Save money and give to charity with these two cut-price will campaigns.
There are a few ways to get a will drawn up, but if you want a solicitor to do it for you, you’ll have to pay more than £100.
According to MoneyHelper, a single will drawn up by a solicitor could cost you between £144 and £240, while a joint will could go up to £300.
However, there are a couple of offers which run every year that could bring down those costs:
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
Regular offers
Octopus Legacy: the cost of your will paid for by charity
Until October 31 2025 9 November 2025, Octopus Legacy has partnered with UK charities to to cover the cost of writing or updating your will, up to £150.
A simple will would be fully paid for, or you can get a discount on a will with trust. You can complete your will online yourself, or you can write it over the phone or face-to-face with one of Octopus Legacy’s Estate Planning Consultants.
Remember that these are charities — most people say thank you by choosing to leave a gift in their will. There’s no obligation to do so, but it lets you repay them for their help.
Every November, as part of Will Aid, you can get a “free” appointment with participating solicitors to draw up a will. In return they ask you donate £120 for a single will and £200 for a joint ‘mirror will’ to one of the partner charities, which includes NSPCC, Save the Children and Age UK.
You can now book for 2025. The appointments go quite fast, so you have to be quick! The Will Aid website has a postcode-based search option so you can find any solicitors taking part near you.
Get the best of our money saving content every Monday & Thursday, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Paid advertisement
Free Wills Month
Twice a year in March and October, over-55s can get a free will from participating solicitors with the Free Wills Month campaign. It’s done with several charities that sign up to take part. You’re not required to make a donation, though it’s hoped people will give something in return for the service.
You can register your interest ahead of time, then on 1 March or 1 October you’ll be able to sign up, choose which charity you’d like to write a will with and book an appointment. These can book up quickly, so be sure to get in soon if you want a free will.
National Will Register: Register for free in May (expired)
The National Will Register is offering free will registrations in May with the code FREEWILLREG24.
It’s not a legal requirement to register your will but if you had your will done by a solicitor, they may have done this for you already. You can also just let your executor know where your will is. However, having it registered means it can be located and prevents it from being lost, misplaced or forgotten.
Having one bank account isn’t just risky, it could be costing you cash.
Lots of people only have one current account. And if they’ve not yet switched it for some free cash, they’ve probably had it for a long time.
But limiting yourself to a single account – whether through loyalty, indifference or simply not knowing you can have more – is a bad idea.
And opening up new accounts can bring benefits when managing and accessing your money – and even making some extra cash.
Keep reading or watch this video to see why I think you should have more than one account.
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
Can you have more than one current account?
Let’s get this cleared up first. Even though many think they can only have one, there’s actually no limit to how many you can open from different banks. You might even be able to have more than one from the same institution.
Due to my job, I’ve got a number of current accounts (it’s actually up to 23 now), but most of you won’t need anything near that many. In fact even just having two can be enough.
And there’s very little risk in opening and running multiple accounts. I’ve shared a few things to consider further down the article.
10 reasons to have more than one current account
Here are the main reasons I think you should open up extra accounts.
If your bank has technical issues
We rely so much on online and app banking nowadays that not having access for even a few hours can be much more than an inconvenience.
This week Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland apps were all down thanks to the Amazon Web Services downtime, and that’s not the first time something like this has happened.
The TSB debacle a few years ago saw people unable to access their wages or pay their rent. Though the length of time the TSB systems were down has been an isolated incident, occurrences of website crashes and app downtime for hours are increasingly frequent at a number of banks.
And the risk of this happening to your bank is the number one reason why I think you should have at least two current accounts. In this second account put enough money in there that you can cover essentials for a few days. If you can put more, then even better.
Make sure that this second account isn’t part of the same group as these tend to share technical systems. So If you’ve got a Halifax account, make sure the second isn’t Lloyds, and visa versa. And the same for Natwest/RBS. I think First Direct and HSBC have different systems but it’s can’t hurt to do the same.
Paid advertisement
To separate your savings
When I was younger I was guilty of just having all my money in one account – savings and spending. Which meant that I didn’t ever really know how much I had in savings, and it was possible to “accidentally” dip into those funds with everyday spending.
The answer to avoid this is to open up a separate account and move all your savings over. Then set up a standing order to regularly move more money each month.
You could of course put this cash in a normal savings account, but the top rates right now are in a handful of current accounts.
You can get 6% on up to £4,000 with Santander, while there’s 5% for one year on up to £1,500 with Nationwide’s FlexDirect. You can also get even better rates, between 6.25% and 7.1% in linked regular saver accounts with First Direct, Co-op Bank, Lloyds, Nationwide and Zopa that require a current account with that bank.
These are far higher than you’ll get anywhere else for cash savings right now. I’ve written more about the best place for savings here.
This trick also works if you have a huge overdraft. If you’re regularly in the red, it can be hard to track how much if you’re also spending out of the same account.
But if you open a separate account for your everyday spending, you can begin to treat and manage the overdraft debt as you would any other owed money, such as a loan or credit card. That’ll help you focus on clearing it (especially since you’re likely paying a huge 40% interest on that cash).
To protect your cash from scammers
Sadly there are more and more scams aimed at your bank accounts. From fake phone calls through to phone thefts, you’re at risk if you have all your cash sitting on one place.
Of course, if a crook does get access to one account, they might also be able to access others at the same time, so make sure your accounts are protected in advance.
Get the best of our money saving content every Monday & Thursday, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Paid advertisement
To manage your money with someone else
Every couple manages their money differently. Some only have their own accounts and that can work fine. But joint accounts are particularly good for joint expenses.
You need to have a chat with your partner about what works best for you, and it could be a joint account is a bad idea – especially since it will link you on things like your credit report.
For help with budgeting
I think it’s worth having a separate account too for your everyday spending. You only move over the cash you want to part with, whether on a weekly or monthly basis. Ultimately this will stop you overspending and also help you keep track of where your cash is going.
There are certain accounts that make this a lot easier. Monzo, Chase, HyperJar and Starling are all really good accounts for this as they also have additional pots or spaces to further break down your spending.
