Finances

[Kikó]

I'm not sure if Wirecard does UK accounts but they're in a bad place at the moment. €2bn blackhole in their accounts.

[niko_cee]

I had never heard of wirecard really before a few weeks ago. Then I saw them mentioned in the daily investment update some bank sends me (leading a rise in the DAX that day) and then next day I see their former CEO or somesuch is a wanted man with massive sums missing in the accounts, and now they've fully gone down the pan and all sorts are in police custody by the sounds of things. A curious few weeks.

Bit like when I belatedly found out that first self-made female billionaire with the blood testing company (thera-something?)was actually a massive scammer years after the fact.

[Kikó]

That's an excellent book which everyone should read. Theranos I think they're called. Complete bullshiters bullshiter.

[Don]

Would have PM'd Lukey boy but others may know.

I remortgaged on April 2019 to a 2 year fixed product and still have an additional H2B loan on it also.

I'm looking to remortgage and repay that H2B loan so that I have full ownership. This will involve an early repayment charge. My product states this early repayment charge to be:

2% of the amount repaid on or before 30/04/2020
1% of the amount repaid on or before 30/04/2021

I'n confused about the 'amount repaid', should it not simply be 1% of my mortgage balance?

[SvN]

It's the difference between the current balance and what you borrowed.

[Spikey M]

Yeah, if I'm reading it right it's 2% of whatever you've paid up to 30/04/2020 and (or?) 1% of what you would have paid up 30/04/2021.

[Don]

That was my reading but it seems too small an amount. Last July my early repayment charge was stated on my statement and it was around 2% of the entire balance which is approximately 100% of the "amount repaid" as we interpret it.

[Andy]

Why not wait till April and do it without a charge? Looking to lock in the low rates?

[Don]

No, I just might be forced to take the hit in order to buy out the H2B loan so that I can buy a gaff for mumzy if she can't wait till then.

[Luke Emia]

Would have PM'd Lukey boy but others may know.

I remortgaged on April 2019 to a 2 year fixed product and still have an additional H2B loan on it also.

I'm looking to remortgage and repay that H2B loan so that I have full ownership. This will involve an early repayment charge. My product states this early repayment charge to be:

2% of the amount repaid on or before 30/04/2020
1% of the amount repaid on or before 30/04/2021

I'n confused about the 'amount repaid', should it not simply be 1% of my mortgage balance?

It should be 1% of your current mortgage balance. But, dependent on who you are with you could top your borrowing up with them and potentially avoid the payment of it.

[Don]

Ah interesting. That was all on the basis I wasn't allowed to purchase a second property (be it residential or B2L) whilst havings a H2B loan but turns out that doesn't seem accurate and that an outstanding H2B loan doesn't affect later purchases. Do you know whether this is true or not as the two advisors I spoke to werent sure themselves.

B2L doesn't seem to have much affordability requirements beside the 25% deposit so it's looking like I'll go down that path.

[Boydy]

https://media3.giphy.com/media/gIqusaeYxgSiY/giphy.gif

[Spikey M]

What is it about Oxbridge that makes the privileged amongst us so against others bettering themselves?

[Luke Emia]

I think and I'm not 100% sure is that you can buy a second property as long as you are funding it yourself. You can't buy a second home when using help to buy but if you have help to buy in place and buy a new extra property you can do this. You also can't take any extra borrowing on the property which has Help to Buy on it unless you are buying out the HTB loan.

[Boydy]

What is it about Oxbridge that makes the privileged amongst us so against others bettering themselves?

Can't tell if you're serious or trying to wind me up.

[Spikey M]

Can't speak the language of the common man anymore either.

[Lewis]

Trying to keep the little brown upstart in his place.

[Don]

My gym wants to charge me £10 a month to freeze my membership or 1 month's fee to cancel. Admittedly contract period says 1 month notice but given office was shut for 4 months, seems a bit ridic.

What will be the consequences if I cancel the DD? I assume there will be some otherwise whats to stop everyone breaching their contract left, right and centre?

[Kikó]

Good way to get a ccj.

[Giggles]

Do you have a small claims court over there?

