NatWest is reducing the rate on this savings. Is it still worth it?
This monthly saver from NatWest (and also RBS) has had one of the highest interest rates since it launched in 2020 – but with a catch. The Digital Regular Saver is designed for those starting off their savings journey, and as such there’s quite a small monthly limit you can put away. Just £150.
And as rates begin to drop elsewhere, NatWest have followed suit and cut the rate here too Here’s what you need to know and whether it’s worth it.
How much can you save in the NatWest or RBS Digital Regular Saver?
Since late 2022, the maximum you can earn interest on will be £5,000. This is a big jump from the previous maximum of £1,000.
But it’s not as simple as adding all that cash to the account in one go. You can save between £1 and £150 a month into the account (at launch it was just £50).
If you keep the interest in the account, it’ll take two years and seven months of saving the full £150 to reach a balance of £5,000 (including the accumulated interest payments).
For those already with £1,000 saved in the account, it’ll be just over two years until you reach £5,000 (again including interest paid each month).
Unlike other regular savers accounts it won’t close after 12 months so you’ll continue to earn interest on your savings beyond this. You can also keep adding money once you get to the £5,000 cap, but I wouldn’t bother.
Another difference to normal regular savers is that you can take the money out whenever you want, not just when it matures. But taking £150 out doesn’t mean you can put extra back in. That £150 monthly deposit limit stays at £150 regardless.
The only way to add more than the £150 each month, and get to that £5,000 sooner, is to use a round-up function on your debit card.
Paid advertisement
How much money can you earn?
In January 2026, the rate fell to 5.25%, following a cut in May 2025 to 5.5% AER. This was a fall from a rate of 6.17% that was set in February 2023.
If you save the full £150 a month for the first year that’ll net you £51 in interest. Keep going until you reach £5,000 (deposits and interest) and the total interest will have been around £335.
However any new deposits will earn far less. Money saved beyond £5,000 will only earn 1%. This can easily be beaten elsewhere. Confusingly if you do have more than £5,000 in the account it’ll show the combined interest rate on the app as your earning rate. Don’t worry about this – you’re still getting the full whack on the initial balance up to £5,000.
It’s worth remembering the interest rate is variable. So though it’s changing to 5.25%, that could change again at any time.
You can only open one of these regular savers if you have a NatWest or RBS current account. There are free ones, or you can look at the NatWest or RBS Rewards account.
How many accounts can you have?
There’s only one per person, which means you can’t get another, even as a joint account.
However the same account is offered by both NatWest and RBS, and you can open up an extra current account and then digital regular saver at the other bank to get two.
Get the best of our money saving content every week, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Paid advertisement
Account summary
NatWest / RBS Digital Regular Saver (5.5%)
Account name
Digital Regular Saver
Interest rate
5.25% AER
Max monthly deposit
£150
Min monthly deposit
£1
Max amount earn interest on
£5,000
Account closes
No
Withdrawals
Easy access with no penalty
Requirements
Must have a NatWest or RBS current account
Must have a standing order of at least £1 every month from your Natwest current account
If you have an account you need to go to your online banking or app to open the saver. I did this via my app and it took just three minutes. There’s an “Apply” button on the bottom right, and then tap the savings option. It’s all self-explanatory from there.
You need to set up a standing order of between £1 and £150 from your NatWest account, though you can cancel this once you reach £5,000.
Should you open a NatWest Digital Regular Saver?
Andy’s Analysis
Even with the rate cut, it’s still a decent paying account. And the likelihood is that other rates will fall too in the coming months.
However, I’d focus first on the fixed rate regular savers from First Direct and Club Lloyds as they’ll guarantee you a higher rate (for now – it very possible they’ll drop soon too). The problem is these all require a current account with those banks, and opening these will entail a credit check. That’s not an issue for most, but it’s something to be aware off.
If you don’t fancy that, and already have a NatWest or RBS current account then absolutely, I’d go for this Digital Regular saver instead (or as well).
Though there are similar paying regular savers, the big difference here is you will continue to earn interest on this one after 12 months. So in time it could be a better earner. Ideally you’d do both this and a strong competitor.
Of course, let’s not forget if you have a larger lump sum it’s better to prioritise opening up one of the best paying savings accounts.
The right credit card can let you spread the cost of a big purchase, or a string of smaller ones, interest free over months or potentially even years. Just make sure you follow our three rules to make the most of them.
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.
Paid advertisement
What is a 0% purchase card?
A 0% purchase card lets you spend money on it for a set period before any interest is added to your balance.
The set period runs from a few months to potentially years – with the longest 0% purchase card on the market at the time of writing being 25 months.
That means if you need to buy something big, or have a string of expenses coming up, you can spread the cost over a long time without being charged interest.
I used one after moving into my current flat, as I knew I needed to buy a lot of furniture and other essentials in a short time and this let me spread that cost out.
Crucially, you will still need to make payments and will be sent a bill every month – it’s not free money after all – but there won’t be any interest added to your bill while you’re in the introductory period.
Paid advertisement
How 0% purchase cards work
You apply for an interest-free credit card the same way you do a standard credit card. That means you’ll need to be over the age of 18 and pass a credit check.
You won’t be told your credit limit until you’re accepted, with this often determined by a combination of your credit report and income, after that the card will be posted to you along with the PIN for it. Once you activate the card, you’re free to start spending on it.
After this, the cost of any purchases get added to your credit card balance. No interest is charged on this balance until after the end of the 0% period.
Once a month, you’ll receive a bill from your card provider, which you’ll need to pay to avoid penalties. However, everything you pay will go towards clearing that balance, rather than paying any interest.
You can choose how much the payment is as long as it’s more than the minimum amount – which is normally a small percentage of the overall amount.
