Banking & Personal Finance > Accounts

Advantages: Online ISA that's hassle free with a good interest rate
Disadvantages: It is possible to get a higher rate elsewhere

...This account is from the Yorkshire Building Society (referred to from now on as YBS). I don't know anything about their history but the following excerpt is from their website - "The Yorkshire was the first building society to commit itself to remaining a mutual at a time when some of our rivals decided to become banks. In this and many other ways, we have led the way in demonstrating that membership of a mutual building society brings a whole range ...
...have a nationwide network of 131 branches including ones in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Norwich, Cardiff, Bristol and London, and are backed up by a network of agencies. They also have a sharing arrangement called MutualPlus with Britannia Building Society, this allows you to make mortgage repayments, withdrawals and deposits on a number of their accounts. The Account The account I am reviewing ... Read review

Advantages: Great rates, easy to set up
Disadvantages: Far away

...be set up at the Harpenden Building Society, only a few hundred miles from our place and about two from my uncle's. Now, I can't comment on opening my original account but when I became eighteen I had to convert my account to from a 18 Club Account to a 21 Club Account. The procedure was very simple. I received a letter from the building society listing my options i.e. converting my account to a 21 Club which gives you the option of continued 5% ...
...closing balance was £3976.97 Harpenden Building Society offer the following savings accounts The Escalator Account - Instant access - No penalties for withdrawals - Variable interest rates - Interest paid annually in December The Freestyle Account - One year variable bond - Withdrawals during the year are subject to 90 lost interest - Interest paid on maturity of the bond Hertfordshares/Bedfodshares - Withdrawals may be made without notice ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent Interest rates for Childrens Savings Accounts
Disadvantages: No internet access to accounts.

...the comparison lists was the Saffron Walden, Herts and Essex Building Society. This building society is based in Saffron Waldon, Essex and has 12 branches in Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, and London, as well as agents in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Also it is in partnership with Liverpool Victoria group. This building society offers the usual adult financial products - Mortgages, Isa, Tessa, Saving Bonds etc etc but also offers a great set of ...
...at childrens upto 16 years old and offers a great rate of interest - currently (at time of the review) 5.35% - which is about as good as you can get! This account can be opened with as little as £1.00 and up to £20,000 - so lots of saving ability! The interest is added annually on the 31st December and has instant access. The account is run via a passbook with an adult (s) nominated as trustee. The account can be operated via the branch but if ... Read review

Advantages: Save and help the environment
Disadvantages: Not as many packages available

...agree with? With the Ecology Building Society, you do not have to worry yourself about that because would be safe in the knowledge that your money is being used wisely and greenly. So exactly what IS the Ecology Building Society? In it's own words: " The Ecology is a mutual building society dedicated to improving the environment by promoting sustainable housing and sustainable communities. Savings placed with the Ecology fund mortgage lending on: ...
...So in a nutshell the Ecology Building Society lends money to green projects that all other building societies would not even have given a cursory glance to. There are a wide range of products available to suit every type of customer. Eco60 Account. This is an account for people with a bit of money to invest. The minimum opening balance is £500 and you have to give 60 days notice before you can withdraw any money. Earthwise Mini Cash ISA. This is ... Read review

Advantages: Was a good interest rate
Disadvantages: No longer in business; online account; bad service generally

I have had a Goldfish savings account for around a year now. Over that time, I’ve put the fact to the back of my mind, the money has just sat there, and I tried to forget about the whole thing – it’s been one of those decisions in life that I don’t exactly regret, but it’s caused me a lot of aggravation. From the beginning, I’ve often wondered what on earth made me open the account at all. Alright, I’ll ...
...the Goldfish savings account? The answer is, at the time that I opened the account, there was an offer, which meant that anyone opening a Goldfish on-line savings account received £20.00 extra, as a gift, into their account. A pretty good offer – there seemed to be no strings, I didn’t have to pay a certain amount in every month; I didn’t have to pay in a huge mount. I opened the account with the princely sum of £200. And there ... Read review