If you only want a maximum of two bank accounts a really good option is to make sure one of them is going to be making you money.
There are plenty of accounts offering freebies such as Disney+ and cinema tickets or even money each month. The more of these you have the more you’ll get.
I’ve made a lot of cash by switching from bank to bank and nabbing incentive bonuses each time. Now some people struggle with the idea of switching once, let alone repeatedly, and in part that’s because they like the bank they are with.
Well you can get around this by having a separate account that you just use for switching. The offers come and go (there have been none during lockdown), but there’s no harm having an account ready for if/when offers appear.
I’d also try to ensure one of your accounts – and again this can work if you only have two accounts – has a branch that you can physically walk into if you need to.
Though I rarely need to go into a branch these days, there are times I do. In the last few years I’ve had to take out a large amount of cash, sign forms and pay in cheques (though as I wrote some banks allow you scan cheques via the app). Going back not too much further, I popped into a Halifax after there were some fraudulent transactions on my card.
Yes you can cover a lot of this online or over the phone, but I like the option to go into a branch if I feel the need. And if you’ve multiple accounts it’s easy enough to make sure one of those is local.
For fee-free overseas spending
A final one to add to your wallet is an account with Chase, Starling, HyperJar, First Direct, Monzo and others all offering fee-free spending abroad. Here’s more in guide to specialist travel cards.
Multiple current accounts and your credit score
Before applying for a new account, make sure your credit report is up to date and there aren’t any obvious warning signs. This is because you will be credit checked each time you open an account (except with Monzo, Chase or Starling).
It’s worth spacing the applications out rather than doing them all at once. And if you’re thinking of applying for a mortgage in the next six months it’s wise to just hold off until that has gone through. But the risk is minimal.
It’s very easy. You simply pick which account you want to open and go through the application process. You’ll enter details about your address history and income, and share ID such as your passport or driving licence.
Some accounts will let you do this completely online, and will absolutely be the case for digital only banks such as Monzo, Starling and Virgin Money. You’ll probably need to upload photos of ID.
Others might require you to visit a branch with ID to complete the process. I can’t say which ones will and won’t ask for this, but this happened for my Natwest and Barclays applications.
How to manage multiple current accounts
Some benefits that come with additional accounts require things like additional direct debits or minimum payments in every month. But there are tricks to manage this.
You might also struggle to keep tabs of your many accounts, but some banks let you add on accounts from other banks, while there are apps like Snoop and MoneyHub which aggregate all your balances onto one screen. Password managers such as Bitwarden also allow you to safely store all those different passwords and usernames.
And those only really become issues if you are having lots of accounts. If we’re talking about opening just two, three or maybe four accounts you shouldn’t have any problems.
Plan ahead so you don’t miss out on getting your turkey delivered to your door this Christmas
We may not have had Halloween yet, but the supermarkets are already thinking about Christmas! This is the busiest time of the year to get a supermarket delivery, so some supermarkets are already letting you book delivery slots for the festive season.
Here’s which supermarket have confirmed advance booking for Christmas deliveries in 2025, and when we think the rest will follow.
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
Tips to get a Christmas delivery slot in 2025
If you’re planning on hosting this year, make sure to pop the date in your diary and nab the time and date you want your Christmas groceries delivered. And if you do miss out on the slot you want, there’s always collection slots to check out.
In addition, it’s worth remembering that with delivery and collection orders there’s always a risk that they won’t have what you want in stock, so don’t leave it too late for anything you know is essential. In fact, I once booked a collection and there were more than 10 items missing. I popped in-store at the time of collection and found every single item available – it was a frustrating experience.
With fresh food, you can always buy it earlier and store it in your freezer if the best before or use-by date is sooner than you want to eat it. Here are our tips on the foods you can freeze.
In addition, if you’re prepared to wait to buy your veggies in the final days, a lot of supermarkets reduce their Christmas vegetable prices in the days before Christmas – they could be worth leaving off your delivery.
Delivery Pass customers must have signed up before 1 September
Paid advertisement
Asda Christmas delivery slots 2025
Confirmed for 2025
Asda has announced that Delivery Pass customers will be able to book a Christmas delivery slot from 14 October, and everyone else from 20 October 2025.
Get the best of our money saving content every Monday & Thursday, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Ocado Christmas delivery slots 2025
Confirmed for 2025
Ocado opened its Christmas slots to Smart Pass customers on 24 September, and will be gradually releasing the remaining slots to everyone – although they are not quite saying when this is yet! However it’s only for those who were already Smart Pass members before 1 September this year.
If you are an Ocado Reserved customer, Ocado will be pausing the service between 20–27 December and 31 December–1 January.
If you have a Sainsbury’s Delivery Pass, you’ll be able to book a slot from 16 October. For everyone else it’s 23 October. Sainsbury’s will send an email to customers when they release their slots. Last year it was a week in advance.
Christmas delivery slots will be available at Tesco for Delivery Saver customers from 4 November and for all customers from 11 November. You can sign up to Delivery Saver until 3 November for the early access to Christmas delivery slots.
Unlike previous years, Waitrose now offers a delivery saver pass, and these were made available on 24 September 2025. You need to have signed up to this by 1 September 2025 to get access to these advance Christmas slots.
Tips on managing your Christmas budget and getting the best value
Christmas is usually one of the most expensive times of the year. And it tends to creep up on you faster than you think – meaning it’s a good time to start thinking about how much you’ll spend.
In fact, it’s never too late (or early) to get started on your Christmas prep.
Here, we share a Christmas money checklist of the main expenses to help you manage your finances this Christmas season.
We’ve also thrown in some tricks to help you cut costs and make sure you have enough money to cover everything.
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 to pay for Christmas
This first point on the checklist is possibly one of the most important. Actually it IS the most important. If you don’t know how you’ll pay for Christmas it could cause a world of pain next year.
Decide what you can afford
It’s so easy to overspend, so now is the time to work out not just how much you can afford to spend overall, but also how you want to split that between each individual person and part of Christmas.
