[Finance] Premium Bonds - prize pool increased again - you ever have any luck?

[Shins]

£150 this month. £550 over the last 5 months which is almost identical to how much I'd have got if it was in an ISA.

At least this way you get a bit of excitement and the chance for a bigger win. Which is ok if the interest gained from an ISA isn't the be all and end all.

 

[Denis]

£50 this month, but nothing February and March, on £35,000 holding. I’ll be taking 20k out later this week to put in an ISA, as not impressed.

 

[worthingseagull]

I watched the Martin Lewis video on it and he basically said that it's only worth doing if you have 40/50k invested. But even then you lose out the thousands you would get from a normal 3/5% ISA on just on a small chance you get the big money. If I've got that right then I think I will pass.

you have got that right

 

[Washboard Didgets]

I had £3000 invested in Premium Bonds for a few years (around 2010-2014 I think) but quite regularly won £50 and won £1000 once. Then had to cash them in towards a house deposit.

So guess I did quite well there. I've recently put in £5000 based on reading this thread each month, eligible from 1 May draw...

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

I've lost confidence in PBs - it's like gambling without ever losing your stake - but way more disappointment than joy ....

So, I've gone fixed rate ISA for half on the assumption that in 12 months time the rate I've locked in will be great after interest rates fall.

The other half is now in easy access savings, so I've got simple / quick access if I need it and £150 winnings EVERY month.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

...

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Found this in my loft last week.... 32 years in September

Did they send you back your premium bond?

 

[Marshy]

Did they send you back your premium bond?

I think so... not 100% sure tbh. A lady from National Savings came to my home, then work to find me and give news.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

I think so... not 100% sure tbh. A lady from National Savings came to my home, then work to find me and give news.

Can you imagine if you got that letter nowadays? Send me the winning bond and a plane ticket to Heathrow from Lagos and I promise I'll send it back with your Naira!

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I watched the Martin Lewis video on it and he basically said that it's only worth doing if you have 40/50k invested. But even then you lose out the thousands you would get from a normal 3/5% ISA on just on a small chance you get the big money. If I've got that right then I think I will pass.

Fixed rate ISAs (for one year are currently around 4 / 4.5% - lower (which is clearly not normal, but rates are expected to fall) if you fix for two years.

I've earnt slightly more than that this year on PBs, without any 'big' wins - maybe we've just been lucky.

 

[birthofanorange]

Both of us have maximum holding and zilch between us, this month. Pfft!
Edit: There was nothing yesterday, but having read the thread, I thought I'd check again so it seems it's £100 for me and £75 for o/h. Could be worse, could be better....but I'm okay with that.

 

[wigman]

Nothing again this month.

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

I hadn’t realised until recently that there is such a thing as a personal savings allowance. If I recall correctly, basic taxpayers can earn £1000 in interest from savings before tax kicks in. Useful to know when looking at spreading savings across ISA, premium bonds, non ISA savings accounts etc.

 

[Elbow750]

£50 this month. Over the last 6 months I'm winning about the same as an instant access cash ISA pays in interest..

 

[Ding Dong !]

Max holding

£25

 

[Me Atome]

I hadn’t realised until recently that there is such a thing as a personal savings allowance. If I recall correctly, basic taxpayers can earn £1000 in interest from savings before tax kicks in. Useful to know when looking at spreading savings across ISA, premium bonds, non ISA savings accounts etc.

The savings allowance doesn't apply to ISA's - they are tax exempt already.

 

[Petunia]

I left £13000 in my bonds and won £125.00 this month.
See what happens next month when the new bonds I bought are valid for the draw.

I’ve just cashed in £25k and reinvested it into new bonds.
Let’s see what May & June hold

 

[dazzer6666]

I watched the Martin Lewis video on it and he basically said that it's only worth doing if you have 40/50k invested. But even then you lose out the thousands you would get from a normal 3/5% ISA on just on a small chance you get the big money. If I've got that right then I think I will pass.

Not our experience……..been averaging around the ‘expected’ return over the last 4-5 years, plus it’s tax free. Happy to forgo a bit of extra interest for the off-chance of a bigger win. £400 this month which is slightly above ‘par’

 

[MJsGhost]

I bought premium bonds 15+ years ago and forgot about them (didn't even remember how many or exactly when).

I moved house. Changed job (had registered the account to my work email address) and changed mobile number.

So essentially, NS&I had no way of contacting me.

After remembering, I started the process of accessing the account a few weeks ago. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, I got a letter through with my NS&I number and holder's number and my account balance...

It turns out I bought a token £300 of bonds on the 1st December 2006.

After taking into account the winnings from every prize draw since then, my balance is....





...wait for it....


...wait for it....


...wait for it....



£300.



FML!

 

[Peteinblack]

May Draw

Me = £225
Mrs Peteinblack = £175

Will use as spending money on our Scandinavian cruise at the end of this month.