Month: June 2025

June 18, 2025   |   Articles

How to refill your water bottle for free

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Reuse and refill to save money with a handy app.

There’s no need to keep buying water when you’re thirsty thanks to a scheme that will let you top up at local shops and businesses.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

Though the summer is taking a while to get going yet this year (and rain is always around the corner) there have been some been fantastically sunny and hot days in the last month. And that means it’s more important than normal to keep hydrated when out and about.

Yes, a chilled coke can be good, and apparently, a hot drink will help lower your body temperature. But personally I’ll always prefer to have a nice cold water.

But buying bottled water isn’t always cheap. Yes, you can pick up a chilled own-brand 500ml bottle from supermarkets for around 70p, but that’s way more than it would have cost a few years ago. And you’ll be paying way over £1 at coffee shops and corner shops.

For those still commuting to the office, buying just two bottles a day during a working week could easily cost £10, if not more.

And it’s not good for the environment either. The organisation City to Sea estimates that UK households buy 480 plastic bottles a year, and only half get recycled. So it’s better for both your wallet and your conscious is to reuse either a “single-use” bottle, or buy a tougher one designed to be used again and again.

But if you’re not at home or work with access to a tap, where do you top up your bottle? Well, I’ve got some info to help you find out where you can hand over your bottle and get it refilled up for nothing.

Look for the Refill symbol

In recent years I’ve spotted more and more of the Refill logo in the windows and doors of cafes, pubs and even places like gyms. 

This logo means you’ll be able to get a refill of your water bottle for absolutely nothing. You can also plan in advance by downloading the Refill app which has a searchable map.

There are apparently over 330,000 businesses operating as “Refill Stations” in the UK, including brands such as Costa, McDonalds, Starbucks and Greggs.

Look for this Refill logo to get free water

Restaurants and bars – your rights

Of course, not everywhere will have the logo – but that doesn’t mean you can’t get free water. It’s always worth asking places if they’ll top up your bottle, though it’s always better to do this if you’ve been a customer. 

Though spending money doesn’t mean you are entitled to free water. Restaurants and cafes don’t even have to give you free water with your meal unless they are licensed premises.

If they do serve booze then they must have it available, but they can charge for service if they wish. And it doesn’t mean it’ll be very good tap water. I’ve eaten in places where the water is not great at all, and not even that cold. Still, it can help keep costs down.

Find public fountains

The Refill app also has an option to help you locate public fountains.

Filling up at airports

Though you can’t take liquids over 100ml with you then you go airside (though that might be changing), you can bring empty bottles. You should then be able to fill up your water bottles once you’re through security.

Not all airports have fountains, and they’re not always easy to find, but I’ve usually managed to bring a bottle or two through to ensure I can stay hydrated on long-haul flights, and avoid the sky-high charges you get on budget airlines.

Money Saving Expert has a useful list of airports which have fountains and where to find them.

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June 17, 2025   |   Podcast

Cash Chats 473 | Bad news for Santander & Halifax customers, winter fuel payment u-turn, Help to Save scheme & more

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The podcast to help you make the most of your money

In the latest episode of the pod Andy and Amelia are talking about:

  • Bad news for Santander & Halifax customers in our monthly banking update
  • Winter fuel payment u-turn
  • Help to Save scheme – what it is and why it’s brilliant
  • And more!

Scroll down for further reading links.

Listen to Cash Chats episode 473

Or you can also listen to Cash Chats on all podcasting apps. Click through to your favourite via these buttons:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google
RSS Feed
Amazon Music

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More from Cash Chats

If this episode has saved you money, please do tell a friend!

It’d be great if you also leave a review and rating. Here’s how to do it on Apple Podcasts and iTunes. 

Don’t forget to join the Cash Chats community on Facebook.

The music used on Cash Chats is Easter Island by Lonely Punk and provided on a creative commons licence.

June 16, 2025   |   Articles

Help to Save: get a 50% boost on your savings

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Get a generous bonus with the Government saving scheme if you’re on a low income

Did you know that there’s a really under-rated savings account that offers a really generous 50% Government bonus on your savings?

It’s designed to help people save small and regular amounts when they’re on a low income and it’s definitely worth considering if you meet the criteria.

Here’s how the Help to Save scheme works.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

What is Help to Save?

Help to Save is a savings account that’s only available to people on Universal Credit and other benefits.

You can pay in between £1 and £50 a month, for up to four years, and instead of earning interest, you’ll get a 50% boost from the Government. 

Your money is held with National Savings & Investments, and backed by the Government, so your cash is 100% safe.

Despite the generous 50% boost to your savings, the scheme’s not had a particularly good take-up with just 517,000 accounts being opened since they launched in 2018.

Who can get a Help to Save account?

To qualify for the account, you’ll need to be a UK resident, receiving Universal Credit and had take-home pay of £1 or more in your last monthly assessment period. This is your pay after deductions, like tax and National Insurance. 