[Don]

Aha, that's what I wanted to hear. Fuck doin that then.

Have requested a cancellation by email, will have to kick up a fuss if they charge me the £50 but don't particularly want to get aggy as I hope to rejoin in winter and don't want them to jizz in the shower gel dispenser.

[Manc]

£50 a month for a gym membership is laughable.

[Giggles]

Definitely would be digging the heels in on that one out of principle.

[Don]

£50 a month for a gym membership is laughable.

Bannatynes with the steam/sauna business that is an essential to me (and why I'm cancelling as they remain shut). David Lloyds is like £120ish and I was thinking of switching pre-lockdown, it's value if you go daily.

Those London ones which double-up as paedo party nights for the lizards is the one thing I reckon I would really enjoy about being a millionaire. £500 a month to not have to breathe the air of obese creatures and every gash being an elite Russian escort or a milf who's aim is to be one. What a life :drool:

[Spikey M]

Aha, that's what I wanted to hear. Fuck doin that then.

Have requested a cancellation by email, will have to kick up a fuss if they charge me the £50 but don't particularly want to get aggy as I hope to rejoin in winter and don't want them to jizz in the shower gel dispenser.

Lay on the tiny violins and tell them you're self employed and have no work. Would be looking to rejoin in a few months but if they fuck you over now you'll go elsewhere.

[Lewis]

I joined a cheap local gym the day before Boris Johnson closed them and I just cancelled it before they took any money out. It was shit as well, as if I needed any more reasons not to take my free Navy gym for granted.

[Don]

I need to send $3k USD to a Swedish account. Would like to do this without converting to GBP first and for the cheapest cost. Talk to me.

[Pepe]

Have Mahow drive the money directly to the recipient.

[Kikó]

I need to send $3k USD to a Swedish account. Would like to do this without converting to GBP first and for the cheapest cost. Talk to me.

Where's the 3k? Can't you use Wise?

[Spikey M]

I need to send $3k USD to a Swedish account. Would like to do this without converting to GBP first and for the cheapest cost. Talk to me.

Some form of Crypto probably

[Shindig]

This sounds highly suspicious.

[Manc]

The authentic sauna experience.

[Boydy]

@Mi5

[Don]

Where's the 3k? Can't you use Wise?

Cash. I've heard Wise be touted but yet to look into it. Can it deal with cash?

[Kikó]

It doesn't accept cash so nope. You'll need to find a way to put it into a USD account then you're good.

[Pepe]

I got a USD account, if you need help.

[Spikey M]

This is so dodgy :D

[Shindig]

Sketchier than Rolf's Cartoon Club. Yeah, that reference will work.

[Foe]

I’ll accept whatever Swedish currency you want to send.

Will deliver it in person via the van.

[Dark Soldier]

I think 3k gets you a kidney on the Swedish Market.

Big moves, Taz.

[7om]

Can’t you just wire it? I move money from my US account to the UK and the online banking asks me what currency I want to send it in.

[Shindig]

"Hi, can you make this payable to Al Quaeda."

[Spikey M]

:D

[Kikó]

Can’t you just wire it? I move money from my US account to the UK and the online banking asks me what currency I want to send it in.

He needs to put in a bank account rather than a suitcase first.

[Don]

Cheers Kiko for your attempts. The rest of you...banter levels need improving.

[Shindig]

"In the dock today the defendant dismissed the funding of a terrorism camp and sauna in Shoreditch as 'just banter'"

[igor_balis]

This reminds me of the absolute nightmare me and our Czech friend had trying to set up pokerstars with his dirty forrin bank account .
Is pingit still a thing?

[Kikó]

Luna is flying today. 🤤

[Kikó]

Why are you money laundering or committing tax fraud?

[Boydy]

What dodgy shit are you up to?

[Kikó]

If you are hiding money and trying to hide the origins or end source is pretty dodgy and stinks of money laundering.

[Boydy]

What are they paying you for?

[Offshore Toon]

I imagine they use OnlyFans.

[Offshore Toon]

It's probably some token system like the streamers use. Inbox Mahow.