To do this, you need to get two figures. First check your bank and savings balances to work out how much money you have now – though don’t assume you can or should put that all to Christmas. There will no doubt be other expenses that need to be covered in the coming months, such as holidays you want to save for. It’s also a really good idea to have an emergency stash for the unexpected costs that always crop up.
Then take a look at how much more you’re going to earn in the run-up. That’s essentially your income each month after taxes, minus your expenses. Again, you might not want to allocate all this extra cash towards Christmas.
Add the existing funds you’ve set aside for Christmas to the money you expect to come in, and the figure left is the budget you have available to spend.
Work out what you want to spend
Next you need to think about what you want to spend. Think about all the aspects that usually come along each year. Obviously there are presents and food to buy, but what about travel, work parties, decorations? We’ve detailed a few of these further down this article.
Then allocate a spending amount to each one. Try to get these as accurate as possible. Once you’ve done that, get a total expected spend.
Paid advertisement
See where you can spend less
In all likelihood you’ll find this figure is larger than what you’ve budgeted for. In a minute I’ll talk about ways to perhaps find extra cash to help fill the gap. But if that doesn’t work the best option is to find where you can spend less.
That could be mean some hard decisions, but people will not want you getting into debt just to buy more presents or more food.
Talk now to friends and family about the situation (they’ll likely be feeling the pinch too). It could be you agree on price caps for presents, or even decide you’re only going to do a Secret Santa with friend groups rather than everyone buying everyone a separate present.
Look at cheaper ways to borrow
Sadly cutting back is easier said than done for many at Christmas. If you feel it’s not an option for you, and you know you will absolutely spend more than your budget, then at least find cheaper ways to borrow.
With each of these, you should still know how and when you’ll clear the debt next year before you spend. The alternative is the interest and charges will keep adding to the money you borrow, and potentially causing bigger money issues.
So where do you go? Be particularly careful with Buy Now, Pay Later. Though it seems convenient, it’s easy to lose track of how much you owe, and they could tempt you to spend even more than you can afford.
You could instead look at a 0% interest purchase credit card. Watch out for interest charges if you don’t clear the balance by the time the promotional zero per cent period ends. You need to know how you’ll repay your spending before that happens.
Or, see if there’s a credit union near you. Though there will be interest charged on your loan it should be one of the most affordable – unlike payday and other high-cost loans!
Get the best of our money saving content every Monday & Thursday, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Paid advertisement
Can you find a bit of extra cash?
Giving your budget a cash boost is a surefire way to help you cover costs.
Check for forgotten cash
Now is the time to check that you don’t have any money left in your account. It could be Clubcard or Nectar points you’ve accumulated, credit owed from your old energy supplier, or a refund to your John Lewis account. Check out this round-up of places to look for forgotten cash for more.
Get some banking bonuses
One of the best ways to make some easy cash is to switch to a new bank account, with up to £400 on offer. Most of the current deals should pay out just before Christmas, but if not it’ll certainly help when you’re low on funds in the New Year. Here’s my guide to all the latest bank switch offers.
Many of the welcome bonuses for American Express cards require a heft spend of at least £2,000 in three months, so the next few months can be the best time to get one. And in return you can get up to 5% cashback or extra points worth a few hundred quid.
I always suggest waiting for a boosted offer, though these increased bonuses on the Amex Gold and Platinum cards have just ended, so I don’t know if we’ll see another one this year.
However, remeber you must pay off the balance in full every month to avoid interest charges. If you don’t do this it’s a waste of money.
Planning and booking your travel as early as possible can help you save money on your journeys around Christmas time.
Trains
If you know you’re heading to visit family by rail then the earlier you book your tickets the better. Since most trains only let you book 12 weeks in advance, we’re now in the window for both Christmas and New Year.
Flights are a different matter – and already the cheapest tickets are probably gone. But if you’re still to book, you’ll save money by leaving earlier in December or coming back later in January. Mainly you need to avoid the peak days, though it’s often a bit cheaper to travel on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day.
Cars
Again, book any hire car early. Look on comparison sites for the cheapest prices, and search for any cashback sites, voucher codes and other discounts.
Paid advertisement
Buying gifts
Probably the biggest expense each Christmas. But if you’re clever with your cash you can get more for your money.
Shop in the sales
Sales will help you get better value. You all know about Black Friday, which seemed to stretch for the whole of November and into December last year. It’s often a very good opportunity to buy presents.
But don’t get caught up in the hype for any sale or promotion – deals aren’t always as they seem. Always shop around and compare prices. Better yet, plan what you’re going to buy well in advance of setting foot in a shop.
Plan for deliveries
Yes, we’re used to online orders reaching us pretty fast, but after Black Friday some warehouses and courier companies struggle to meet the demand. That could mean you have to pay more for guaranteed delivery or need to spend again to replace things that don’t arrive. So the lesson here is simple – don’t leave your Christmas shopping to the last minute!
There are occasions where you’re better off delaying your purchase – even after Christmas day itself! If you’re like me you won’t be able to see everyone before 25 December and end up still visiting people and giving presents right up to New Year’s Eve.
That means you can pick up some gifts – specifically anything Christmassy – for much less if you leave it late. I’ve picked up wrapping paper, chocolates, decorations, novelty jumpers and more at a fraction of the price.
Though the lowest prices will be from Boxing Day onwards, some shops will start discounting this stuff earlier in December.
These are the things that could well get forgotten, so make sure you’ve got them covered to avoid overpaying.
Cards
Ideally you’ll have picked these up in the sales last year. If not, then shop around. Personally, I’d look to get cards directly from charities themselves rather than the big shops as then more of the money goes to the causes.
Or if you really want to save money (and paper), you can create free online cards which can be emailed.
If you still send Christmas cards, make sure you buy your stamps from authorised retailers. They can’t increase the price.
Wrapping paper
My trick here is to buy plain paper. Whether that’s a blinging gold, bright red, shiny silver or basic brown. The reason? I can use these for other presents throughout the year. They work fine for birthdays, weddings, and pretty much everything.