Get the best of our money saving content every week, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Paid advertisement
What happens when the 0% purchase period expires
The month after your introductory period ends, interest is charged on whatever balance is left on the card.
This will be at the card provider’s standard rate – typically about 25% APR at the moment, but some cards can charge significantly more.
Any new purchases or payments made on the card also will have interest charged at them at the same interest rate.
It’s not a huge factor, but it could affect your eligibility for other products, so it’s best not to apply for new cards ahead of taking out something like a mortgage.
Applying for several products in a short time, for example if you are rejected by one provider and re-apply to another or apply for several things at once, is also seen as a worrying sign by lenders.
It can look like you’re desperate for money, and so put them off from wanting to deal with you.
Once you have the card, you need to make sure you aren’t late or miss any of the monthly payments. A missed payment not only risks you having your 0% period invalidated, it also leaves a mark on your credit report that lingers for years.
Not every purchase will be interest-free, either. Taking money out of the cash point, for example, will have interest charged on it immediately. Make sure you read the terms and conditions of the card to check what’s excluded.
Finally, you need to have a plan for when the 0% period expires. Ideally, you’d have cleared the balance by then, but if you haven’t, you’ll be left with an expensive debt.
If you don’t have the money on hand to clear the balance, you could try a transfer to another card – which could reset your 0% period – but be careful about fees associated with these.
What else should I consider instead of a 0% purchase card?
There are a fair few other options if you’re looking to spread the cost of payments without being charged interest.
The first is to save up for it first, instead of paying for it afterwards. Of course, you might not always have the time to do this.
The second option is a money transfer card. These send money directly to your bank account for you to use however you like. That money is added to the credit card’s balance, and frequently come with a 0% introductory period similar to purchase cards.
The big difference is that you’ll need to ask for the full amount at once, and you’ll be charged a fee of about 4% of the total amount when you make the transfer.
Finally, some banks still offer 0% overdrafts – although these are either limited in time to about 12 months, or for smaller amounts of £500 or less.
The three rules for using a 0% purchase card
Overall, 0% purchase cards can be a fantastic option to spread the cost of something expensive.
But to get the most out of them, you need to make sure you:
Check your eligibility BEFORE applying
Set up an affordable standing order and stick to it
From freebies to money off, here are some great deals on health and beauty
From free trips to the gym to money off skincare and beauty products, here are some of the best health and beauty offers available at the moment.
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.
Paid advertisement
Nuffield: free 7 day pass
You can get a free seven-day pass at Nuffield gyms. It’s available at selected gyms only, and to get it, you need to sign up via the website and enter your postcode to choose a gym. You’ll be asked for some basic details and will be able to choose a date for the seven days to begin.
You can get a free day pass at Everyone Active gyms
This gets you free use of the gym, pool and fitness classes at your local Everyone Active leisure centre for one day. You can’t use it at Coral Reef Waterworld or Moorways Water Park.
Until the end of January, you can get a day pass at The Gym Group via the Lidl Plus app. You just need to go to your Lidl app and scroll down to ‘Partner offers’ on the home page.
Then you can select ‘redeem this offer’ and reveal a code. Go to The Gym Group website and find the day passes section to redeem your code.
You can get two or three full-sized products from Grüum (worth up to £43) for just the cost of delivery (£3.95).
There are several bundles to choose between, although some are often out of stock. The options include skin cleansers, shampoo bars, body wash bars and body oils, to name a few.
You have to pay £3.95 for delivery, but for a couple of products, that’s not bad.
You can get an unusual beauty subscription box from Liberty. If you deposit £25 per month into your Liberty “beauty bank” (essentially buying store credit), then you get a “Discovery Box” four times a year for £5 per month, worth a total of £300 per year.
You’ll still have the credit in your account that you deposited (except the £5 fee for each box), but it can’t be refunded or withdrawn.
What’s in the beauty box?
The box is called The Beauty Drop. You get four per year full of trial-sized products. They’re sent in January, April, July and October and they’ll be worth up to £300 throughout the year.
Remember that just because Liberty would sell the products for £300, it doesn’t mean they’re worth that for you.
The drawbacks
Your typical bank account has protection – you’re protected by up to £85,000 if your bank goes bust. However, your money in the “beauty bank” at Liberty isn’t protected. This means that if Liberty were to go bust, the money you have in the account likely won’t be refunded to you, much like a gift card.
You could mitigate this by spending the money you deposit as soon as you can and not letting a large balance rack up, but Liberty’s high prices might prevent this.
If you join Lush’s UK loyalty club then new or existing account holders can get a £3 welcome voucher if they sign into the latest version of the app before 8 October 2024.
You don’t need to do anything to trigger the coupon, though do check if it’s showing in the banner on the app or in the ‘Rewards’ section of the app.
You’ll be able to use the £3 in-store or on purchases via the app. It’ll last three months from activation.
Space NK: up to 20% off with £5 charity donation (ended)
This is a decent opportunity to stock up on beauty essentials (and luxuries) as you can get up to 20% off at Space NK until 2 June 2025
You must donate £5 to the charity Switchboard LGBT+ via Space NK’s link, and then you’ll get a unique code to use.
This includes rarely discounted brands such as Diptyque – only a handful of items are excluded, which you can see here. You can’t use the deal on gift cards or sale items either.
Vision Express: free eye test with £50 spend (expired)
Download the Lidl Plus app, and in the partner offers section you’ll find you can claim a free eye test (worth £30) and get 30% off frames, as long as you spend £50 on prescription glasses at Vision Express.
Beauty: £330 beauty advent calendar for £60 (ended)
You can get a £330 M&S beauty advent calendar for £60 when you spend £35 on full-price clothing, homeware or beauty.