[Giggles]

The budget tomorrow has reminded me of the preposterous situation of benefit monkeys getting a “Christmas bonus” (they’ll still be getting it apparently). Is that madness only a thing here or do you do it over there too?

[Spikey M]

Just there. We've taken money away from them over here. Along with everyone else.

[Foe]

My gaff share price is on the rise and I have far too many eggs in that basket. Do we (Mellin et al) think the energy company share price rises are going to continue?

I’m about 5% shy the of the number I said I’d start thinning my (unimpressive) herd.

I suspect it’ll plummet back to reality at some point, so I’m thinking of dripping some out, and if continues to rise, drip some more out.

[Shindig]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58883053

That sounds modest.

[SvN]

Wonder why Baz deleted all of his posts :sherlock:

[Spikey M]

:D Has he? Lil scamp.

[Don]

Such a wrongun :D

[Foe]

Sold shares for the first time today. Fist pumped it like an athlete.

Debating buying some smith and newphew shares. They seem at a low at the moment. Thoughts?

[AyDee]

Many people here have to file self-assessment tax returns?

I'm doing my first one (erroneously self-registered and they haven't responded to my request to de-register) and what a confusing ballache it is.

[Manc]

DM either myself or Don.

[Spikey M]

PM Bamster.

[Foe]

Sold shares for the first time today. Fist pumped it like an athlete.

Debating buying some smith and newphew shares. They seem at a low at the moment. Thoughts?

Share price has kept going up. :moop:

[Raoul Duke]

PM Bamster.

As if he pays tax

[Lofty]

Going full Baz here but I just joined Chase UK bank after my mate put me onto it. If you join and enter a friend's referral code, then deposit £20, both you and the friend are rewarded with £20 instantly. You don't have to wait for your card to come in the post you can just link it to google pay/apple pay etc and spend. If anyone wants to do it I have a code.

[Baz]

Doh I joined yesterday! Could have used your code. :(

[Lofty]

You still can if you haven't deposited, surprised you weren't on it! Referral code champion :nono:

[Giggles]

There’s fuck all chance Baz signed up for that without shilling here.

[Baz]

There’s fuck all chance Baz signed up for that without shilling here.

I’ve given up posting referral links on here. People don’t seem to want free money purely cos I get the same in return.

[-james-]

We've been hit with £450 electricity bills two months running. What the fuck is going on?

[Lewis]

By the sounds of it you have used £450 of electricity this month and last month.

[Spikey M]

You're spending too much on electric.

[Lewis]

I signed up to my current tariff in August. My bill was £39 this month, and it was peaking over the winter at about seventy-ish with the electric heaters on. I'm going to get fucking clobbered renewing it aren't I.

[Giggles]

We've been hit with £450 electricity bills two months running. What the fuck is going on?

You’re being duped by climate shite. Making rich people richer.

[Spikey M]

I signed up to my current tariff in August. My bill was £39 this month, and it was peaking over the winter at about seventy-ish with the electric heaters on. I'm going to get fucking clobbered renewing it aren't I.

When we bought our new place it had a pre-payment meter. We tried for months to get a normal meter installed and had endless cancelled appointments and useless cunts turn up that couldn't do it for one reason or another.

It's turned out to be a massive bit of luck. We only put about £40 on the Electric and a tenner on the gas per month at the moment.

[Shindig]

Mine's not gone up yet. I'm not switching tarrifs (I'm as low as I can go) and it looks like they've paid my credit out. The rise will probably hit next month. I've got a smart meter and I give them gas readings every quarter so I should be up to date.

[Foe]

We've been hit with £450 electricity bills two months running. What the fuck is going on?

Is your flat a sauna?

[Ben]

I’m on the cap rate and we are still coming out at just over £100 a month but my account credit is being whittled away a bit. I expect the direct debit to be bumped to about £130 soon.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Mine is currently about £25 a month (I almost never have any form of heating on, so it's basically appliances and lights). I had a very awkward conversation with the bloke next to me in the office who is paying £250, also in a one bed flat. I think the difference is he is fucking obsessed with heating, even now in the summer months, jumpy personality makes him want to turn things on all the time.

