The Nationwide Building Society has introduced half a dozen new investment bonds, with interest rates ranging from 6.5 to 6.7 percent.
The bonds cover investment periods of between 6 months and three years, therefore providing real options to suit different investors. Two of the new Nationwide Building Society bonds are e-bonds and are applicable to new FlexAccount customers while another one is valid only for customers who have been with the Nationwide for at least 3 years.
A spokesman from the Nationwide Building Society felt that the six month bonds offered an excellent return over such a short period of time and that the longer period bonds would prove excellent investment options for those happy to put their money to work for up to three years.
Abbey National is about to introduce some new investment bonds, including ones specifically for children, the over 50s and also a fixed rate option.
The fixed rate bond pays interest at 6 percent per annum gross over a 12 month period while the over 50 year old only deal offers 6.1 percent for the 3 year term. The child bond also pays 6.1 percent, but over a four year period. An Abbey National spokesman said that these offers were excellent and highlighted the excellent value for money savers can currently get with their investments.
What is also important, said the representative of the Abbey National, is the security and peace of mind provided by an organisation the size of the Abbey, part of the giant Santander Group.
The Abbey National is aiming to help smokers kick the habit by encouraging them to save the money they would normally spend on cigarettes.
The typical 20 cigarettes a day smoker spends around GBP170 each month that could be used for many different and ultimately far better uses. Over the period of just a year a smoker who gives up and puts the money they would have spent into a monthly savings account such as the Abbey National Fixed Rate Monthly Saver would have a balance just 12 months later of almost GBP2,120.
An Abbey National spokesman urged smokers to think seriously about their options and consider the benefits of using a savings account to put money to one side. It can quickly build up into a tidy sum and the person becomes healthier into the bargain.