The Beauty Advent Calendar 2025 includes a selection of 25 products, including some full-size products across bath and body, skincare, haircare and make-up.
Now, just because M&S say it’s worth £330 it doesn’t mean it actually is. You can see the entire contents here, so use that to work out whether it’s not just worth paying £60 for.
And of course, try to buy something you actually need to want for the initial £35 spend. Sale and clearance items are excluded from this qualifying spend.
Earn as much as 5% back when you spend from the likes of American Express, Chase and Barclaycard.
You can earn cashback or rewards via both debit and credit cards. In most instances the best option is the one that pays the best rate.
If you’re worried about managing a credit card it makes sense to use a debit card more. However, credit cards do have extra perks like added consumer protection or for deposits when hiring a car.
Cashback can be spent as you wish, while rewards normally need to be transferred into vouchers and spent at specific retailers.
We’ve outlined the best options so you can earn as you spend.
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.
Paid advertisement
Best cashback debit cards
The highest ongoing rate on debit cards is via the PayPal+ scheme, where there’s 1% up for grabs at home and abroad. It’s easy to use and there are ways to increase the value of the points you earn.
Trading 212 offers a lower rate of 0.5% but it’s often boosted to a higher 1.5% if you auto-invest. You’ll also earn the cashback on overseas spending. It has a cap of £15 a month.
Chase offers 1% back on groceries and some travel costs, though you’re capped at £15 a month in cashback.
We’ve not listed cards which offer money back from time to time on a changing list of retailers. This includes Monzo, Halifax and Santander. These are worth a look but are really just pot luck as to whether something is available when you want to buy something.
Occasionally there’ll be a short lived cashback offer on other cards, and we list them on our banking deals page.
Get the best of our money saving content every week, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Paid advertisement
Best cashback and reward credit cards
There are different types of cashback credit card, so we’ve split this section into:
Best American Express cashback cards
Best Visa or Mastercard cashback cards
Best supermarket or retailer cashback cards
Best airline rewards cards
Andy’s cashback credit card rules
A really important rule if you are using a cashback credit card.
Always pay off the balance in full every month
There’s no point using a cashback credit card if you’re going to get charged interest on your purchase. So make sure you set up a Direct Debit to clear the full balance.
If you can’t afford to do that, then a credit card probably isn’t your best option except for emergencies. I’ve written more about clearing credit card debts, so do read that.
It’s also worth doing an eligibility check before you apply if you can. This gives you a sense of whether you’ll be accepted, though not a guarantee.
The highest paying of all credit and debit cards without restrictions is the American Express Nectar, which earns you the equivalent of 1% back. Of course you are earning Nectar points, but as long as you sometimes shop at Sainsbury’s or Argos that shouldn’t be an issue. It’s free in the first year.
If you want pure cash, then go for the American Express Cashback card. You will pay £25 a year for this, but you can wipe that out in the first year by applying via a referral link You’ll be earning 0.75% on spending up to £10,000, and then a higher 1.25% if you go beyond this. This resets every 12 months.
There is a free but lower paying (at 0.5% on first £10,000, then 1%) version called American Express Everyday Cashback. However you must spend at least £3,000 a year to get any cashback on that.
Alternatively you could look at the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold credit card. You’ll only earn one Amex point (worth 0.5% if you swap it to a gift card), though it’s boosted for every £2,500 you spend above £5,000, pushing potential earnings to 0.75%. This card is initially free, but very expensive from the second year onwards, so it’s certainly only for one year. I’d also wait for when the welcome bonus is increased.
Best Visa and Mastercard cashback and reward credit cards
If you want a back up credit card that’s not American Express, then the following are worth a look. They’re also all fee-free for spending overseas, which is something the Amex cards don’t offer.
Lloyds Ultra
Barclaycard Rewards
Santander Edge
NatWest Travel Reward
1% for first year, 0.25% after
0.25%
1%
1% on UK travel spending (including trains, planes, car rentals, hotels, buses & more)
The new Lloyds Ultra card is a top paying 1% card for 12 months, and then a lower but hard to beat 0.25% afterwards for a non-Amex card. It’s also fee free to use abroad.
Alternatively, the Barclaycard Rewards pays a solid 0.25% cashback on spending at home or abroad, and is fee free.
The Santander Edge credit card can pay more at 1%, though since there’s a £4 monthly fee and you’re capped at £10, you’ll only earn a maximum of 0.6% back. Spend less or more than £1,000 and that effective rate drops.
I’ve included the NatWest Travel Reward credit card, but it’s only advantage over other cards is you can earn 1% back on holiday planning at home, such as hotels and flights – though you’d get the same with the Amex Nectar as long as the retailer accepts it.
Other cards
NatWest Reward: 1% at supermarkets, 0.25% elsewhere (£24 annual fee unless a NatWest customer) Also available from RBS
Virgin Money Everyday Cashback: 0.25% capped at £15 a month. Fee-free abroad
Best supermarket and retailer specific cashback and reward credit cards
These cards will earn you a decent rate at core UK retailers and supermarkets like Amazon and John Lewis. You’ll also earn on spending elsewhere, but those rates can usually be beaten by other cards listed above.
Amazon Barclaycard Rewards
John Lewis Partnership
M&S Bank Rewards
1% at Amazon (2% on big sales)
0.5% elsewhere for the first 12 months, then 0.25%
5 points per £4 spent at John Lewis or Waitrose (equivalent of 1.25%)
1 point per £10 spent elsewhere (equivalent of 0.1%)
As well as earning points as you spend, the draw with these cards are welcome offers and 2-4-1 vouchers. However the latter can require huge amounts of spending – and then even more to get enough points to use alongside the vouchers, especially on non-economy seats.