Decorations
If you still need to buy things for the tree then try to wait as close to Christmas as you can. Everything from baubles to artificial trees is heavily discounted from mid-December. The Christmas a few years ago we picked up a great artificial tree at 50% off on 22 December.
Stock up on next year
Ok, so this is no good for this year, but it’s worth remembering come late December and early January that the biggest savings come not for this Christmas but for the next one. Come the sales you can pick up cards and wrapping paper for next to nothing. Stock up for a fraction of the price.
Paid advertisement
Buying food & drink
We spend a lot on food and drink over the festive period, but it’s possible to pick up some decent deals.
Book your Christmas delivery slot
Most supermarkets have already opened bookings for Christmas, so if you want a slot you don’t want to leave it much later to secure it. Here’s when each supermarket allows you to book Christmas deliveries.
Boost your budget with Xmas Saver trick
Morrisons, Tesco, Asda and Co-op all run a special boost at Christmas for people who save with them. You can get up to 6%, and you reduce the risks that come with these schemes if you time it right. Here’s what each supermarket is doing.
Plan what you need
If you tend to waste food at Christmas, then the simple answer is to buy less – and this will save you money. Consider who you need to cater for, and work out what you’ll actually need. If you want to make sure you don’t run out then once more get supplies that either have a decent shelf life or can be frozen.
Reduced bargains
Longtime readers and listeners will know I love a good supermarket reduction. And there are very few times for these that are better than Christmas.
That’s because shops will close on Christmas Eve, and might not open again until 27 December. So that’s at least one day, possibly two days, of food that needs to be cleared out.
Of course, supermarkets are on to this and I’m sure there’s definitely less food produced with use by or best before dates of 25 and 26 December.
Even so there are enough bargains to be had as the shops try to clear the shelves. And some of the best bargains are on festive foods. So get some space in your freezer!
Alcohol deals
The supermarkets tend to have a price war on wine, beer and spirits, meaning you can get some low price booze for your celebrations. But these tend to end a few weeks before Christmas. So stock up early. You can keep an eye on the latest deals in our supermarket wine offers round-up.
These cards move money from a credit card to a bank account and help you shift non-credit card debts to 0%.
You’re no doubt familiar with 0% purchase or balance transfer credit cards. These can be great options if you need to spread the cost of something really expensive over a few years or to help make it easier to clear card debts.
However, they’re not much help if you’re struggling with things like an overdraft or catalogue debt. The answer instead could be a money transfer credit card.
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.
You pay a fee for this, typically between 3 and 5%. That means if you transfer £1,000 at 3.99%, you’ll pay £39.90 for the privilege. But compare that to the typical rate of 39.99% you might get charged over a year in an overdraft, you’ll save £359.10.
It’s important you transfer the money to the account you choose and not just use a cash machine. You’ll only have a couple of months to do this.
As long as the card is also a 0% money transfer card you’ll then have a set amount of time to clear the debt from the credit card without any extra interest charges being added on top.
Why you shouldn’t transfer money on a standard credit card
If you aren’t using a specialised money transfer credit card you’ll get hit with all sorts of extra charges. That’s because withdrawing money on a credit card or using it as if it was cash to clear a debt will be regarded as something called a “cash advance”.
The only exception is with a specialist travel credit card like the Barclaycard Reward or Lloyds Ultra card. These allow you to withdraw money from a cash machine without extra fees when you are abroad (though you will be charged interest if you don’t clear the balance). However there are a now quite a few debit cards that’ll let you do withdraw money abroad for free, which might be better options.
Paid advertisement
Our podcast
Listen to Cash Chats, our award-winning podcast, presented by Editor-in-chief Andy Webb and Deputy Editor Amelia Murray.
Obviously you can use the money for all sorts of spending and debt clearing, but I think these cards are most useful in the following situations.
Clearing your overdraft
So many people treat overdrafts very differently to other debts – they might not even think they’re borrowing money at all.
But changes in recent years mean most overdrafts start charging around 40% in interest, making it one of the more expensive debts available.
There are a handful of 0% overdrafts available, but these are generally just small buffers of £250. And if that’s not enough to cover your overdraft, or you can’t get it, then a money transfer card gives you the option to transfer in money and hopefully wipe out that overdraft.
You still have the same debt to clear but now it’s on a zero percent credit card and you’re not getting charged any interest.
Clearing catalogue debts
Most catalogue debts don’t even come from a catalogue anymore! Instead you’re getting credit to buy straight from a website. Places like Very and JD Williams.
These often start out at 0%, but hit hefty rates if you don’t clear the balance before the 0% period finishes.
It’s worth checking, but most of these services won’t let you clear your balance using a credit card. If that is the case it rules out using a 0% purchase credit card.
If you can use a credit card it does mean you’ll be able to clear the balance to a card without the transfer fee.
But if cards aren’t accepted the Money transfer card is a great alternative. even though you’ll be hit with the fee of around 4%.
Paid advertisement
Can money transfer cards make you a profit?
Stoozing is where you get the money from somewhere at low or no interest and put it in a savings account to earn interest.
In theory, this is a great hack for those good at keeping track (it’s similar to what I did with some of my student loans in the late 90s). You’re borrowing for free and making money on it.
However don’t forget the transfer fee on these cards is usually between 3 and 5%. And even though interest rates on savings can beat this right now, you’re looking at a very minimal profit.
Get the best of our money saving content every Monday & Thursday, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
What to bear in mind
The fee
Unlike 0% purchase cards and some 0% balance transfer cards, all money transfer cards come with a transfer fee. Factor this into the cost and potential savings you’ll make.
The 0% length
If the card is advertised as “up to” x number of months then you might be offered a card with a shorter interest-free period.
The size of the credit limit
There’s also no guarantee you’ll get a limit that’s the same size as your existing debt. You could look at more than one card in this situation, though bear in mind you will need to be credit checked (more on that in a bit).
The size of your debt
On the other hand if your debt is relatively small (perhaps you’ve been working hard to clear it), and at the lower end of overdraft or catalogue interest rates then that transfer fee might not be worth it.
