According to the Legal and General MoneyMood survey, the people of the UK are changing their habits regarding saving.
Compared with this time last year there are around 6 percent more people saving money now. It appears that consumers are, generally, not spending as much of their money as they once were, preferring instead to build up a buffer should they need the cash for more important things in the future. People are still going out and spending their money, just not quite as much as they used to be.
As a Legal and General savings spokeswoman said, it is good that consumers are managing to change their habits, ensuring they have some money put to one side whilst still being able to enjoy themselves.
The Nationwide Building Society has just launched a new range of investment bonds, with interest rates of up to 6.8 percent per year.
There are a couple of e-bonds, sold online only and only available to those who have, or are taking out, a Nationwide Building Society FlexAccount. A loyalty bond is also in the set of newly launched products, this on offer to customers of at least three years standing.
The savings director of the Nationwide Building Society felt that the rates being offered on these investment bonds were some of the best on the market and was expecting demand to be high.
Interest rates on nearly all the Nationwide Building Society International Sterling savings accounts are being reduced by between 0.25 and 0.3 percent.
The international arm of the Nationwide Building Society is not cutting interest rates on their Euro or Dollar savings accounts though, these will retain their existing rates. In addition they are actually increasing the rate of interest paid on their Lifetime Guarantee Account, going up by 0.2 percent. This gives it a first year rate of 6.4 percent.
Currency based accounts can be subject to fluctuations as the exchange rates vary following economic changes, hence the cuts announced here by the Nationwide Building Society.