[Lewis]

I signed up to my current tariff in August. My bill was £39 this month, and it was peaking over the winter at about seventy-ish with the electric heaters on. I'm going to get fucking clobbered renewing it aren't I.

Old tariff: £53 per month
New tariff: £96 per month

:happycry:

[Magic]

I'm £80 a month for electricity. 4 bed detached.

[Danny]

All in about $150 (£119) a month for electricity. Gets pricey during the summer when trying to keep the house a reasonable temp.

[Ben]

What's your petrol like? £1.85/l this morning. :sick:

[randomlegend]

Our neighbour came round the other day asking what our electricity had gone up to as his had suddenly jumped to £300 a month.

Hadn't occured to him that it might have anything to do with the fact he's bought a Tesla and charges it at home every night.

[Danny]

Never anywhere what you pay. There would be riots. I think the last time I looked into it they dont tax it anywhere near as much here.

Standard is about 75p a liter but would be closer to £1 for my car.

[Giggles]

€2.18 at the local place this morning for unleaded.

[Foe]

Beautiful fossil fuels.

Clean, reliable and efficient.

Is England rolling out low emission zone across cities like Scotland is? Now that is a pain. I think my car is BANNED by about 3 months. 🥺

[Giggles]

When the masses realise they're only feeding the rich in another business venture :drool:

I still can't believe so many have been sucked in by it all.

[Ben]

I’m with Giggles on electric vehicles. There’s some desirable ones out there but the great Tesla con will go down in history. £5k deposit and £500 a month plus £300 a month to charge it at home every night is not a good deal for a shit car.

[Giggles]

Plus, it's something else built at great cost and resources to fill a bottom line. The world would have been educated to keep what they had for many more years and do away with the disposable way of things if this were really an issue (becaue that was the actual answer). But it's not, so technology goes forward so money can be made.

[Shindig]

Is there a blander car in existence than a Tesla? It's just a white nothing.

[Ben]

Plus they’re all limited to 60mph on motorways seemingly. Boring cars for boring cunts.

[Baz]

Beautiful fossil fuels.

Clean, reliable and efficient.

Is England rolling out low emission zone across cities like Scotland is? Now that is a pain. I think my car is BANNED by about 3 months. ��
There’s some yeah. Another thing for people to moan about.

[Baz]

Yesterday I learned that some absolute scammers sell spellcasting services on Etsy. :D

Absolute made-up rubbish like this (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1142648218/powerful-fast-long-lasting-love-spell?click_key=18e099046009f3c83fd0734af105dfad9e 2f008c%3A1142648218&click_sum=21468a22&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=spellcasting&ref=sr_gallery-1-2&frs=1&bes=1/3GSCnDI).

Now you know I love a good online cashgrab but even I won’t stoop that low.

[Magic]

Beautiful fossil fuels.

Clean, reliable and efficient.

Is England rolling out low emission zone across cities like Scotland is? Now that is a pain. I think my car is BANNED by about 3 months. 🥺

No you'll just get a fine.

[Foe]

Aye, it’s fines.

Does mean if I ever want to go south I’ll have to swing way out and do a massive loop to avoid the harbour.

It’s not very well designed. Going to catch a lot of people out who are going into or out of the ferry terminal.

[Magic]

Why are you driving in city centres anyway.

[Giggles]

To get there.

[Spikey M]

Why are you driving in city centres anyway.

Some of our employers let us.

[Lewis]

:lol:

[Magic]

:happycry:

[Ben]

:D

[randomlegend]

Some of our employers let us.

:lol:

[Manc]

Does anyone bank with Starling? Hearing good things about the app and looking to switch.

[niko_cee]

My wife opened an account with them recently and it seemed ridiculously easy. She prefers them to HSBC who she was with.

[Baz]

Does anyone bank with Starling? Hearing good things about the app and looking to switch.

I’ve a Starling account and it’s fine.

For reference I also have Monzo, Revolut, Chase and Monese and it’s all very much of a muchness. Monzo probably edges it cos so many other people seem to use it, so transferring money is piss easy.

I like that Starling plant trees as their referral programme (https://www.starlingbank.com/referral?code=4D9rvS) though.