For example, if there’s £200 left on your debt at 19%, and you know you can wipe it out in two months, you’ll pay just under £13 in interest. Meanwhile a card which charges 5% for a transfer will cost £10 in transfer fees. Yes a saving, but possibly not worth it.
As with any credit card application, it’s really important you check eligibility first through something called a “soft check”. This will give you an idea of your chances of getting the card in question. More on this here.
How you’ll clear it
You’ll need to at least make minimum payments every month to avoid fees or losing the 0% offer.
Really this monthly amount should be higher than the minimum. You want to aim for the debt to be wiped during the time you’ve got 0%. So £1,000 over 18 months would be £56 a month.
And it’s even better if you pay off more, usually as much as you can each month, and clear it as fast as you can. I’ve written more here about ways to quickly clear credit card debt.
Alternatives to 0% money transfer cards
I mentioned above how a 0% purchase card is better for any big spending you’ve got coming up that you want to spread the cost of, but that’s not your only option.
If you have savings, use those to clear your overdraft, catalogue or other high-cost loans. This option is something many people overlook or are frightened to consider.
So unless you’re earning interest on those savings at a higher rate than the transfer fee, using savings will allow you to avoid the fee, making it a cheaper option.
And if there is an emergency that comes along later, you can look at a 0% purchase or transfer card to help you manage.
Choosing the best student bank account is typically about finding the one with the best benefits, such as the size of the interest-free overdraft, then other things, like money management tools, freebies and what’ll happen when you graduate.
Here are the best bank accounts for students in 2025 and what they offer.
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 to choose the best student bank account
When choosing a student account, you typically want to focus on the size of the interest-free overdraft, despite freebies being tempting.
It’s also worth noting that most accounts are designed for three-year courses, so check the terms — especially for the overdrafts — if you have a longer degree.
When looking at your options, these are the key questions to ask.
How big is the 0% overdraft?
A 0% overdraft could be essential to help you get through your time at university. You won’t be charged any interest on the money in there, making them the cheapest way to borrow money.
Of course, you need to be careful about using it and not treat it as free cash as you will have to pay it back. You will generally have a few years after you graduate (and hopefully start working) to do this, but even so, don’t spend this money just because it’s available.
The lengths of 0% overdrafts change between the banks – and you might not even get the advertised amount. If the wording says the overdraft is “up to” that means you might not get the high sum mentioned in the adverts.
But it might be best not to go for the largest amount, as the bigger the overdraft the bigger the temptation to use it all. Instead, work out how much you think you’ll need to use and ask for that.
Plus, even if you think you won’t need one at all, it’s worth choosing a bank that offers one and applying for it at the start – you never know how things could change.
Some banks will also increase the size of overdraft each year, though you often have to ask. This means you can’t blow it all in the first year.
However, there could be conditions attached to having one of these fee-free overdrafts, so make sure you read all the T&Cs upfront. It could be something like pay in £500 every term.
There’s also the chance you could get rejected for the overdraft so check your credit file before applying. Most students won’t have much on their file, but it’s worth making sure there’s nothing wrong there.
And of course, if you spend more than your overdraft allows you may be hit with huge interest charges of around 40%.
What freebies are available?
Freebies typically come in the form of cash, although we’ve seen some accounts offer other things, such as subscriptions, including Headspace. Santander’s been offering a Railcard for years, a great perk if you’re moving further away.
Some of these could save you a fair bit of cash, if you’d have bought them anyway, that is. These should generally be a second deciding factor once you’ve looked at overdraft options.
It also pays to check how much these freebies would cost if you looked around for extra deals and discounts. Often the value advertised is much higher than you’d actually need to pay.
What happens after you graduate?
Banks go all out for your business as a student as they know there’s a good chance you’ll stick with them for the rest of your life – and that’ll make them money. You’ll usually be moved to a Graduate account with the same bank, but you don’t have to stick with them — you could choose a better graduate account or go for bank switching cash or other rewards. You can see the types of offers currently on offer here.
Get the best of our money saving content every Monday & Thursday, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
The best bank accounts for students
Here’s our pick of the best accounts to get. You can only have one student account at a time, usually, but you can open up additional standard bank accounts on top.
You’re also able to switch from your student account to a new one if you want to change banks mid-degree. However with most, you’ll be subject to a credit check, so don’t apply for these too close to each other.
Perk: £100 cash, one of the largest overdrafts and top ethical choice
The Nationwide student account offers £100 if you open an account after 1 July 2025 and pay in £500 by 12 December 2025. You can’t have had a FlexStudent or FlexGraduate account on 30 June 2025.
This also has one of the largest overdrafts over the course of the degree (NatWest offers up to £3,250 and HSBC also offers up to £3,000). The overdraft builds gradually over your degree, stopping you from blowing it all in one go.
This is so far one of the best student accounts in 2025 due to its large interest-free overdraft and the perks. It’s a good choice if you’re worried about the ethics of your bank, too.
You’ll also be eligible for the Nationwide Fairer Share payment in the summer, which has been worth £100 a year for the last two years.
Nationwide FlexStudent
Overdraft
Up to £1,000 in year one; up to £2,000 in year two; Up to £3,000 in year three
Opening offer
£100 cash
£120 in Just Eat vouchers
An additional £20 in Just Eat vouchers when you refer friends (£40 cap)
An extra £20 in Just Eat vouchers if you are referred by a friend
Bonus paid
14 days after meeting criteria
Requirements
Open a new FlexStudent account no more than five months before and 12 months after starting your course
Deposit £500 by 12 December 2025 (for the bonus and vouchers)
Deposit £500 every term (for the overdraft)
Not had an open FlexStudent or FlexGraduate account on 30 June 2025
Up to £3,250 overdraft: Natwest or RBS Student Account
Perk: £85 cash and a 4-year Tastecard
The interest-free overdraft is up to £500 in the first term and then up to £2,000 after this. You can get up to £3,250 in the third year. By offering you an increasing amount, you’ll be able to budget more efficiently and reduce the risk of blowing it all in Freshers’ week.