Unless you are going to be spending a lot, or want to save long term for a dream trip, I prefer using cashback card and having the flexibility to shop around for deals on flights.
If you want to boost your savings when shopping online, there’s a simple way to make money – cashback.
If you’re new to cashback sites, you can nab sign-up offers giving you close to £50 in free cash when you first buy something.
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.
Paid advertisement
How cashback sites afford to give you money
Retailers often pay a commission to websites that help them make a sale. Cashback sites simply pay you a cut of this money if you shop with them.
How to get even more money from the cashback sites
Since there are a few of these sites, they’re all competing for you to shop via them – which means they all give incentives to get you to sign up.
So even if you’ve already registered with one, you can sign up with another and shop away.
They all have different custom cashback rates at different shops, so it’s worth signing up for them all and shopping around for the one which will give you the most money.
Right now you could earn a free £30 for doing your shopping as normal, and get further cashback on top. Here are the best ones:
New customer offers
TopCashback: £20 bonus when you spend £10
You can get an exclusive £20 new member bonus. You need to spend £10 via one of the retailers listed on TCB to get this bonus (excluding takeaways). You must go via this link or the button below.
Read the full terms and conditions when you click through. Ends 31 March 2026.
The best deal is for subscribers to our free newsletter who get access to an exclusive £18 first-time bonus when they spend £10. You’ll also get the cashback offered by the retailer on top.
Once you sign up, you’ll need to click on the sign-up confirmation email that will be sent immediately. If you don’t see it, please check your spam folders as it could be there, and then add our email address to your safe senders list.
Then look for a special email that will be sent to you with the exclusive Quidco sign-up link. Make sure to read the terms and conditions on Quidco’s website before making your first purchase to ensure it tracks.
This offer is due to end 31 March 2026, but will hopefully be extended.
Get the best of our money saving content every week, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
JamDoughnut: get £4 for signing up
We’ve managed to snag a cheeky boosted welcome offer for Be Clever With Your Cash readers. You can get £4 extra cashback – double the standard welcome bonus.
It’ll be paid as two sets of 200 points when you make your first purchase.
The first 200 points you get are standard for first-time users of JamDoughnut, while the extra 200 points are for coming through our link. The first 200 points will be instant, while the second ones will take a few days to be added by the JamDoughnut team.
You might be prompted to enter a code. You don’t need to do this as the link will track. But if you want to, then add BCWYC.
You can get £2 when you sign up for cashback app Cheddar using the referral code CLEVER2 and buy your first prepaid card. You’ll also get boosted cashback rates for two weeks.
You have to make the purchase within 14 days of signing up using the invite code to get it.
Another decent cashback site is the app Airtime. New member bonuses are much smaller. You’ll get £2 for signing up with code FGUHNUQH when you spend £5 within seven days. Sometimes these are boosted.
From time to time both Quidco and TopCashback offer an extra bonus. You need to activate these deals and they generally only run for a short period of time – often just one day.
Airtime tends to have promo codes you need to enter on the app to get the extra offer.
The best are generic promos which you can gain with any spending. Sometimes they might be for specific retailers or types of service (eg travel or broadband). I’ll share any decent ones I spot here.
Paid advertisement
Things to watch out for
Cashback is never guaranteed. If your purchase doesn’t track (i.e. there isn’t a record of you buying the item via the cashback site) you won’t get the money.
Here’s how to increase your chances you will get the money:
Read the (short) terms and conditions for the sign-up deals, and also the individual shop promotions.
Be careful using voucher codes. If they aren’t listed on the cashback page they might stop you getting cashback.
Make sure you don’t already have a browser window open for the retailer.
These banks accounts are my top picks for the year
I’ve got 25 different personal current accounts right now. Yes, that’s far too many for most people, but trying them all out really helps me recommend to you the good from the bad.
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.
Paid advertisement
Best dummy current account for switching
If you’re looking to take advantage of switching deals, it’s often worth setting up a dummy account you’ll use purely for this purpose.
Winner: Chase
A couple of reasons why Chase wins here. First, there’s no hard credit check when you first apply. Second, once you have one account, you can set up nine more in the app – and it’s these ones you’ll want to use to switch away.
Just be sure not to switch away your only Chase account as that’ll close your whole account down and you won’t be able to reopen it. Here’s more on how to use Chase for switching.
Best bank account app
Banking apps are improving all the time and the best have features such as freezing your card if it’s lost and features to help you save.
Winner: Starling
Recent improvements to the Monzo and Revolut apps made this a close call this year. Chase is decent too. But Starling still edges ahead. All of these digital only banks have features to help you track spending and manage your card, but I think not only does Starling do it best, it does a little more on top.
You can use it on both app and desktop, you can pay in cheques with your phone, you can deposit cash at Post Offices and more.
Runner up: Monzo and Chase
It’s worth taking a look at these other digital banks as often it’s personal preference which makes one stand out over the other. You might prefer them to Starling.
Runner up: Natwest
If you’re after a high street bank then the app I like the best is from Natwest (or RBS which is basically the same). You can do most things you need to do, and it’s clearly set out. A nice extra is you can use it to take cash out at Natwest or Tesco ATMs if you don’t have your card.
Thanks to changes to Chase’s cashback last year, there are no longer any accounts which I’d recommend to use for your spending. Instead you’re better off using a cashback credit card, or the debit card from PayPal.
However, there is a runner up.
Runner up: Monzo
Though many banks offer additional cashback offers linked to specific retailers, Monzo has the easiest one to view and manage. Here’s our review of the feature.
Our podcast
Listen to Cash Chats, our award-winning podcast, presented by Editor-at-Large Andy Webb and Deputy Editor Amelia Murray.