The earning requirements recently changed – they used to be much higher – which means more people will be able to open these accounts in the 2025/26 tax year.

If you’re living abroad, you can still apply if you’re a Crown servant or a member of the British armed forces, or their spouse or civil partner. 

If you get payments as a couple, you and your partner can apply for your own Help to Save accounts.

How does the 50% bonus work?

The bonus is paid in two instalments over the four years, one every two years. 

After the first two years of saving, your first bonus will be 50% of the highest balance you’ve had in the account, rather than the final balance.

Say you paid in £25 each month and you don’t make any withdrawals. After two years, you’ve saved £600 so the 50% bonus is £300.

If you did the same but withdrew £200 just before the end of year two, though the balance after two years will be £400, you’d still get a £300 bonus as it’s based on that high of £600.

And after four years, you’ll get the second bonus, that’s calculated slightly differently. Rather than a 50% bonus on the total balance, it’s only paid on the amount you’ve saved in years three and four.

This second bonus is calculated as 50% of the difference between two amounts – the highest balance saved in the first two years (years one and two) and the highest balance in the second two years (years three and four). 

Going back to our £25 a month example, and a maximum of £600 saved in years one and two. 

If you were to add another £300 over the next two years, the difference between the two highest balances is £300, 

So you’ll earn 50% of this, or £150, at the end of the fourth year.

As you can see the bonus is really decent – and can’t be beaten anywhere else by a long way!

And if you pay in the maximum £50 a month for the entire four years, you could earn as much as £1,200 by the end of the term.

How do I open a Help to Save account?

You can set an account via the Government website. If you’ve not already got a Government Gateway ID and password, you can do that when you sign in for the first time.

You’ll need your National Insurance number or postcode and two of the following:

  • a valid UK passport
  • a UK photocard driving licence issued by the DVLA (or DVA in Northern Ireland)
  • details of a tax credit claim (if you’ve made one)
  • details from a Self Assessment tax return in the last two years (if you’ve made one)
  • information held on your credit record, if you have one (such as loans, credit cards or mortgages)

If you don’t have online access, you call HMRC on its helpline – the number is 0300 322 7093. The line’s open Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm.

If you’re not sure if you qualify, you could try and apply anyway – your eligibility is checked as part of the application process. 

How do I pay into my Help to Save account?

Once you’ve set everything up, you’ll need to login to your Help to Save account to make payments. 

You can make one-off transactions or set up a standing order. However, if you set up a weekly amount, you might end up with a different amount being paid into the account in certain months.

My circumstances have changed after applying for the account

That’s ok – you only need to meet the criteria when you apply. If something changes afterwards, you can still save into the account and get the Government bonus.

If you leave the UK temporarily, you’ll be able to contribute to your Help to Save account for a certain period of time but it’ll depend on your specific circumstances. 

If you want to check, do give HMRC a call on the helpline.

Is there a deadline to apply?

Yes. The Help to Save scheme was due to close to new applicants in September 2023 but it’s been twice extended.

The latest deadline is April 2027, so you’ll need to apply by then. You’ll then be able to keep the account for four years.

Featured switching deal
Our top pick

Santander 180 switch offer + £25 Amazon Gift Card

Customer rating 3.8/5
  • Switch bonus
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  • FSCS Protected? Yes
  • Switch bonus requirements Switch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
  • Deposit requirements Deposit £1,500 in the first 60 days from opening the account
  • Direct debits transferred over Set up two Direct Debits before or after the switch from a selected list of household bills
  • Existing customers? Can't have held any Santander current account on 1 January 2025
  • Restrictions Can't have received a switching bonus from Santander already, offer limited to once per person
  • Eligible accounts Open a new or hold an existing Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account
  • £25 Amazon Gift Card requirements To qualify for the gift card, you need to complete a full switch using CASS, and make five debit card transactions within 30 days of opening the account.
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Can I withdraw money?

Yes, you can. You can make withdrawals at any time and the money’s sent to your nominated bank account, although it can take up to three working days.

While it’s good to try and build your savings as best you can, remember your first bonus is paid on the highest balance over two years. So if you need to take some money out of the account, don’t worry, your bonus will be secured at the highest level you’ve reached.

If you do make a withdrawal, you’ll not be able to replace what you’ve taken out. For example, if you paid in £50 that month and took out £40, you’ll not be able to pay in anything more until the next month.

What happens after four years?

Your Help to Save account will close and your savings, plus the final bonus, will be moved to your nominated account.

It’s worth noting that you can only have the Help to Save account once. So after your account is closed, you’ll not be able to open another one.

You can close your account at any time. If you close your account early you’ll miss your next bonus and you will not be able to open another one.

What if I close the account?

You can close your account at any time, but if you get the timing wrong you could miss out on your next bonus payment. And as above, once your account is closed, that’s it. 

If you find you’re unable to make payments into the account, or you don’t want to, it’s a good idea to keep the account open. That way, you’ll still get the bonus and the account’s there if you decide to pay into it again.  