The Santander Edge Student account offers a guaranteed £1,500 overdraft for the first three years, so it’s a decent option if you want certainty on how much you can borrow. If you study longer it increases to £1,800 in year four and £2,000 if you stay on for a fifth year.
You also get a free four-year 16-25 railcard, a nice option if you are likely to be travelling by rail a lot as it knocks a third of train fares but I’d opt for hard cash instead.
There’s also at least £20 to be won via a prize draw. More details in our full review.
Santander Edge Student
Overdraft
£1,500 in years one to three, £1,800 in year four, £2,000 in year five (if still studying)
Opening offer
4-year 16-25 Railcard & guaranteed £20 prize
Bonus paid
Within 5 working days you’ll get a code to redeem the railcard
It’s worth checking out these accounts too, some of them offer good overdrafts, but they mainly offer freebies. These might seem more attractive than 0% overdrafts, but if you do need to borrow, an overdraft is probably worth more.
If you’re really not bothered by an overdraft then it’s still worth nabbing one and putting that cash in savings.
Not announced in 2025 yet – in 2024, this was 1 year of Perlego
TSB
Student Bank Account
Years 1-3: Up to £1,500
5% interest on up to £500
Co-op
Student bank account
Year 1: Up to £1,400 Year 2: Up to £1,700 Year 3: Up to £2,000
None
How to get a student bank account
You have to be over 18 and living in the UK to get any student bank account, and most will require you to be at the start of your first year to get the freebie.
You’ll need to show ID such as a passport, driving licence or birth certificate. You’ll also need to bring along proof of your acceptance to the uni or college – possibly your UCAS letter or university acceptance letter.
You don’t need to wait until you get to your university to open the account, so doing it now before you head off means you can get your bank card and PIN sent out and your online banking set up in advance.
Can I have more than one student account?
Most of the time you can only have one “student” account, this is usually laid out in each bank’s T&Cs – you’ll likely not get the perk or overdraft if you try and attempt it.
You could potentially open one of these accounts to get the freebie, then close it down and open up another one (or switch it). You’ll need to do this within the stated timeframes to get any perks, and it’s worth double-checking the T&Cs of each account to make sure you’re allowed.
There’s nothing stopping you from opening another bank account that’s not got the “student” perks – keep reading for more on these.
Can I switch my student bank?
You can switch your student bank account to any other account of your choosing, whether that’s another student account with another bank or a standard current account. This is as long as the bank is part of the Current Account Switching Service.
In some cases, this can get you an extra perk, so it could be worthwhile.
If you want to switch after you’ve graduated, this is possible too, just be careful about trying to switch if you’re overdrawn, as you may wind up paying overdraft fees.
Can I earn interest on my savings?
Though some of the student accounts will offer interest on money in the account, they are quite limited and not a reason to pick one account over another.
However, if you think you’ll have more money available or don’t think you’ll need to use all of your overdraft, then you could look at other savings accounts.
Just be careful not to lock it away if you think you’ll need to access your savings.
Could you stooze your overdraft?
Stoozing is where you borrow money at 0% and put that cash into savings. Normally it’s via a specialist credit card – but you don’t need to do that when you have an interest-free overdraft.
To take advantage you simply transfer the money from your current account to a top-paying savings account. Putting £1,000 into a 4% paying account will earn you £40 in interest in a year.
If you’re confident you won’t need to use the money at all then you can get higher rates by fixing your savings.
If you do this, make sure you have enough cash in the bank to cover your everyday spending.
Alternative to student accounts
The bulk of the specialist student current accounts will have perfectly decent apps. But if you want one that’ll help you budget or have more advanced features you’ll want to look at digital banks Starling, Chase or Monzo.
They have a number of features that will help you do things like keep track of your spending, split your money by purpose (e.g. bills, going out, groceries) and it’s also a lot easier to set alerts for when your balance is getting low.
However, none of these offer specific student accounts and therefore don’t have a 0% overdraft. Instead, they could be a good secondary account alongside a high-street bank, getting you the best of both worlds.
I suggest using one of these as your day-to-day bank or everyday spending, transferring over a set amount to spend each week from the student account with an overdraft.
They’re also decent bets for spending abroad, whether studying overseas or on holiday.
You don’t have to stick with just a student account. You can open one with other features at another bank to use in addition.
Students can save at Apple, Boots, Amazon and more
Here are the pick of the best student discounts – and you don’t need to be a student for some!
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
Whether you’re a full-time student or just someone with an NUS card (sadly, our loophole where anyone could get one has been closed – though previous Totum cardholders can get an alumni card), there are some fantastic deals to be had! The key is to ask – you never know!
Sadly there are a few discounts only available via MyUniDays or Student Beans, and you can only get those if you have a .ac.uk email address.
We’ve not listed all the different retailers, but you can also save at the likes of ASOS, Office and Foyles. The usual rate is around 10%, but is sometimes boosted to 20% at the start of term.
Here are our favourite discounts – there will be more!
For all students, staff and school children
Some discounts are available for staff working at universities and schools (and you don’t need to be a teacher), as well as for students at schools and colleges.
Apple: 10% off and free accessories with Mac or iPad purchase
If you’re heading to University, you can get a freebie with a purchase of an iPad or Macbook and 10% off from 10 July to 21 October 2025.
To be eligible, you need to verify your student status with UNiDAYS or go via Totum and you’ll save up to 10% on a new Mac and be able to choose a freebie to go with it. You don’t have to be in your first year either. Plus, teachers or employees of educational institutions in the UK and parents of uni students can get the offer.
The freebies depend on what you purchase, but you could get Apple AirPods, a free mouse, a free keyboard, or an Apple Pencil.
These discounts work with your Uni or college ID or an NUS/Totum card (which includes some non-students).
Boots: 10% off
You can save 10% on your purchases at Boots. You’ll need to have a Boots Advantage card as well as an NUS/Totum card, and you need to connect these at a Boots checkout till.
Since you only need the Advantage card to get the discount, you could share your card with other family members so they also get the money off – though it does mean they won’t earn their own Boots points.
The discount is valid until 31 August each year so you’ll need to reactivate it at the till from 1 September onwards.