Santander will give you money back each month on direct debits for your bills – but sadly the top paying Santander 123 is no longer open to new customers (if you’ve already got it, then keep using it).
Instead you can choose between the Edge, Edge Up and Edge Explorer accounts, and it’s the first one that will probably earn you more cashback each year.
All three give 1% back on household bills such as Council Tax, energy and broadband, though the Edge costs £3 a month vs the Edge Up’s £5 monthly fee. That extra £24 a year for the Edge Up really cuts into your returns. The Edge Explore costs £17 but includes extra insurances, so it could be worth a look.
Though the earnings aren’t as much as they once were, this cashback via the Edge is better than nothing, and you’ll also get access to the 6% paying Edge Saver.
Runner up: Biscuit by Zopa
You can also get cashback on some bills via Zopa. It’s capped at £30 a year, the equivalent of £2.50 a month, but it covers any direct debit, so you could well use this as well as the Edge to pick up bills that are missed off.
Runner up: Monzo/Starling
If you’re more worried about budgeting than cashback then both Starling and Monzo will let you segregate money into separate pots and then assign one to pay bills direct from it.
Paid advertisement
Best bank accounts with rewards
Some accounts will pay you each month, either in cash to your account or with a freebie. You often have to pay a monthly fee and meet other criteria.
Winner: Club Lloyds
Sadly the Halifax Reward account was gutted in September and no longer gives £5 a month.
So my top pick for 2026 is the account from Club Lloyds. You can choose either 6 cinema tickets or a year of Disney+ with Ads – but once you’ve set up standing orders you can just leave the account alone. A couple could benefit from three accounts – one personal account each and a joint one too.
As long as you deposit £2,000 a month into the account you avoid the monthly fee. This is easy to do. There’s more in my full Club Lloyds review.
Runner up: Monzo Perks
This account from Monzo offers much more, but you have to pay £7 a month to access the perks. That can be great value if you need what you get. This includes:
a Vue cinema ticket every month
a Greggs treat every week
an annual railcard
Uber One membership
You also get extra Monzo budgeting features which I think are great. More in our Monzo Perks review.
From inclusive insurance and breakdown cover to extras, sometimes it’s worth paying a fee each month for a packaged account.
Winner: Santander Edge Explorer
This account is the Edge, which I already like, plus some extras. It costs £17, £14 more than the Edge, but is cheaper than most other packaged accounts. And in return, you’ll get travel, breakdown and phone cover, 1% cashback on some debit card spending, 1% cashback on bills and access to the 6% Edge Saver. Here’s my full Santander Edge Explorer review.
Runner up: Virgin Money Club M
This account goes up from £12.50 a month to £14 from 1 February 2026, but it’s still one of the cheapest packaged options. You’ll get worldwide family travel insurance and phone cover, as well as UK and European breakdown cover for the account holders (so it’s worth opening it as a joint account). That’s decent value if you need two or three of those policies. Here’s our full Virgin Money Club M review.
Best bank account for savings
Current accounts often give you access to higher rates than elsewhere, though with limits. Here’s our guide to the best savings accounts.
Winner: First Direct
For ongoing savings the highest paying account is a regular saver that’s only open to First Direct current account holders. It pays 7% AER – and that’s fixed for 12 months. You can only add up to £300 a month into this regular saver. Read more about other regular savers here.
Winner: Santander Edge
The highest interest rate on larger balances at the moment is from Santander. As long as you have the Edge current account you can open the Edge Saver. This offers 6% on up to £4,000 – though that previously mentioned £3 a month fee needs to be factored in if it’s not covered by cashback. The rate also drops by 2.5% after a year.
If you use an overdraft you’re probably paying around 40% in interest – far more than it’d cost to borrow elsewhere. So they’re best avoided. But if you are overdrawn then it makes sense to reduce that cost ASAP.
Winner: First Direct
You can currently get a £250 0% buffer from First Direct. That’s not amazing, but it can be useful if you occasionally go a little below zero.
Runner up: Monzo/Starling
If you really need to use an overdraft then you might be able to get as low as 15% of 19% with these digital banks.
Get the best of our money saving content every week, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Paid advertisement
Best ethical bank account
Winner: Triodos
This account tops the charts on Ethical Consumer’s list of ethical current accounts and it’s hard to beat. However it does come with a £3 a month fee and the app is limited. Here’s my full review.
Runner Up: Nationwide, Starling or Co-op
These banks also score well. As it’s a building society, Nationwide is committed to putting the bulk of its lending towards mortgages so it can’t invest heavily in non-ethical practices. It also has positive policies in place to avoid this.
Starling has the edge over its challenger bank rival Monzo, while Co-op is the top-ranked from the other high-street banks.
If you don’t want to have multiple accounts, and really want everything in one place, then these banks combine multiple extras.
App and perks: Monzo Perks
As long as you would spend £84 a year the perks included, the extra budgeting features on an already excellent app make Monzo Perks on of my top account for 2026. The only let down is on savings rates and there are never any switching deals.
Cashback and savings interest: Santander Edge or Edge Explorer
As long as you pay bills, you may as well get cashback on these. On top there’s access to the 6% paying Edge Saver account. The app is average though. If you need travel insurance and breakdown cover, the Edge Explorer is a good upgrade.
Interest and freebies: Club Lloyds
It’s too early to say whether First Direct Perks will be worth it in the long time, so I also think Club Lloyds is also worth a shot. The app is pretty good, and the six cinema tickets or year of Disney+ with Ads is potentially worth £60 a year and there’s a decent (though not best buy) monthly saver at 6.25%.
Ethics and loyalty: Nationwide
Finally, if you want your bank to be doing some good AND get something in return, Nationwide is well worth a shout thanks to the annual Fairer Share payment. It’s not guaranteed for 2026 but it should be worth £100 and offer access to a decent 18 month fixed saver.
