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Home > Finance > Banking & Personal Finance > Accounts > National Savings and Investments Premium Bonds

User Reviews

for National Savings and Investments Premium Bonds

Rating Summary based on 36 reviews

  • 5 Stars
    		8
  • 4 Stars
    		17
  • 3 Stars
    		9
  • 2 Stars
    		2
  • 1 Star
    		0

Detailed rating

  • Competitiveness of charges/rates
  • Efficiency of service
  • Online - Content/organization of site
  • Online - Ease of applying for products
  • Online - Investment tracking
  		• 3.1
  		• 4.0
  		• 3.0
  		• 3.1
  		• 2.3
Previous page Next page Page 1 of 4 | 1 to 10 out of 36 Review(s)
  • 42 of 42 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of jipp05

    Level 7 jipp05

    Member since 31/05/2010

    Reviews written: 326

    3 Stars It could be you (but probably wont be) 02/05/2011

    Advantages Advantages Money is safe and the thrill of winning a prize

    Disadvantages Disadvantages The actual rate is not very good

    It Could Be You (but it probably won't be) I assume that most people are like me and have an ISA. However with the interest rates being so poor in the last few years I have instead decided to stash whatever savings I have in premium bonds instead at least until the interest rates go back up again. What Are Premium Bonds Premium bonds are UK government backed bonds issued under the national savings and investment scheme and have been around since 1956. Instead of putting your money in a bank and gaining interest on it with premium bonds you effectively buy a bond from the goverment and instead ... more
  • 79 of 80 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of JOHNV

    Level 8 JOHNV

    Member since 13/07/2000

    Reviews written: 669

    3 Stars The name's Bond, Arfur - as Dave tells all Review with images 28/07/2002
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages You could win, without losing your stake

    Disadvantages Disadvantages The prizes could be few and far between; odds have diminished over the years

    ‘I think these are definitely the next big thing, Tel,’ Arthur Daley said as he settled himself comfortably into his favourite chair at the Winchester, put down his London Philharmonic (that’s a G and T to the rest of you), drew on a large Havana, and produced a brochure from his jacket. ‘Premium Bands.’ Terry McCann picked up his pint. ‘They’ve been around for ages, Arfur. Not as long as you ‘ave, though. An’ the name’s Bond - Premium Bond.’ Arthur was obviously so engrossed in the financial advantages that he ignored (or missed) the aspersions on his age and the joke. ‘Whatever they’re ... more
  • 57 of 57 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of grafter123

    grafter123

    4 Stars A sure thing ? 25/02/2007
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Initial investment safe , may win loys of money, good prizes

    Disadvantages Disadvantages In real terms you lose money if you don't win

    PREMIUM BONDS' HISTORY * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * After the second World War the government were looking at ways to control inflation and encourage people to save . Premium Bonds were introduced by Harold McMillan in the 1956 budget . They went on sale on the 1st November 1956 and so have just , last year , celebrated their 50th anniversary . At the start you could buy premium bonds from £1 upwards , which was quite a lot of money then . The bond you held had an allocated number and these numbers were put in a draw and randomly selected by ERNIE once a month . ERNIE stands for ... more
  • 90 of 90 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of Collingwood21

    Collingwood21

    2 Stars The Name's Bond...Premium Bond Review with images 09/04/2007
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages Risk free lottery

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Return relies on having "average luck"

    "There are two times in a man's life when he should not speculate: when he can't afford it, and when he can" - Mark Twain. Premium Bonds are a curious affair; part investment and part gamble, they are an almost-lottery run through National Savings and Investments, and backed by the government itself. I had until recently paid scant attention to them, until a chance conversation with my mother revealed that I had in fact owned a set of Premium Bonds since my 1st birthday, when my parents decided that some money given as a gift by my grandparents would be better placed into the bonds than into ... more
  • 107 of 107 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of SueMagee

    Level 8 SueMagee

    Member since 19/07/2001

    Reviews written: 233

    3 Stars Ernie's little gifts 17/12/2002
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages A better chance of a big win than the National Lottery,

    Disadvantages Disadvantages but it's still a very slim chance!