Will a Help to Save account affect my benefits?

The savings you build up in your Help to Save account won’t specifically impact your benefits. But if combined they take you above the £6,000 threshold, it could affect how much you get in Universal Credit and your council tax reduction.

If you live with your partner, their savings could affect your benefits. So if you both have a Help to Save account and save the maximum amount each month, your combined savings could reduce how much you could claim.

Should I get a Help to Save account?

If you qualify for a Help to Save account, it’s definitely worth considering as that 50% bonus can’t be beaten anywhere else. While the bonus in the second half of the term isn’t as good, it’s still way more than you’ll get with any other savings account.

Right now, you’re looking at between 4.75% and 5% with easy-access and 7% with regular savers – which are far, far lower rates than with Help to Save. You can see all the top rates in our savings best buy tables.

If you’ve got debts, you can still open an Help to Save account, but if they’re expensive debts, like high-interest loans, or high-priority ones, like council tax arrears, it’s a good idea to look at getting a payment plan in place first.

One of the things we like about Help to Save is that the bonus is based on your highest balance during the qualifying time – rather than how much you have in your account when the bonus is calculated. It means you can save and withdraw the money if you’re hit with an unexpected expense, which you might have otherwise borrowed to pay for, and still get the bonus.

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June 13, 2025   |   ArticlesReview

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold credit card review

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Is this the best Amex credit card?

There’s a healthy welcome bonus for the Amex Preferred Rewards Gold credit card, making it one of the most attractive cards at first sight.

Here’s what you need to know about the American Express Gold card, how to hack the point redemption to earn more money and how it compares to other cashback cards.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

How much will you make from the Amex Gold?

Earning Reward points

You earn American Express Membership Reward points rather than cashback. There are different levels when you spend with the Amex Gold Rewards card. You’ll get:

  • 1 point per £1 spent
  • 2 points per £1 spent with airlines or in foreign currencies
  • 3 points per £1 spent at American Express Travel

Personally I’d ignore the double and triple points unless you happen to get the best deal direct with an airline or Amex Travel. It’s better to get a lower price elsewhere even though you’ll earn half the points back. You’ll also be better off using a fee-free card to spend in foreign currencies.

Spending bonuses from 15 October 2025

As well as normal points for spending, you’ll also get additional bonus points triggered by cumulative spending. This is changing from 15 October 2025.

When the new system comes into play, it’ll stagger this bonus so you get 5,000 bonus points for each £10,000 you spend.

The bonus points will be added to your account as soon as you reach the spending threshold. It’s capped at a spend of £20,000 a year meaning the most you could get in a year are 10,500 additional points. Here’s how that works:

SpendBonusCumulative Bonus
£10,0005,0005,000
£20,0005,00010,000

Of course, the two ways to earn points (point per spend and spending bonus points) stack on top of each other, so the real return has to look at them combined.

If you spend £10,000 (ignoring the welcome bonus which I’ll come back to), you’ll actually get 15,000 points, not 10,000. That’s now an effective cashback rate for the card of 0.75%. You’ll get the same rate if you spend £20,000 in a year.

But if you spend a different amount, the effective cashback rate will be less. Here’s how it’d pan out based on different annual spends with the card.

Annual spendPoints earnedAdditional bonus pointsTotal value as gift cardEquivalent cashback rate
£2,500.002,5000£12.500.5%
£9,999.009,9990£57.500.5%
£10,000.0010,0005,000£75.000.75%
£12,500.0012,5005,000£87.500.7%
£15,000.0015,0005,000£100.000.67%
£19,99919,9995,000£124.500.63%
£20,000.0020,00010,000£150.000.75%
£25,000.0025,00010,000£175.000.7%

So really you’re looking at just 0.5% on this card if you don’t spend more than £10,000., and close to 0.75% if you are on or just over each £5,000 threshold. Only super high spenders above £25,000 will eventually earn less than this.

The new system means you’ll work out the same if you spend annually:

  • Less than £5,000
  • £10,000 to £14,999
  • £20,000 to £24,999

Any other spending level will be worse off, but up to 2,500 points (worth £12.50 as gift cards or Nectar points).

Spending bonuses until 14 October 205

Until mid-October, the system staggers this bonus so you get 2,500 bonus points for each £5,000 you spend. Here’s how that works:

SpendBonusCumulative Bonus
£5,0002,5002,500
£10,0002,5005,000
£15,0002,5007,500
£20,0002,50010,000
£25,0002,50012,500

Here’s how it pans out based on different annual spends with the card.