The do’s and don’ts of passing on unwanted or duplicate gifts.
There’s a good chance at some point each year you’ll be given a gift you don’t want or need. Unwanted presents are frustrating and disappointing but also a bit awkward. So what do you do with it?
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.
Paid advertisement
What to do with an unwanted present
The worst thing you can do with an unwanted gift is just throw it away. Not only are you adding to landfill, but the money spent by the gift giver has been wasted. Not much better is just putting it out of sight in a cupboard or drawer. It’ll probably just sit there gathering dust for a few years until you have a clear-out, and then go to the tip too.
You could try to make use of whatever you’ve been given, even if you don’t like it. But why wear a jumper, use the vase or eat some chocolates that aren’t to your taste simply because you feel you should? It’s not your fault the gift wasn’t right, so you shouldn’t feel guilty about it. Saying that, you might find you later learn to love it.
You could try to sell the present, though the admin and fees associated might be enough to put you off. It’s worth having a look online just to see what similar items have gone for, but it’s something likely only worth it for higher-value items.
Perhaps the best option, if you’re brave enough, is to be honest about the present. Tell the gift-giver why it’s not right and ask if they would be able to give you a gift receipt so you could exchange it, or if they would do it for you. This will be a lot easier if the gift is something you already have than if it’s just not to your taste. Still, it’s worth a go.
But if you can’t see that working, your next best bet financially is to pass the present on, also known as regifting. This can be controversial. Imagine how you’d feel if a gift you put thought into wasn’t just unwanted, but given to someone else? Not great. But it’s better to know someone, somewhere is making use of it rather than it getting chucked away.
And if you can avoid the awkwardness, then it’s a winning strategy. You’re giving someone a gift they hopefully will like, you’re helping the environment by not chucking it away and you’re saving yourself some cash by not having to buy something new.
So here a few simple rules and tips to help you navigate the minefield of regifting.
Do: only regift to someone you think will appreciate the present
Regifting doesn’t mean you can just palm off an unwanted present to any old friend or family member. If they won’t appreciate it, you’re just passing the buck, and it could still end up in the bin.
Instead have a think about who might like it, and there’s a good chance you’ll have a few contenders. Most unwanted gifts aren’t bad gifts. They might simply not be to your taste, or perhaps be a duplicate of something you already have.
Get the best of our money saving content every week, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Don’t: regift everything
It’s worth taking into account any politics within your family or friendship groups. It might be better to keep hold of something and just bring it out from time to time to avoid any rifts. Yes, that could mean keeping hold of that awful painting your gran got you. But that might be better than the potential fallout if she found out.
Also some gifts are just plain bad. The kind you can’t understand why someone would manufacture it, let alone buy it. If you’ve got one of these and there’s no one you can think of who would like it then don’t regift it.
Do: have a regifting box
It’s worth keeping any unwanted gifts together in one box or cupboard. This way if you need to buy a present you can check what you’ve got and see if there’s anything suitable.
Don’t: forget who bought you the unwanted gift
There’s a danger with regifting of whoever you gave the gift to finding out, or perhaps even getting it back themselves. You hear stories of presents being passed around the same group year after year. Neither of these scenarios are desirable.
To avoid this, make a clear note of who gave you the gift and when. Then when you regift it, make sure it’s given to someone in a different circle.
Take a good look at your unwanted present. Have they inscribed a message in a book? Is there a tag stuck to the bottom of the box that you missed? If you’re sure there are no tell-tell signs the item is regifted then it’s fine to re-gift.
Don’t: regift anything that’s been used
Any unwanted present you want to pass on has to be in as good a condition as if you’d just bought it yourself. Packaging is key here so ensure any tags are intact and the box unopened. It’s important to check use-by dates on any food or drink gifts too.
Do: remember charity shops
Finally, as we’ve mentioned a few times above, you can also give an unwanted present to a charity shop. But don’t just dump a bag outside the shop. Take it in and see what they will take and then you can deal with anything they reject.
Here’s where I’ll post any particularly decent eBay deals and offers, whether selling or buying!
As you’d expect there are thousands of different products! Often you’ll see well-known shops selling on eBay now at prices less than their own website. Office and Argos are just some with “outlet” shops on eBay.
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.
Paid advertisement
Buying offers
20% off on eBay
Another eBay deal, this time offering 20% off a huge variety of retailers. The code for 20% is MERRY20. The code expires at midnight on 16 December 2025.
There’s a minimum spend of £9.99 and the max discount is £75. The code can be used three times.
Do always price check elsewhere before buying though as they could be cheaper even without the discount.
You can get an exclusive £20 new member bonus. You need to spend £10 via one of the retailers listed on TCB to get this bonus, and that includes eBay. You must go via this link or the button below.
Read the full terms and conditions when you click through. Ends 31 March 2026.
The best Quidco deal is for subscribers to our free newsletter who get access to an exclusive £20 first-time bonus when they spend £10. Though you can use this at any shop, it also includes eBay. You’ll also get the cashback offered on top.
Once you sign up, you’ll need to click on the sign-up confirmation email that will be sent immediately. If you don’t see it, please check your spam folders as it could be there, and then add our email address to your safe senders list.
Then look for a special email that will be sent to you with the exclusive Quidco sign-up link. Make sure to read the terms and conditions on Quidco’s website before making your first purchase to ensure it tracks.
This offer is due to end 31 December 2025, but will hopefully be extended.
How often do you have to use ODEON Limitless, Cineworld Unlimited, Everyman Everywhere and other movie memberships to make them worthwhile?
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.