[Baz]

Just applied for a loan. Literally took 1 minute and it’s sorted. :cab: Just gotta sign some form and send it back, and they’ll give me thousands of pounds. Madness. Can see how people get in trouble with this sort of stuff.

3.9% interest from the bank is a lot more appealing than the 6.9% the car dealership are offering.

[Don]

I have a paypal payment coming out of my bank statement with appropriate random gobbledygook reference which gives no info. I can't locate the transaction on my paypal account. Is there any possible explanation for this? I started a dispute but paypal just closed it with no explanation so will have to go further into their customer service portals but just wondered if I'm missing a simpler explanation. Surely all transactions should be visible through my paypal account.

[SvN]

I suppose someone may have used your bank card to pay via Paypal rather than it coming directly through your Paypal account.

[Foe]

Anyone ever deal in whisky?

I’ve applied for a ballot for 6 bottles of macallan whisky with a James Bond branding and wondering how the hell to shift it should it succeed.

£600 a bottle too, so in theory I could be £3600 deep in something I have no idea about.

[SvN]

What the fuck? :D

[Foe]

My whisky liking friend told me it’s “guranteed” to make money.

:uhoh:

Hopefully it’s only one (or none).

[Shindig]

Keep us posted. :D Put a thread up if it looks like it's going a bit Albanian Mafia.

[SvN]

It's the James Bond branding that gets me :D Fuck me, definitely keep us updated.

[Shindig]

Honestly, the branding might work out. Just find the right James Bond collector nutter and you've probably got a buyer.

[Spikey M]

It's the same as Wine and Champagne, isn't it? Buy a / some top quality bottle(s) that are part of limited supply and they will probably appreciate in value. I'm not sure James Bond gimmick Whisky is what you're looking for though.

Plus, I imagine it has to be stored at a set temperature, in the dark, regularly turned and all sorts of bollocks.

[Foe]

Yeah, I don’t get the link, given the guy drinks martinis.

Hopefully the Asians buying into it if I don’t get “lucky” in the ballot. I’m hoping to make a quick £200 or so on it if I get lucky. But what idiot is going to pay £800 for a James Bond bottle of whisky? Hopefully someone more stupider than foe.

[SvN]

It reminds me of the time my (then) 14 year old nephew bought me James Bond aftershave for Christmas.

[Foe]

The last time I did something like this was the “limited edition” crystal Xbox that was mass released about a month after I bought it.

[SvN]

The last time I did something like this was the “limited edition” crystal Xbox that was mass released about a month after I bought it.

Did you also buy stockpiles of the Coronation Street VHS special (https://coronationstreet.fandom.com/wiki/Coronation_Street_-_The_Feature_Length_Special) in the 90s?


The release was a joint production with Warner Vision International and was a huge success with over 600,000 copies sold at the price of £13.99 but it had a bittersweet conclusion. The tape came with a sticker that stated that it was a video only release and it would never be shown on ITV. On 24th March 1996 purchasers of the tape were therefore angry to see that it was given a transmission on ITV at 8.00pm, albeit in a version edited down to one hour. Although some grumbled, some took further action and The Times of 12th March 1997 reported that a Mr. Allan Kelley obtained a refund of £13.99 plus £2 expenses following court action

[Spikey M]

Yeah, I don’t get the link, given the guy drinks martinis.

Hopefully the Asians buying into it if I don’t get “lucky” in the ballot. I’m hoping to make a quick £200 or so on it if I get lucky. But what idiot is going to pay £800 for a James Bond bottle of whisky? Hopefully someone more stupider than foe.

Someone slightly more idiotic than the one paying £600 for a James Bond bottle of whisky? :D

[Pepe]

I'll give you $4 for a bottle.

[Bam]

Someone slightly more idiotic than the one paying £600 for a James Bond bottle of whisky? :D

Only a real idiot would buy 6 James Bond bottles of whisky

[Foe]

I have applied to buy six. I may get none.

But we have concluded that, as I originally thought, it is likely an error.

[Spikey M]

I have applied to buy six. I may get none.