Annual spendPoints earnedAdditional bonus pointsTotal value as gift cardEquivalent cashback rate
£2,500.002,5000£12.500.50%
£5,000.005,0002,500£37.500.75%
£7,500.007,5002,500£50.000.67%
£9,999.009,9992,500£57.500.62%
£10,000.0010,0005,000£75.000.75%
£12,500.0012,5005,000£87.500.70%
£15,000.0015,0007,500£112.500.75%
£20,000.0020,00010,000£150.000.75%
£25,000.0025,00012,500£187.500.75%

Welcome bonus

New American Express customers who haven’t had an Amex in their name in the last 24 months (here’s more on this American Express rule) will get a welcome bonus worth 20,000 Reward Points when they spend £3,000 in the first three months. You have to spend the full £3,000 to get the bonus. Spend even 1p less and you won’t get it.

This would be valued at £100 if converted to a gift card. The bonus is earned alongside the points given for each £1 spent, meaning that the initial £3,000 spend is actually worth £115 when converted at 0.5p.

However, there are also regular boosted bonuses, increasing the welcome points available to 25,000, and sometimes as much as 30,000 or 35,000 (depending on the offer). Unless you really need the card, I’d wait for one of these offers to run. Check our Amex Gold booster offer page to see if there’s an offer like this available right now.

Be aware that getting the American Express Gold card (bonus or not) will rule you out of earning the welcome bonus from the American Express Platinum, one of the only cards that allows a second bonus.

Annual fee and charges

The American Express Gold card is free in the first year. However after this it comes with an annual fee of £195.

I can’t see how it’s worth paying this much when you can swap to a free or much lower fee card and earn a similar amount on your spending.

Other Amex Gold perks

£10 Deliveroo credit a month

There’s potentially £120 back in credit for spending at Deliveroo with the American Express Gold card. It’s actually two lots of £5 per month, each requiring a £5 minimum spend. This offer needs to be activated on your card, and won’t apply to any supplementary cards.

Free airport lounge passes

You also get four airport lounge passes each year. These can be used at Priority Pass locations, which can be hit and miss – it all depends on which airport you are at. I’d treat it as a nice to have rather than a reason to get the card.

Exclusive events

This is something previously limited to Platinum card holders. You’ll be able to book on (and pay for) events and exclusive food and drink deals throughout the year. Personally I’ve never used this on any of my Amex cards.

Other cashback offers

Something I love about Amex are the extra offers you can select via the app and your online account. Though these are retailer specific and won’t always be relevant, they’re well worth a look.

What are Amex Reward points worth?

It’s all very well talking about these points, but how do you use them and what are they worth? The former is easy. You can exchange your points as soon as they are paid via the Membership Rewards website.

But the value of the points depends on how you redeem them. They’re worth 0.45p when swapped for bill credit or used on retailer sites. So 1,000 points will be worth £4.50.

That increases to 0.5p (£5 per 1,000 points) when exchanged for a gift card at retailers such as M&S, Amazon, Selfridges and Waterstones, or converted to Nectar points. This means the cashback equivalent is 0.5%.

You can also swap them to your Avios or other airline schemes at a rate of 1:1. Personally I think most people are better off getting a cash value they can use on everyday spending than be restricted to using them as part of a flight loyalty scheme.

We’ve written a longer guide sharing the best ways to use the American Express Membership Rewards scheme.

Cancelling your Gold Amex

If you won’t want to pay the fee from year two onwards, you can cancel your card. If you miss the anniversary and get charged, you may be able to cancel and get a pro-rata refund of the fee, giving you back the money for unused months. However this loophole is due to end at some point.

However closing the card will mean you lose unused Reward points. Fortunately there’s a free Amex Rewards card you can apply for which will protect your balance. Make sure you do this before ditching the American Express Gold card.

Amex Gold vs other cashback cards

Welcome bonuses

When boosted to 30,000 bonus points, along with 3,000 points for the spending (in total the equivalent to £165) is the highest paying welcome offer without a card fee in year one, as long as you can spend £3,000 in three months.

But, as mentioned, having this card rules you out of later applying for a welcome bonus with the Amex Platinum card, which is often boosted to 80,000 points. This won’t be for everyone, but if you think you might do this, then perhaps you’d be better off going for a different Amex first.

Compared to the other cards, the Nectar will earn you the equivalent of £100 in Nectar points, while the Amex Cashback offers up to £125 (5% on the first £2,500). Get either of these and you can still go for the Platinum at a later date.

Everyday spending

The best you’re going to get with this card is between 0.5% and 0.75%. That’s not bad, but it can be beaten. Right now there are a couple of cards which will pay a better rate.

The Amex Nectar pays two Nectar points per £1, which is effectively also 1%. This has a fee in year two, but only £30, so much cheaper than the Amex Gold!

The American Express Cashback card pays 0.75% on spending up to £10,000, then 1.25% for further spending (it resets each year). It also comes with a £25 annual fee, though this can be wiped out in the first year with occasional special offers or a referral code.

Should you get the Amex Preferred Rewards Gold credit card?

Andy’s Analysis

It’s certainly not a bad option for one year, but if you think you will try the second welcome bonus hack for the Amex Platinum card then I’d go for the Nectar or Cashback first instead.