Paid advertisement
How cinema memberships work
There are two core types of memberships for the main cinema chains. The all-you-can-watch options will let you go every day, even more than once each day, if you want. The others will get you a handful of free tickets and then discounts on future ones.
Often you’re limited to just standard 2D screenings in normal seats, but some will let you access 3D showings, recliner seats and even event cinema such as theatre – though you’ll pay more for the privilege.
You can see the breakdown of ODEON MyLimitless, Cineworld Unlimited, Everyman, Curzon and Picturehouse memberships further down the page. But first, my thoughts on how to decide what represents good value.
Should you get a cinema membership?
I think value from cinema memberships comes down to three factors. If you can justify at least two of them, then potentially go for it.
How often will you go?
First is the most important, and it’s one very simple number – how often are you really going to go? Back in my 20s, my record was 60 times in a year, but even I found that too much. I forgot half the things I saw!
I think if you can commit to going roughly two or three weeks out of four (between 26 and 40 visits a year) then you’ll likely be getting a bargain. These are the key numbers I’ve used in the comparisons below, but that’s still a lot of films to see. Go less than this and the savings tend to be less likely.
Can you commit to just one cinema?
Next you need to consider if you’re likely to still visit other cinema chains. That could be because there aren’t many screens or certain films aren’t showing where you’ve got your membership – often the case for independent or foreign films. Perhaps it’s just a logistical matter because mates want to go elsewhere or you can only make a screening at 8pm.
There’s absolutely no point shelling out for an unlimited membership if you’re going to see movies elsewhere too.
But if you’ve only got one cinema then this is less of a problem.
Of course, some of these memberships can also be used alongside other deals. There are tricks mentioned below for both Everyman and Cineworld memberships which effectively give you free tickets for two people if you go certain days. Bargain!
When I lived in London I saw no point getting one of the annual cinema memberships. First, there are dozens of ways to get cheap tickets, meaning I rarely paid more than £6 a ticket in the capital. Second, you are tied to going to just one chain, which doesn’t work if the film you want to see at the time you want to go is at a cinema you can’t use your membership.
But now I’m out of London, my options are much smaller. We’ve actually only got two cinemas in town – an ODEON and an Everyman. Both offer membership schemes that let you go as much as you want. Are they worth shelling out for?
Having checked out all the deals, the cinema geek side of me is very tempted by the Everyman Everywhere membership – but only if I’m willing to go every week.
However, thanks to various deals, I tend to get more than 20 free tickets elsewhere each year, as well as a dozen or so free rental vouchers. Combined with so many fantastic TV shows on Disney, Apple and the BBC I don’t think I’d be able to get enough value from a membership.
Plus I still like to have the choice of where I go and I’ve enough money-saving tricks up my sleeve that I can keep prices just as low most of the time. So the answer – for now – is no.
But take a look at the different options below to see if one could work for you.
How the different cinema memberships compare
ODEON myLimitless
How it works
There are two versions of ODEON’s membership, called myLimitless. The standard offering works all over the UK, not just outside London. However you won’t be able to use it at Luxe locations. These are included in the myLimitless Plus membership.
With standard, you can go to as many 2D films as you want, though screenings can’t overlap. Extras such as 3D and IMAX require additional payments. You also can’t use your membership ticket to get another free ticket with Meerkat Movies.
You’ll be invited to free preview screenings. You can book up to four screenings in advance. There’s a 10% discount on food and drinks.
In addition, the Plus membership not only lets you watch films at Luxe cinemas, but also get unlimited access to premier or recliner seats, as well as 3D and iSense screenings. However you’ll pay extra for screen 1 in Leicester Square and Islington Luxe & Dine.
Paid advertisement
ODEON myLimitless costs
Standard cost (excluding Luxe): £16.99 a month / £186 a year
Plus cost (inc Luxe): £19.99 a month / £219 a year
Annual discount: 8% if paid in full (12 months for the price of 11)
It’s worth keeping an eye out for occasional offers that bring down the price of an annual Plus membership, especially around Black Friday.
Cineworld says that the monthly cost will be cheaper than two tickets a month – though the price will change depending on the location for your “home” cinema. There are four groups, and you can see which one your cinema fits into here.
The bulk of locations are in groups 1 and 2. Though not exclusively, group 3 contains most of the London cinemas, while group 4 adds in Leicester Sq. You can use your membership at all cinemas in your and lower groups – so group 4 is effectively every single Cineworld.
You can go to as many 2D films as you want, though screenings can’t overlap. Extras such as 3D and IMAX require additional payments, though if you continue for a second year 3D is included. There’s a 50% discount on “event” screenings.
In theory you can get another free ticket with Meerkat Movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so that would mean you’d only need one membership between you – if you only go midweek.
You’ll be able to see free previews and there’s a 10% discount on food and drinks, going up to 25% in year two.
Get the best of our money saving content every week, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Paid advertisement
How much does Cineworld Unlimited cost?
Cost (Group 1): £13.99 a month / £167.88 a year
Cost (Group 2): £17.99 a month / £215.88 a year
Cost (Group 3): £19.99 a month / £239.88 a year
Cost (Group 4): £22.99 a month / £275.88 a year
Annual discount: None (though look out for offers)
Other savings: Recommend a friend to get a free month each, or use Clubcard points at 2:1 value
Cineworld Unlimited membership details
Minimum membership: 3 months
How to join: At the cinema, via Tesco Clubcard or via the Cineworld website
Is Cineworld Unlimited worth it?
This one has the potential to be incredibly cheap, but only if you combine your free ticket with Meerkat Movies.
If you mainly go on a Tuesday or Wednesday to take advantage of this two for one offer in Group 1, you’ll pay just £4.20 for two tickets, based on 40 visits. That falls to a fantastic £2.10 per ticket.