But we have concluded that, as I originally thought, it is likely an error.

There's all sort of idiots out there and stuff like this comes in and out of fashion. You never know. It's not a punt I'd take, but then the punt I have taken is currently sitting on a 30+% loss (played Niko), so fuck knows.

[Shindig]

Is there a movie on the horizon? Might be your time to strike. Unless Idris Elba gets the role and you're stuck with a crate of Daniel Craigs.

[Boydy]

Didn't Foe also once buy a framed (mounted?) Braveheart sword for a stupid price?

[Foe]

I’m currently very liquid, so have realised a few speculative punts like this are worthwhile.

If it is a bust, it’s not the end of the world.

Might buy back into ethereum and or Bitcoin. Which are we most confident in?

Eth is done about 60% from when I sold it. That ever coming back? Or was that inflated by the NFT buzz that inevitably failed.

[Lewis]

I'll give you $4 for a bottle.

I'll give him £0.07. :lol:

[Foe]

Didn't Foe also once buy a framed (mounted?) Braveheart sword for a stupid price?

£105 or something back in circa 2007 and it’s hanging on my wall at my parents mocking me every time I go to sleep.

I might create an “Invest with Foe” thread and let you lot throw some speculative investment ideas at me.

[Spikey M]

Get it valued. :drool:

One of those Plastic Scots Yanks that think Braveheart is a documentary would probably pay through the nose for it.

[Pepe]

I'll give him £0.07. :lol:

:D

[Lewis]

How much did Yevrah spend on that Roberto Carlos shirt that presumably takes pride of place in his living room that he calls the 'Yevcave'?

[Pepe]

Didn't someone here buy a bunch of toothbrushes to resell at some point?

The only time I tried such schemes, I bought two guitars and resold them for ~50% more. Had I continued I would probably be rich by now.

[SvN]

I bought a box of 6 sealed Sega Master System games about 10 years ago for £100. I reckon I'd get at least a grand now.

[Spikey M]

I bought a box of 6 sealed Sega Master System games about 10 years ago for £100. I reckon I'd get at least a grand now.

And that's just tracking inflation.

[Foe]

I’ve a lot of signed, framed football shirts that might well be worth more than I paid.

Messi, cristiano, augerooooo Man City, lampard, Pirlo, nesta and universal. Got them littering the walls of my flat.

On the other end of the scale, old things that should be worth binning that are worth a mint. Retro football boots. Found an old pair of air zoom total 90s from probably 2005-2006 that were in shit condition. Lobbed them on eBay, sold for £60.

Check your cupboards and garages…

[Ben]

I’m currently very liquid, so have realised a few speculative punts like this are worthwhile.

If it is a bust, it’s not the end of the world.

Might buy back into ethereum and or Bitcoin. Which are we most confident in?

Eth is done about 60% from when I sold it. That ever coming back? Or was that inflated by the NFT buzz that inevitably failed.

I'm still in Ethereum. Been a wild two years but I'm back where I started with it.

Just wait for the next TTH scheme. That one's guaranteed.

[Shindig]

I don't think there's anything from game reviewing that would be considered collectable. Maybe about 12 promo discs but none of them are games that someone would pay a mint for.

[Kikó]

It's the same as Wine and Champagne, isn't it? Buy a / some top quality bottle(s) that are part of limited supply and they will probably appreciate in value. I'm not sure James Bond gimmick Whisky is what you're looking for though.

Plus, I imagine it has to be stored at a set temperature, in the dark, regularly turned and all sorts of bollocks.

No, it's not really. The rarity is the main thing but unlike wine and champagne, age in the bottle doesn't really happen so once it's bought you're basically waiting for everyone else to drink theirs.

The best is to buy in cask then sell it off/drink it.

[Kikó]

If you want some wine advice, drop me a PM foe. It's the wife's job so I'm sure she can provide decent advice.

[Foe]

In a (fortunate) turn of events, my 6 whisky ballot applications were unsuccessful.

Turns out many people clearly wanted to pay £600 for a bottle of bond branded whisky.

Will have a look in a month or two and see what they’re actually selling for.

