This comparison simply includes all savings accounts.
Savings Accounts For Holidays
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Compare Savings Accounts For Holidays
When putting your money into a savings account, you need to consider how long you intend to save for and how much of a return you would like to see. You can then compare the different types of savings accounts available to see which ones best match you saving goals.
Holidays can be expensive, and depending on the type of holiday you intend to go on, you may require a savings account to put aside enough money to go away.
There are a number of savings accounts available on the market; however, finding the right account for you will depend on your set of circumstances.
If you are looking for a savings account for a holiday, you may want to compare the options in the table above.
Current Accounts
Current accounts generally offer the best rates of interest for smaller sums of money. However, if you go over your account’s interest limit, your remaining balance will likely earn you nothing.
To get the best deal, you may have to shop around and be willing to transfer your current account to a new provider. It’s also worth bearing in mind that some current accounts offer a better interest rate during an introductory period which then drops dramatically once that period is over.
A current account may be account to use when saving for a holiday over a short period of time. This is because you can take advantage of the competitive interest and withdraw your savings before the account reverts back to the bank’s underlying rate.
Instant Access Savings Accounts
This type of account allows you to earn interest on your savings while still giving quick access to your money when necessary. Some instant access accounts come with a card that lets you draw money out at cash points, others require you to take money out in branch or transfer it to a current account online or by phone.
Please be aware there may be a limit on how many withdrawals you can make per year without losing some of your interest.
Easy Access Savings Accounts
Essentially the same as instant access accounts, except there may be a few days' delay when you wish to take money out. This is to allow withdrawal and transfer requests to be processed.
Some providers also refer to their instant access accounts as easy access accounts.
Notice Savings Accounts
These are similar to easy access and instant access savings accounts, except you have to give a certain amount of notice before removing funds. Common notice periods range from 40-95 days. The longer the notice period you are willing to give, the higher the interest rate you will usually receive.
A notice savings account may be useful as a savings account for a holiday, providing you are unlikely to need to access your savings in a short amount of time. If you are confident that you will not need to touch your savings before your holiday, a notice savings account might be appropriate for you.
Regular Savings Accounts
If you want to put away a little bit of money each month over a longer period, a regular savings account is likely to be the best choice. This kind of account usually requires you to deposit a minimum amount each month and will normally specify a maximum you can put in each month as well. There may also be a limit on how many withdrawals you can make each year.
Regular savings accounts often offer very attractive rates of interest, but it is important to note that, because you are only slowly building up capital, your initial yearly returns may be modest. This means that, while they can be used for short term savings, regular savings accounts are usually a better choice for longer term savings.
If you are looking to save for a holiday over the course of a number of years, then a regular savings account could be a good option.
Fixed Rate Bonds
Fixed rate bonds tend to offer attractive rates of interest, which will be guaranteed for the life of the bond (typically 1-5 years). The caveat here is that you cannot usually take money out of the bond until it matures (i.e. reaches the end of the fixed interest period).
As fixed rate bonds offer competitive interest for those prepared to lock up savings for a prolonged period of time, you could utilise a fixed rate bond for a holiday for a special occasion. If you are planning to go away for a wedding, an anniversary or to travel, you may require a substantial amount of money; locking your savings up in a fixed rate bond may give you the additional interest required to achieve your goal.
Cash ISAs
UK tax payers normally have to pay tax on any interest they earn on their savings. However, a cash ISA allows you to earn interest, tax-free, on deposits up to an agreed yearly limit. For the 2017/18 tax year that amount is £20,000.
There are two main types of cash ISAs – instant access and fixed-term. Instant access cash ISAs allow you to withdraw money whenever you need without paying a penalty, making them ideal for short term saving. Fixed-term cash ISAs have similar conditions to fixed rate bonds, so you may be unable to withdraw money until they reach the end of their term or have to pay a penalty in order to do so.
Cash ISAs do not always offer the best interest rates, so you will need to assess whether any tax savings will outweigh the benefits of the higher interest rates provides by other types of accounts.
Cash ISAs may be a useful tool to earn tax-free interest. If you have a substantial amount of savings for a holiday, which push you over the threshold for regular tax-free savings, then you could explore your cash ISA options.
Find the best short term savings account for you
With so many different brands and products on the market, it can be hard to figure out which offer the best deals for you. The comparison table at the top of this page is regularly updated with the most attractive deals on short term savings accounts from across the industry. This makes it easy for you to contrast the features of different accounts with 6 month options and find the right one for your saving needs.