This is sometimes boosted to 20%, including at the start of the academic year.
You can also stack it with other deals and offers on the Boots site.
You’ll need to sign up to the Health & Beautycard scheme (it’s free), then link your NUS/Totum card or student ID to the account in-store. It’ll then work for the academic year online and in person.
Tickets to theatre, galleries, festivals & other live events
You can also often get reduced rates for everything from theatre to opera. The Royal Exchange in Manchester and the ENO are among those that do.
Many galleries will have a reduced student price, often 50% less. And the Art Pass offers discounted student membership at the start of each academic year.
Not many festivals do, but it’s worth checking when you buy tickets to anything.
Sport
Football fan? I’ve used my NUS card to get concession tickets to see my team Crystal Palace in the past (sadly it no longer offers a student price), and it’s saved me hundreds of pounds. Many clubs and other sports have similar deals.
English Heritage: £12 annual membership (ended)
There are a number of routes that students can save £30 on the normal discounted price for membership, but this offer works for those ex-students who also have an NUS Totum card.
You’ll need to enter the code EHYP24TOT when paying via direct debit on the English Heritage website. You will have to show your student ID when using your pass to visit attractions.
Get the best of our money saving content every Monday & Thursday, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Eating out
You can also save on food with your Totum or other student card. This includes:
Tastecard – three months free
Leon – 15% off
Itsu – 15% off
Greggs – freebie with lunch deal
McDonalds – freebie with meal deal
Shopping
Though some retailers now ask for a Unidays ID or code, it’s worth trying every shop you go to. Online you might have to click through from the NUS website.
For anyone with a student email address
Ikea: £10 or £20 coupon
Verify yourself as a student at Ikea and get a coupon for £10 off when you spend £75. If you spend £150, you’ll get a £20 coupon. You’ll need to login or sign up for Ikea’s Family account and fill out the form using your student credentials. You’ll need a student email address but if you don’t have one yet you can use alternative documents.
The offer runs until 19 October 2025 and you can only use the discount once.
You can save 46% on Spotify Premium. That’s £5.99 a month rather than £11.99. This version gets rid of adverts and lets you take songs offline to your phone or tablet, meaning you don’t need wifi or your data. Here are the best Spotify deals.
Apple Music: 50% off
You can get Apple Music for £5.99 per month and get Apple TV thrown in. You’ll also get this for 48 months once you’ve been validated via MyUniDays.
Software
I got my Adobe suite (things like Photoshop) at a massive discount. We’re talking hundreds of pounds! You can also save on Microsoft Office – though free alternatives like Google Docs might do the job instead.
Our podcast
Listen to Cash Chats, our award-winning podcast, presented by Editor-in-chief Andy Webb and Deputy Editor Amelia Murray.
You can get Amazon’s delivery and streaming service free for six months as a student (or 18-22 year old). Then after that you can get a full annual Amazon Prime subscription for £4.49 a month, for three years.
Or you can pay annually £47.49, saving a little extra.
The easiest way to get this is using an academic email, though there are other ways to verify student status. Sadly Totum cards are no longer accepted.
Watch out for other Amazon Student offers throughout the year, such as money off codes at Black Friday or Prime Day.
The 16-25 Railcard or 26-30 Railcard is a great way to cut the cost of train travel. Mature students outside this age range need proof they are studying with a form completed by their Uni or college. There are often deals to get discounts on these and other railcards.
If you travel by tube and live in London during term time you can get an 18+ Student Oyster card. This saves 30% on travel in the capital.
There are also bus and coach student passes.
International travel
Check to see if you have an ISIC (International Student Identification Card) included with your Totum student card. If not, it’s worth looking at separately.
When we went on a big trip to South America in 2013, our ISICs saved us over £200 on internal flights, excursions such as the Inca Trail and admission to museums and galleries, and we did it again on our honeymoon a few years later.
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
Bike and cycling deals
Santander Cycles: 50% off a month pass
Santander Cycles is offering 50% off a month pass between 16 and 23 September 2025. This means you’ll pay £11.50 rather than £23 for unlimited 60 minute rides.
To get it, just use the promo code CFD25
You can rent a bike with the Santander Cycles app or just use the machine next to a docking station.
Rides lasting 60 minutes are free, but you’ll have to pay if you go over — on a pedal bike, this is an additional £1.65 for another hour, while an e-bike is £3 for another hour. However you can avoid this by docking your bike and renting it again within the hour.
Bus fares will be capped at £3 one way in England from January to the end of December 2025. Not all bus companies are taking part – you can see a detailed list of the companies and routes here.
If you travel a lot, then this new membership from Wizz might appeal. You’ll pay £599 a year for unlimited flights.
In sounds good, but there are a number of catches:
Booking only starts in September 2024
There’s an extra 9.99 Euro fee on each flight
You can only book seats on flights that depart in the next three days, making return trips a little risky
It doesn’t include handheld or checked bags (so they’re extra)
Only one personal item is included (max. size 40 x 30 x 20 cm)
If you miss three flights your membership will be cancelled without a refund
It’ll automatically renew each year unless you cancel
Overall it sounds like more hassle than it’s worth, especially when you consider there are cheap tickets available in advance from Wizz and other airlines.
However, if you’re retired or have the flexibility to travel regularly and at the drop of a hat, it could be worth a look.
Get the best of our money saving content every Monday & Thursday, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Petrol and motoring deals
Halfords: free 5-point winter car check and bike check
Halfords is offering motorists a 5-point winter car check, which includes:
Headlight and brake light check
Wiper blade condition check
Battery health check
Windscreen chip check
MOT due date reminder (UK only)
If you’ve got a bike, you can also get a free bike safety check. Halfords says there’s no obligation to get an estimate for repairs or servicing, if any issues do come up.
If you join the Halfords Motoring Club for free, you can get a free £5 voucher to spend online or in-store at Halfords and a free 10-point car check, worth £15.
There’s a Premium tier for £49 per year that gets you your MOT (worth £44.99), 2 10-point car checks, a free fitting of wiper blades or headlights and 5% off at the autocentres and in-store.