[Foe]

In a (fortunate) turn of events, my 6 whisky ballot applications were unsuccessful.

Turns out many people clearly wanted to pay £600 for a bottle of bond branded whisky.

Will have a look in a month or two and see what they’re actually selling for.

Looking like a 2-4x for the bottles based on current auction websites. :(

[Shindig]

Foe is shaken and stirred.

[Baz]

If you had a lump sum deposited into your bank account, what’s the minimum you would need to receive for you to never earn another penny, and for it to last the rest of your life?

[Ben]

£2m.

[Foe]

£2m.

Location dependent.

I reckon I could get by with £1m if you already had a house sorted.

Anyone here got premium bonds?

The bbc news article has peaked my interest. Might shove a couple of grand in.

[Giggles]

Quarter of a million if it was tax free.

[Ben]

Location dependent.

I reckon I could get by with £1m if you already had a house sorted.

Anyone here got premium bonds?

The bbc news article has peaked my interest. Might shove a couple of grand in.

The odds are still wank.

[Kikó]

My mum and Stepdad have a decent chunk in premium bonds (30-50k or something) and usually win a couple of hundred every other month which seems decent enough. I'm sure they could get more putting it into something more sophisticated but it's not too shabby.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I have shit tons in premium bonds. Win a few quid most months. Can't go wrong. It's also improved its payouts twice already this year (to compete with interest rates).

[Shindig]

I really wish I got into Saving Certificates before they pulled the plug on those. The interest on those were daft.

[John Arne]

The bbc news article has peaked my interest. Might shove a couple of grand in.

You'll be put on a peddle stool using language like that.

[Ben]

There's loads of savings accounts (some of them easy access too) knocking about in the 5.5-6.1% range now. I've opened a few in the last few weeks (including a Skipton one which gives me 7.5% if I deposit something in it every month) and I'm thinking it might be more beneficial to load these up rather than overpay on the mortgage if there continues to be a >1% difference in rates longer term.

[Shindig]

Aye, I spotted that Skipton one. If I wasn't in house deposit mode, I'd dump stuff into that for a year.

[Ben]

It's just shifting mentality for me. I wasn't of adult age the last time savings rates were like this and I've worked out that if I save my overpayment amount every year instead, I could clear the balance of the mortgage at the same point as the overpayments would and have £30k left over. Obviously anything can happen down the line but right now it seems logical.

[Baz]

What percentage of your monthly salary goes into your pension? Mine's 6.5% and it feels small.

I've looked into Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) in the past but felt talked out of it by the provider, as if they couldn't be bothered sorting it out. Might try again.

[Spikey M]

I put whatever the maximum my employer matches in (6 or 8%, I can't remember), then I have a Lifetime ISA that I also pay into and Rishi kindly adds an extra 25% for me.

You can also set up a SIPP, but it seems much of muchness between that and a LISA, other than a SIPP goes through your employer and I don't want my employer to think they're paying me too much.

I don't know what an AVC is, but if it means paying in more than what your employer will match, then there are better options.

[Magic]

I'm overpaying my mortgage by £200 a month, will up it to £500 shortly. Fuck paying these cunts interest for years.

[Foe]

My company default is 20%, was 15% until a few years ago.

For other reasons I now shove a load more in.

[Lofty]

Tax reasons.

Final Salary Pension at my spot, employer contributes 1.5 times the employee contribution but I also used an additional scheme to put more in, £30 a week extra. 16 years in, unfortunately the goverment moved the goalposts so now if you joined after British Rail and you retire early there are penalties depending on how many years early you go. Would have been nice to just cream off a 30 year pension in my early 50s :drool:

[Luke Emia]

What percentage of your monthly salary goes into your pension? Mine's 6.5% and it feels small.

I've looked into Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) in the past but felt talked out of it by the provider, as if they couldn't be bothered sorting it out. Might try again.

Don't you work for for local government? If so you will have some form of defined benefit pension so they will cap what you can pay in. You could AVC's or if you are still under 40 you could do a LISA but to be honest both ways are as long as they are short because you either pay tax before or after the investment all the government do with a LISA is give you back the money you have already paid tax on.