How to get an American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card

You can go directly and check your eligibility with American Express. Once you’ve done this, I’d check the rates at Quidco and TopCashback, or via refer-a-friend links, to see what extra you can get.

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June 13, 2025   |   Articles

June’s 2025’s current account news & offers

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The latest news to help you get the most from your bank account.

Here’s my monthly update sharing changes for leading UK current accounts, as well as some of the relevant articles you might have missed on the blog.

June’s bank account update video

For a more detailed update, watch this video from our YouTube channel.

June’s current account offers

Latest bank switching deals

There are now five deals from major banks, though you can’t go for these if you’ve had the cash before. Click each link for more info on each one.

The newest offer is from Santander, with £180 up for grabs. Plus if you go for the Edge account there’s 1% back on bills and a 6% savings account. You will have to pay a £3 monthly fee though.

TSB’s bank switch offer is more lucrative at up to £340, though it’s also more complicated with a lot to do and a long time required to keep the account.

Existing Nationwide customers can switch for £200 on both a personal and joint account, so there’s potentially £600 up for grabs for a couple. They’re also offering that £100 Fairer Share payment for those who qualify, and access to a 5% fixed savings account for 18 months.

If you live in Northern Ireland then you’ll also be able to get up to £175 from Danske Bank.

Elsewhere, First Direct’s switching offer is still going for £175. Don’t forget you can access a 7% regular saver with this bank.

Latest Premier bank switch deals

Another new offer is for the HSBC Premier switch deal. This one will get you a £500 Selfridges voucher, so it’s a big reward. However, you need to meet high salary or saving requirements to open the account.

Meanwhile you can still get the Barclays Premier Rewards switch offer, which will earn you 25,000 Avios.

Latest bank switch offers (A-Z)

As of 31/03/2026

Click links for further details and analysis

The best bank switch bonuses

Check out our list of all the bank switch offers you can get when opening a new current account

the best bank switch offers on a blue background

Trading 212 offers up to 1.5% cashback

The cashback rate on Trading 212’s debit card has been increased to 1% until mid July, and you can boost it further to 1.5% if you choose to auto-invest your cashback. This is until 5 July. Remember with investing, your balance can go up or down.

Hopefully one or both offers will be extended. If you don’t have an Trading 212 account yet, there’s a welcome offer of a free share worth between £8 and £100 via our link.

Barclays Blue free cinema screenings

In May there was another Apple TV screening in selected Everyman cinemas for Barclays Blue Rewards customers. It’s a decent package of two tickets to the film, a cocktail and popcorn each and a pizza to share.

That’s the theory at least. This is only the third screening since September, so it’s not exactly a regular perk.

Then your chances of getting a ticket are slim. Only a handful of Everyman cinemas were showing the movie, and the screens weren’t huge, so at most just a few hundred people would have been able to benefit.

Plus the movie (Fountain of Youth) was awful – I left half way though.

So I still think Blue Rewards isn’t worth paying for. But if you do want to keep it, then do act fast if you see similar offers.

June’s current account news

Halifax Rewards to end £5 or cinema ticket perk

From September you’ll no longer receive a reward in it’s current form from the Halifax Reward account. This means an end to £5, a cinema ticket or a digital magazine subscription. There will be a replacement, though this is set to be revealed in July.

It’s worth noting that if your current reward is due to finish after 17 June, you won’t be able to renew it. New customers will also not be able to trigger the rewards if they apply after this date.

Halifax say most customers didn’t qualify each month. We’ve more information on the changes to the Halifax Rewards here.

Santander axe Edge debit card cashback

Another big reward change, and this time Santander will be ending the 1% cashback on groceries and travel spending with the Edge and Edge Up debit cards. This will finish on 9 September 2025.

Again, you can read more about this, and your alternatives, in our article on the changes to cashback on Santander Edge debit cards.

Santander to end 123 Lite accounts

And Santander are at it again. This one affects existing 123 Lite current account customers, who will have their accounts moved to an Everyday account on 21 August 2025.

The account won’t be closed. Instead it’ll be transferred over, so you’ll keep your account number and cards, but you’ll stop earning up to 3% cashback on bills. You’ll also stop paying the fee

Right now the full 123 isn’t affected. I’ve written about what the end to the 123 Lite means for customers, and alternatives.

Top banking articles from Andy you might have missed

Club Lloyds fee increases

I’ve told you about this before, but it’s worth a reminder. Since the start of this month, the fee for the Club Lloyds account has increased to £5 from £3.

However, no one should be paying this as it will be cancelled out when you deposit £2,000 a month into the account. This doesn’t need to be in one go, or stay in the account, so you can move a smaller amount in and out multiple times if you aren’t able to do the full amount.

Co-op Extra fee increases

Co-op Bank are also increasing a fee – this on their packaged Everyday Extra account which offers insurance. From 1 July it’ll cost £18 a month rather than £15 a month. You can see our full guide to the best packaged bank accounts for alternatives.