This is generally a pretty good deal, but definitely worthwhile if you’re having enough work on your car to make the most of the 5% off, don’t know how to change your headlights or windscreen wipers and would usually do your MOT at Halfords.
Uber Member Days: 20% back on car hire, flights and trains (and more deals) (ended)
Subscribers to Uber’s ‘Uber One’ membership can get additional benefits from 16 May to 23 May as part of its new promotion ‘Uber Member Days’.
Plus, you can get a month trial for free until 23 May, even if you’ve tried it before. Although after this, it’ll renew at £4.99 per month or £49.99 per year. We have a full guide on the membership, but it’s worth noting that this gets you Disney+ if you get the annual membership, so it’s worthwhile if you pay for Disney+ anyway.
Offers for Uber Member Days include:
20% back in Uber credits for car hire (max £250 back)
Pay less for your takeaways when you order in, including special codes for Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats
Getting a takeaway isn’t money-saving by any means, but if you are going to order one then it pays to find ways to bring down the total cost.
Below we’ve got a few tips to help you cut the price and some top deals.
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
Ways to save money on takeaways
Go direct to the takeaway
You can often avoid the fees that come with Deliveroo and Uber Eats by ordering direct from the restaurant. You might even find items are cheaper too!
Collect your order
If that fails and you are happy to pop out you can often save on delivery charges by picking up your order yourself.
Obviously you can do this when you order direct, but you might also be able to combine it with discount codes via the main takeaway apps.
Look for discount codes
It’s often possible to get codes to bring down the cost of your order – especially if you’re a new customer.
Keep an eye on your emails and app notifications as you often get send special offers by the big takeaway brands.
I’ll list the best special offers I spot below.
Use cashback sites
A few of the big takeaway brands are on Quidco and TopCashback. You can earn money back on purchases from Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat, Dominos and Pizza Hut.
If you’ve not used those sites before you can also nab up to £17 back as a welcome bonus, on top of the cashback you’ll earn for your takeaway purchase. Here’s more on getting those bonuses.
Delete the apps
If you tend to regret ordering a takeaway, adding a bit of friction can help you buy them less often. The easiest way is to delete the apps. Doing this doesn’t stop you from ordering but it can take away temptation.
Just Eat discounts
Just Eat: £5 off
Get £5 off a minimum order of £25 with Just Eat this month giving you a 20% saving.
Depending on when you order, you’ll need a specific code. These are:
Just Eat has launched a brand new service to rival Uber One and Deliveroo Plus. The service, called JustEat+, gets you 90 days of free delivery for £5.99 for orders over £15, as well as additional freebies and extra deals, some of which are listed below.
You can use it as much as you want during that period. It’s not a subscription, so it won’t auto-renew when it ends – brilliant if you have a takeaway hiatus, as you won’t then be endlessly paying for a service you’re not using.
If you want to continue it once it’s finished, you can just add it to your next order.
That’s not all you get, though. There are also some restaurant-specific extra deals you can get, including:
A free sausage roll from Greggs on orders for £15
Free everyday essentials from the Co-op on orders over £20
Free snacks on orders over £15 at One Stop
Freebies on orders over £25 at Asda Express
Buy one, get one free starters at Pizza Express on orders over £15
Up to 30% off with minimum spends between £20-£25 at Leon, Island Poke, The Breakfast Club, and Busaba
15% off German Doner Kebab orders when spending £15+
Free footlong cookie on orders over £15 at Subway
Buy one, get one free on selected items from Patty & Bun when spending over £20
40% off total orders from Butchies when spending over £20
Free chicken dippers from Hop on orders over £15
Free chicken bites from Shake Shack on orders over £20
Is it worth it?
When ordering from Just Eat, it usually costs at least £2 for delivery, sometimes as much as £4.50. So you could easily start to save money on your second or third order, and the extra freebies might be nice if you tend to order from any of the places above.
If you have three takeaways a month, paying £3.50 for delivery each time, you’d spend about £31.50 on delivery alone. With JustEat+, you’d only spend £5.99 (assuming your chosen restaurant isn’t excluded).
However, be careful not to spend more money on takeaways because you’ve got this membership. And it’s still worth seeing if it’s cheaper to go directly to the restaurant or via another delivery company.
To get it, you just add it to your order when you check out. It expires after 90 days and won’t auto-renew.
Every Tuesday selected restaurants are part of a 20% off deal with Just Eat. There’s a minimum spend of £15 and the discount will be automatically applied.
Your choices can be limited, but it all depends on where you live. It’s well worth checking.
Until 30 June 2025, Just Eat is offering £8 off orders with the code JUNE8.
You need to spend £25 or more to use the code. There are thousands of participating restaurants, from locals to national chains like Five Guys and Pizza Express.
Get the best of our money saving content every Monday & Thursday, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Deliveroo promo codes
Deliveroo: Delivery pass
You can pay either £3.49 or £7.99 a month to get free delivery, depending on the size of your order. If you’re tempted by this Deliveroo Plus subscription, make sure you check out this review to see if it’s worth it for you.
Amazon Prime members can add on a free year of Deliveroo Plus – but only the tier that gives free delivery on orders over £15. We’d definitely get this if you have Prime, but don’t be tempted to order more often, or spend more on orders, just to get free delivery.
Not got Amazon Prime? You can sign up here for a 30-day free trial, then £95 a year. If you cancel Prime you’ll lose your Deliveroo Plus membership.
Use the code eats-5ngkw and you’ll save £3 when you spend at least £20.
Uber Eats: 20% off with Three
Three customers can download the Three+ app to save 20% every week. Minimum order of £15 excluding delivery. More on the Three+ app here.
Free Uber Eats credit for NHS workers (ended)
Link your NHS/HSC email address to your Uber Eats account by 11.59pm on 20 December and get sent promo codes for free food and Uber rides on 23 December to be used over Christmas.
You’ll be able to claim £10 to spend on a meal or groceries via Uber Eats on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
And if you link your Uber account to your NHS/HSC email you can also claim two £10 Uber rides to or from work on the same days.
