anglo Irish Bank | 7 day notice issue 3 | 2.55% | £500 | £ |
Down from 4.65% 9/01/09 |
| Alliance & Leicester | eSaver Issue 3 | 2.50% | £1 | £500K |
No interest in month of withdrawal (except Feb). Down from 4 2/2/9 |
| Post Office | Instant Saver | 2.25% | £500 | £1m |
Includes 1.5% bonus for 1 year. Max 6 free withdrawals. Down from 2.75 late Jan |
| The AA | Telephone Access 1 | 2.06% | £500 | £500k |
0.2% bonus for 6 months. Rate down from 2.57 1/2/9 |
| Barclays | eSavings Reward | 1.76% | £1 | £2m |
Incl 0.75% intro for 12 months. Interest reduced in month of withdrawal. Down Fe |
Table | Savings Accounts |
What about cash mini-ISAs?
A cash mini-ISA is a special savings account in which the Government allows you to save up to £3600 per annum without paying tax on the interest earned. This means that a Stoozer could use it for the first £3600 of their Stooz money in any one year, thus earning interest without tax.
However, once you have paid £3600 into the account, you can not pay any more into the account in the same tax year ... even if you have withdrawn the original money paid in, so only use an ISA for your Stooz Pot if you are not already planning to use one for your normal savings. Besides, most Stoozers would hope to be able to build a stooz pot well in excess of £3,600! ISAs sometimes have interest rates a little higher than normal savings accounts, but we have excluded them from our tables because of the low maximum investment.
If you think that we have missed any useful stoozing accounts, why not tell us in the forums. Click HERE For details on the current Bank of England Base Rates