Yonder launches new debit card

Reward credit card provider Yonder has introduced two new debit cards, one free and one paid. You’ll earn one point per £1 spent on the free card, and 5 per £1 on the £15 card – though that also comes with travel insurance and a 10,000 point bonus.

The points can be redeemed for ‘experiences’, which tend to be money towards restaurant bills. I’m not convinced this is a better option than alternatives, especially since you can get 1% cashback to use as you want from Amex Nectar credit card and the Trading 212 debit card. But we’ll aim to delve deeper in coming months.

Starling and Monzo add new features

An interesting extra for Starling users. They’ve launched an AI feature to analyse your spending. Apparently more AI features will be coming.

Meanwhile over on Monzo you can now ‘undo’ payments. You can choose to set the timer for 15, 30 or 60 seconds (or not enable it at all), and then you’ll be able to cancel the payment – it’ll be as if you never pressed send.

Lloyds launch Premier account

If you can pay in £5,000 a month, or save £100,000 with Lloyds then you will be eligible for the new Lloyds Premier current account. It’s £15 a month but that’s waived if you meet this criteria.

It’s basically the Club Lloyds account with a few extras. The perks include:

  • 1% cashback, up to £10 per month
  • Bupa Family GP and Wellbeing (including GP appointments, six physio sessions and 14 counselling sessions)
  • A lifestyle benefit, including free Disney+ with Ads or six Odeon or Vue cinema tickets

Since you can get the cashback from other cards and the lifestyle freebie via Club Lloyds, the only perk really is the Bupa subscription – though do note it’s not full health insurance and there are exclusions.

More bank closures

Natwest have announced 55 further branch closures this year. Find out which ones are shutting. Barclays meanwhile has said it won’t close any more branches in 2025 and 2026 – though it’s already shut 20 this year.

Vote for the best current account

In June we’re running a current account World Cup tournament, looking to see who you think offers the best account. The first few rounds have already been completed, but there’s still time for you to get involved with the last group stage still to be decided, and then semi finals and finals happening in the next few weeks.

Winners of each round will be revealed in our Cash Chats podcast each Tuesday.

The dates below are when each voting period starts. You can vote in our Facebook community or in the Posts tab of our YouTube channel.

Tues 3 June – Round 1, group A

  • Club Lloyds
  • Nationwide FlexDirect (Winner – through to semi finals)
  • Santander Edge

Fri 6 June – Round 1, group B

  • Kroo
  • Natwest Reward
  • Starling (Winner – through to semi finals)

Tues 10 June Round 1, group C

  • Monzo
  • Halifax Reward
  • Triodos

Fri 13 June Round 1, group D

  • Chase
  • Revolut
  • First Direct

Tues 17 June Semi final 1

  • Nationwide Flex Direct A vs Starling

Tues 24 June Semi final 2

  • Winner C vs winner D

Tues 1 July Final 

Our bank reviews

Our top current accounts for June 2025

I always think it’s worth having more than one current account (find out why here) and here’s my run-down of the top accounts to have this month.

  1. Best account for everyday banking / app – Starling (review)
  2. Best account for bills – Santander Edge (review)
  3. Best account for rewards – Club Lloyds (review)
  4. Best account for savings interest – Santander Edge (review)

June 13, 2025   |   Deals

Our deals of the week 13 June 2025

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Our pick of the best offers and savings.

Every week we spend hours looking at discounts and deals to pick the good from the bad. We’ll only share ones which we think are worth considering – but remember you’re only saving money if you’re buying something you need and can afford.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

This week’s deals

Chase: 5% saver for new customers

Raisin: last chance for £100 boost to savings – ENDS MONDAY

HSBC Premier: £500 Selfridges voucher switch offer for high earners

Disney+: four months of Disney+ with Ads at £1.99 per month

Ikea: £10 voucher with £60 spend until Sunday

All Bar One: free cocktail from Sunday -Thursday with the app

London Restaurant Festival: set menus and deals at restaurants across the city this summer

Co-op: £5 off £30 spend on delivery or collection

Kids Theatre Week: free theatre tickets for under 17s with a full-paying adult, but beware, some shows will sell out fast!

JustEat: £8 off orders over £25 at selected restaurants

Warehouse Wine: we blagged 35% off 12 bottles of wine (£4.99 per bottle) for newbies

Pizza Express: buy one pizza, get one for £1, + stack with 20% off gift cards

American Express: refer-a-friend for up to 80,000 boosted points

June 12, 2025   |   Articles

How to get the best value sun cream

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Save money without sacrificing the protection you give your skin.

Is a branded suncreen any better than a supermarket’s own version? And what should you be thinking about other than the SPF number?

I’ve taken a look at how to make sure you’re not overspending but still getting the right protection.

What makes a decent sun cream?

SPF and UVB rays

When you’re going to buy suncream there’s probably only one number you really pay attention to. The big one on the front – the SPF number. Sun Protection Factor.

This ranges from around four or five all the way through to fifty plus. The number which medical groups recommend is at least thirty.