    National Savings and Investments offer several tax-free investments, including a Cash-only ISA, National Savings Certificates, Children’s Bonus Bonds and Premium Savings Bonds. This opinion covers investments made in Premium Savings Bonds. ***** “Serious Fun” is what National Savings and Investments used to call Premium Bonds. I start to worry when an institution like NS&I tells me that something is going to be fun. I worry even more when they tell me that the fun is going to be “serious” because somehow the words don’t quite fit together, do they? A little bit of background is useful here. It ... more
  • 84 of 84 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of SueMagee

    Level 8 SueMagee

    Member since 19/07/2001

    Reviews written: 233

    4 Stars Child's Play 31/01/2003
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages An excellent way of saving for your child's future without incurring any tax liability.

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Interest rates are not up with the best.

    Normally I’d hesitate to advise people to buy National Savings Children’s Bonus Bonds, but in the current economic and political climate I’ve come to the conclusion that they’re a good way to save for your child’s future. I’ll tell you a little bit about them before we go any further. Children’s Bonus Bonds can be bought from any Post Office or direct from National Savings & Investments for a child under the age of 16. They can be bought by anyone on the child’s behalf and are invested in the child’s name, but control of the Bond lies with the parent or Guardian of the child until the child is ... more
  • 55 of 55 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of SusanLesley

    SusanLesley

    5 Stars Get your stake back even when you loose 29/09/2001
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages You can't loose because you can have your money back

    Disadvantages Disadvantages No interest paid

    Way back in 1960 when I was just six years old my Grandmother and I both bought one Premium Bond each and we solemnly agreed that we would share anything that we won. My Grandmother died in 1981 without ever winning anything and I still have my one number, which has never come out either! Seriously though I know that the chance of winning with just one number are fixed at 20,000 to 1, as there is one prize awarded for every 20,000 Bonds in the draw, so I don’t really expect anything, although I wouldn’t refuse it now would I? The principle of the Premium Bonds is a no loose gamble ... more
  • 35 of 35 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of fryera2

    fryera2

    4 Stars Making investment fun 13/06/2007
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Fun way to invest money

    Disadvantages Disadvantages You might not get good returns

    Until a couple of years ago I had heard of Premium Bonds, but had little idea about what they were and how they worked. Last year I came into a little bit of cash and instead of wasting it on crap like I normally do I decided to invest it. I put a little bit in an ISA and decided to buy some Premium Bonds as well as a friend had some and she always seemed to be winning – plus the idea of potentially winning money each month appealed to me as well. What they are Premium Bonds are effectively a lottery and a savings account rolled into one. The difference between this savings account and the ... more
  • 43 of 43 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of daveops

    daveops

    2 Stars Stock market gains with no risk 21/05/2003
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages No risk product with a reasonable chance of decent returns

    Disadvantages Disadvantages It is not as good as it seems at first glance

    National Savings & Investment Guaranteed Equity Bond Play the stock market without risking a penny exclaims the brochure. This product gives you the opportunity to invest as little as £2,000, and benefit in the returns the stock market makes over the next 5 years, without risking a penny of your capital! It sounds too good to be true. so, how good is it Really? Who are National Savings? Basically, the UK government. This has the advantage of being considered to be free of the risk of going under, unlike a bank, adding an extra layer of security to your money! National Savings are the UK's ... more
  • 32 of 32 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of AndrewPo

    Level 5 AndrewPo

    Member since 15/06/2008

    Reviews written: 43

    4 Stars ERNIE is not as generous as he used to be 15/07/2008
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages tax free, fun

    Disadvantages Disadvantages low-rate of return

    I like premium bonds. I've had them for years, but I have become more disenchanted with them recently because the rate of return doesn't seem as good as in the past. A large proportion of the UK population have at least a few National Savings Premium Bonds, often held for a very long time, but are they actually any good? Are they gambling or a real investment? What Are Premium Bonds? Premium Bonds are effectively a loan to the government, in exchange, all returns from them are tax-free. They are issued by NS&I (National Savings and Investment, formerly the Post Office Savings Bank) and Each ... more
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