Of course, if you’re on your own, in pricier groups, go different days or go less often, then it can get a lot more expensive. So once more you need to compare it to prices at your cinema to see whether you’ll save or not.
Visits per year
Cost per film (Group 1)
Cost per film (Group 2)
Cost per film (Group 3)
Cost per film (Group 4)
52
£3.23
£4.15
£4.61
£5.33
40
£4.20
£5.40
£6
£6.90
26
£6.46
£8.30
£9.23
£10.61
12
£13.99
£17.99
£19.99
£22.99
Paid advertisement
Everyman membership
How it works
The basic “Everyman” membership provides six free tickets. The next level up is the “Everyicon” membership, which offers 24 free tickets. However, both let you bring a friend for free on Mondays, potentially doubling your number of included tickets.
The “Everywhere” membership is a lot of money at £680 a year. However, it’s for two people at any time and you can go to as many films as you like.
All give you 10% off food and drink, and fee-free booking.
If an Everyman is your local cinema, or the one you like going to, then you could well save a little with the six tickets for £95, making them £15.83 a ticket, or £7.92 if you go on a Monday with a friend and split the cost.
The next level – ‘Everyicon’ – is a little cheaper, but again use the free tickets just on Mondays and that’s now 48 tickets, working out at a very nice £7.29 each.
The top ‘Everywhere’ could work if you’ve a partner or friend who will share the membership with you. Even then you need to go a lot. See 40 movies each in a year and it’ll work out as £8.50 each for your ticket.
Personally I’d go to a cheaper cinema instead, or get a trial for Times+ which offers 2-4-1 tickets every Wednesday.
Visits a year
Everyman
Everyicon
Everywhere (one person / two people)
52
N/A
N/A
£13.08 / £6.54
40
N/A
N/A
£17 / £8.50
24
N/A
£14.58 (for 24 visits)
£28.33 / £14.77
12
N/A
£29.17
£56.67 / £28.33
6
£15.83
–
–
*based on annual spend
Paid advertisement
Curzon membership
What you get
The entry-level “Classic” includes five free tickets, and then discounts for you and a guest.
Next up, the “Cult” membership is seven tickets every week – so essentially free entry to as many films as you want. You can also use these credits to stream online movies from Curzon Home Cinema.
If there are two of you, you can add the “Events and Guest” option which gets you 14 tickets each week and you can use it on “event” screenings – but you’ll pay £50 more each month.
There’s also 10% off food and drink with all three membership levels. Sadly Curzon doesn’t accept Meerkat Movies.
How much is Curzon membership?
Cost (Classic): £70 a year (all cinemas) / £55 a year (non-London)
Cost (Cult): £25 a month / £285 a year
Cost (Cult plus Events and Guest): £75 a month / £850 a year
Go 40 times and the ‘Cult’ membership works out as £7.13 a ticket. That’s more than I’d like to pay, but not bad if you’re in London or only have a Curzon near you. However since Curzon has a more indie/arthouse lean, you might still need to pay elsewhere to see some of the big blockbusters.
Adding ‘Events and Guest’ to the Cult membership is the most expensive out there. Only if two of you go three out of four weeks, or a little less if you throw in regular event screenings, are you going to be making this worthwhile.
The Classic membership will be worth it if you are definitely going to go five times a year to a Curzon, or if the normal ticket prices elsewhere are around £11 outside London and £14 inside London.
Visits per year
Classic (London/Outside London)
Cost per film (Cult)
Cost per film (Cult+ one person)
Cost per film (Cult+ one person)
52
N/A
£5.48
£16.35
£8.17
40
N/A
£7.13
£7.13
£3.56
26
N/A
£10.96
£10.96
£5.48
12
N/A
£23.75
£23.75
£11.88
5
£14 / £11
Paid advertisement
Picturehouse membership
What you get
There isn’t a subscription membership at Picturehouse, but I’ve included it for completion. Instead you get five free tickets and discounts on further tickets.
The Member Plus option gives you double the freebies (so 10 tickets), and you can get members prices on up to three further tickets for each screening.
There’s also 10% off food and drink, jumping to 25% from year two. Like all the others there are member’s previews, though these are free at Picturehouse, potentially saving you some more cash.
How much does Picturehouse membership cost?
Cost (Picturehouse Central): £100 a year (single) / £185 a year (joint)
Cost (London excl Central): £75 a year (single) / £120 a year (joint)
Cost (Outside London): £65 a year (single) / £110 a year (joint)
If you’re likely to go to a Picturehouse cinema over other chains then the ongoing discount after the free tickets will make it more affordable. Still though, that’s potentially more expensive than using other tricks at other cinemas.
I’ve used my membership free tickets alongside Meerkat Movies in the past – I can’t find any official confirmation this is allowed, but I can’t see why not. This essentially gives you double the number of free tickets to be used on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Visits per year
Cost per film (Outside London single)
Cost per film (Outside London joint)
Cost per film (London single)
Cost per film (London joint)
Cost per film (West End single)
Cost per film (West End joint)
10
N/A
£11.00
N/A
£12.00
N/A
£18.50
5
£13.00
N/A
£15.00
N/A
£20.00
N/A
Cineworld Unlimited vs ODEON myLimitless
The two most effective memberships in terms of value for money are the ODEON and Cineworld schemes. If you have both cinemas near you and aren’t sure which one to go for here’s what I’d do.
Ultimately, ODEON’s is cheaper but if you can combine the Cineworld with Meerkat Movies, then the latter is a better option.
If that’s not a deal-breaker for you, I’d look at which has the most screens and which ones tend to show the films you want to see. If it’s just standard blockbusters both should have them on, but if you want smaller films that might not be the case.