What the SPF number specifically shows is the protection you get against Ultraviolet B rays – or UVB. These are the rays that generally will burn your skin.

Basically the higher the number is, the greater the protection, the longer the protection you’re going to get from these rays.

“Star ratings” and UVA rays

There’s actually more than one type of UV ray coming from the sun. What you should also be looking for when you’re buying your suncream is protection against UVA – Ultraviolet A – rays.

This is the stuff that’s meant to premature age you, the stuff that causes you to get those lines caused by the sun. It will hopefully say both UVA and UVB on the packet.

But how do you know how good that protection is? Because SPF isn’t anything to do with the UVA. Instead, you look for some stars. Bigger packs hopefully have it on the front, though it might be on the back of smaller ones.

You should be looking for at least four stars. That’s going to give you the protection that you need.

Is more expensive suncream better?

Now if you’ve got at least factor 30 on the UVB and then you’ve got at least four stars on the UVA then all the sun creams are pretty much the same. At least they’re doing the same thing anyway in terms of protecting you from the sun’s rays.

So whether you’re going into Aldi or Boots and you’re spending a couple of quid or whether you’re spending more than ten quid by getting some posh brands, they’re not really doing anything different.

I had a look at Which? magazine. They’ve reviewed and tested about 15 to 20 different sun creams.

The best buys were from Boots, Nivea, Sainsbury’s and Superdrug, all relatively affordable. Worryingly, some of the brands didn’t offer the protection promised – and were marked “don’t buy”. These were Asda, Morrisons and one type of Ultrasun.

Broadly, the only real difference they found between the ones that did pass the tests is that some of the cheaper ones can feel a bit greasy when you apply them to your skin. Or they smell not fantastic when you apply them, so you might want to try some different ones and pay a bit more money.

So just because it’s a brand it’s not necessarily any better than an own brand from one of the chemists or supermarkets.

How much should you buy?

One extra thing to think about when you’re buying your sun cream is the size of the bottle. In terms of getting value for money the bigger bottles will often work out cheaper per unit, usually per ml, So you’d think the bigger the bottle the better the deal.

But that’s not necessarily the case. On the back of most of your sun creams, you’ll see a little drawing of a pot. You see it on lots of cosmetics as well. This little round pot with an open lid and in there it will give a little number. If it says “12m” it stands for twelve months. Most sun creams are meant to last between 12 and 18 months. 

Time actually reduces how strong the cream is. The bottle might say thirty on the front but if it’s two or three years old it won’t be delivering that kind of protection.

And it’s worth bearing in mind that if you leave your suncream out in the sun then that’s going to make it last a shorter amount of time as well.

So will you actually use the cream up in that time? Or will you, like I have in the past, have half-used bottles sitting at the back of the cupboard until the next year?

Big families, or people spending a lot of time in the sun, are probably better off buying big bottles at the start of each summer, and then buying smaller ones as the summer ends. And people who aren’t out in the sun much might be better off just buying smaller packs. Of course, it’s important to apply the right amount – so don’t scrimp.

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June 12, 2025   |   Deals

National Art Pass deals and offers

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This card gives you free or reduced entry to galleries and museums.

If you’re an art or museum lover, you’ll know it can be expensive to see all the major exhibitions, especially in London. The National Art Pass is a pretty good way to indulge your hobby for less.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

Wording that says 'National Art Pass' with the Be clever with your cash logo on a blue background.

How much is a National Art Pass?

It’ll cost you £83 for the year, reduced to £62.25 if you pay by Direct Debit. Buy a Double membership and it’s £124 a year or £93 via Direct Debit.

Is it any good?

The bigger galleries and museums will probably offer you 50% off with the pass, while smaller ones might give you free entry.

Andy had one before and didn’t quite use it enough. But if you frequently visit galleries and museums, it’s well worth considering.

Where can you use it?

There are hundred of places – from the National Gallery to Tate Liverpool to HMS Belfast. You can search for your favourites or places near you on the National Art Pass website.

National Art Pass deals

3 months for £15

It’s unusual to get a pass for less than a year, so if you want to try it out, then you can currently get a discount for three months. It costs £15 for three months and add a plus one for £5.

This runs until 30 June 2025.

Get a 3 month Art Pass trial

Under 30s discount

If you’re aged under 30 years old you can get an annual pass for £50. (Or £37.50 if you pay by Direct Debit).

You can buy this at any time before you hit 30. So if you’re 29 and your birthday is tomorrow you’ll still get the full discounted membership for a year.

Get an under 30 Art Pass

Student Art Pass for £10

You can buy a Student Art Pass for £10. You need to be over 18 and studying full-time at a UK university or college. You’ll need to prove your eligibility with a uni email address.

It’s worth trying the code TAKE20 for an extra 20% off.

