According to a study carried out by the Abbey National recently a number of UK people are dipping into their savings in order to pay their ongoing bills.
The Abbey National was looking specifically at money held in ISAs and, having seen around GBP6 billion taken out of them asked customers what the money had been used for. Just over 30 percent of people said it was to cover day to day expenses, the most popular answer provided.
Although it can seem easy to use savings to cover costs the issue comes a little later said an Abbey National spokesman. If a cash ISA had the maximum put into it then any withdrawals cannot be made up later, leaving the account holder with a reduced return through interest.
The Alliance and Leicester has just made available two new savings options for those aged 50 and over.
The first one is the Premier 50 fixed Rate Bond and gives a return of 7.5 percent per annum. Suitable for investments between GBP1,000 and GBP10,000 this particular Alliance and Leicester bond matures at the end of September next year so interested parties are advised to act promptly.
The second option is a longer term one, being a 5 year Growth and Income Account which offers an interest rate of 7 percent on half the amount invested with the other half receiving 50 percent of the growth achieved on the FTSE 100 over the term. This Alliance and Leicester account needs a minimum investment of GBP3,600 and as such can also be used as a cash ISA.
The Abbey National Super Saver account offer is being extended beyond the previous deadline of 7 September to give more people a chance to benefit.
The offer gives customers the opportunity to earn a whopping 9.1 percent interest for a 12 month period as long as they invest the same amount into any Abbey National investment product. The minimum deposit is just a pound, with the cap set at GBP2 million. Payments can be taken either monthly or at the end of the 12 month term providing great flexibility for savers.
The Abbey National decision to extend the offer is seen by many commentators as a real helping hand for savers, with the building society understanding the needs of consumers who want to see a strong return on their money as well as enjoying both security and flexibility.