Get a Student Art Pass

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June 10, 2025   |   Articles

Get 2 for 1 cinema tickets all year for just £1 with Meerkat Movies

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This hack will get you cheap tickets every Tuesday and Wednesday for a one-off fee – giving massive savings to film fans. Even better, it could cost as little as £1.

One of the best ways to get cheaper cinema tickets is via the Meerkat Movies 2 for 1 cinema tickets deal – and you can bring the price down even more by stacking it with other deals.

In this blog, I’ll explain how it works, how to get the Meerkat Movies code, and whether you can use it at ODEON, Vue, Cineworld, Picturehouse and other cinemas.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

Meerkat Movies 2 for 1

What are Meerkat Rewards

Meerkat Movies is just one perk offered by comparison site Compare the Market. Anyone who’s taken out a qualifying product via the site also gets Meerkat Meals, which offers money off at restaurants and cafes.

How Meerkat Movies works

Once a week you can access a Meerkat Movies code on the app to get “buy-one-get-one-free” tickets at most UK cinemas all year.

You can then use this code on either Tuesday or Wednesday for standard cinema seats – not all cinemas allow you to use it for 3D or premium screens, or they might charge extra to do so.

All the big chains except Picturehouse let you use the code to book online a week ahead – though watch out for online booking fees.

You have to use the code for the same film, so you can’t do a solo double bill, and you can only use one code each week.

And it’s the cheapest ticket which is free. So if you’re one adult and one child, you’ll pay just for the adult ticket.

With your £1 travel insurance policy you also get two for one discounts at restaurants with Meerkat Meals.

How to get Meerkat Movies membership for £1

To get your one year membership you need to buy an insurance policy through the Compare the Market comparison site.

That’s great if you’re looking to sort out insurance for your car or home, but if not there’s a sneaky trick to get you access for just a few quid. Prices vary and normally sit around the £1.20 point – but right now it’s possible to get it for just £1!

All you need to do is get a quote for travel insurance and choose the following options.

  • UK
  • Single trip
  • One night
  • One person
  • No extra cover
  • No pre-existing medical conditions

Follow this and you should be offered a range of policies – just go for the cheapest one. You’re not going to use this insurance so you don’t need to read into any of the terms and conditions. Buy this and you’re now eligible to get 2 for 1 Meerkat Movie codes every week!

Which cinemas allow Meerkat Movies codes

You can search for cinemas in the app, or in this Meerkat Movies map. it looks like you’re less likely to find an independent cinema that accepts the codes, however the following big chains all let you use Meerkat Movies codes:

  • ODEON
  • Vue
  • Cineworld
  • Picturehouse
  • Empire
  • The Light (some locations)
  • Reel

Cinema chains that don’t allow Meerkat Movies include:

  • Curzon
  • Everyman (though you can get 2-4-1 via a Times subscription)
  • The Light (some locations)

All the latest cinema ticket offers

Find out more ways to save at the cinema.

Cheap cinema ticket deals and offers

How to get your 2-4-1 code

The easiest way to get your weekly Meerkat Movies code is via the Meerkat app. If you don’t have a smartphone you can log into comparethemarket.com and print your voucher from there, or just write down the code.

You need a new code every week, and these are released on a Thursday.

Stacking other savings with Meerkat Movies

Two for one is already a great deal, but you can often save even more by combining the Meerkat Movies code with other promotions.

One way to stack is to pay with a discounted gift card. These aren’t that common, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for deals such as 10% off the likes of ODEON, Vue and Cineworld.

Meerkat Movies by cinema

Meerkat Movies at ODEON

ODEON seems to let you use Meerkat Movies with any type of ticket. Look out for discounted locations, with some cinemas charging just £5 a ticket midweek – meaning you’ll pay £2.50 per person with your Meerkat Movies code.

Meerkat Movies is also a great way to save money at the posher Luxe screens, or the refurbished ODEON Leicester Square. You’ll still pay more for these locations though.

Officially the ODEON Limitless card doesn’t work with your Meerkat Movies code, but it’s worth a try. These let you go to as many films as you like, potentially bringing the cost of two people to see a movie every week down to as low as £2.30 per ticket – IF you go every week, and only on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

Meerkat Movies at Cineworld

Again, some Cineworld locations are really cheap mid-week – so check the prices near you. You can use Meerkat movies with child, student and senior tickets alongside normal adult ones.

Though it’s not an official policy, regular Cineworld goers with an Unlimited Card seem to have no problems with combining their membership with the code to get 2 for 1 cinema tickets. To save even more, Tesco Clubcard points can be used to save you money on the annual price.

Meerkat Movies at Vue

The supercheap Vue day is now on Mondays, so you can’t combine it with Meerkat anymore.

Meerkat Movies at Picturehouse Cinemas

In my experience, you can use your reduced membership price with a Meerkat Movies code – though officially the chain says you can’t.

I’m a big fan of Picturehouse memberships. You get free tickets to cover around half the fee, then you save around £2 or £3 per ticket on top of that and get 10% off at the bar, plus most will have a cheap ticket day and member previews.

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