Author Topic: Premium Bonds ? (Read 45510 times)

RandomGuy99 · « **Reply #500 on:** February 03, 2026, 03:59:20 pm »

Quote from: timsussex on February 03, 2026, 10:58:02 am

Zilch this month - and thats 2 months running - with over £20k invested I'm close to a 2% return over the last year so moving out to an ISA

They have reduced the odds this month.

cmspunk · « **Reply #501 on:** February 03, 2026, 05:06:10 pm »

175 this month for me

ohsnap · « **Reply #502 on:** February 04, 2026, 01:39:05 pm »

Forgot about it this month until saw this thread - £275 for me!

robsmith149 · « **Reply #503 on:** February 04, 2026, 11:20:02 pm »

£75, garbage again.

Blackpool Rock · « **Reply #504 on:** February 14, 2026, 11:30:41 am »

Better returns in 2025 using various other cash investment routes than premium bonds

External Link/Members Only

ohsnap · « **Reply #505 on:** February 14, 2026, 01:04:44 pm »

Quote from: Blackpool Rock on February 14, 2026, 11:30:41 am

Better returns in 2025 using various other cash investment routes than premium bonds

External Link/Members Only

all dependent on situation - if you have a maxed isa allowance for the year and are a higher rate tax payer then premium bonds are a good option.

simon07 · « **Reply #506 on:** February 25, 2026, 03:48:22 pm »

At one time my finance adviser said Premium Bonds hardly give you anything. I had £26k and cashed in though kept £2k. Hardly won anything though this month £100.

Now he advises me to buy to max as recent years my tax code is getting worse and paying more tax on savings. Or rather my pension is being cut to cover it.
Should I get £48 k in one go or buy gradually say £1k a month ? What say you?

RandomGuy99 · « **Reply #507 on:** February 25, 2026, 03:52:05 pm »

Quote from: simon07 on February 25, 2026, 03:48:22 pm

At one time my finance adviser said Premium Bonds hardly give you anything. I had £26k and cashed in though kept £2k. Hardly won anything though this month £100.

Now he advises me to buy to max as recent years my tax code is getting worse and paying more tax on savings. Or rather my pension is being cut to cover it.
Should I get £48 k in one go or buy gradually say £1k a month ? What say you?

It doesn't make any difference if you buy all together or not. It doesn't pick bond numbers. It picks random numbers and some of them match to bonds and some don't and it keeps picking random numbers until it has produced enough matching numbers for the month. It's a good way of avoiding paying income tax on some savings but if you have the max amount then any przes you win would need to go into another account and then you'll earn interest and have to pay tax on the interest.

Darren101 · « **Reply #508 on:** February 25, 2026, 09:00:05 pm »

Another prize rate drop incoming this April

Jonestown · « **Reply #509 on:** March 03, 2026, 07:17:55 am »

£25 for March, from a full holding, second month in a row, time to say goodbye to Ernie I think.

Massagemanmr · « **Reply #510 on:** March 03, 2026, 07:30:43 am »

i won £125 previously and £100 before that , I think with premium bonds people probably enjoy the sort of luck of the draw aspect, almost lottery type feel to it.

because the returns are only probably worth it if you are a higher or additional rate taxpayer i feel but hey ho we only live once

Blackpool Rock · « **Reply #511 on:** March 03, 2026, 07:40:58 am »

Quote from: Massagemanmr on March 03, 2026, 07:30:43 am

i won £125 previously and £100 before that , I think with premium bonds people probably enjoy the sort of luck of the draw aspect, almost lottery type feel to it.

because the returns are only probably worth it if you are a higher or additional rate taxpayer i feel but hey ho we only live once

Yeah people like to win money so even though the return may be less on average over time than investing in the stock market it's a win rather than having been earnt or acquired by investing where the value could go down the next day

There was a film quote - "Money won is twice as sweet as money earned", sure it was from The colour of money

Darren101 · « **Reply #512 on:** March 03, 2026, 08:40:00 am »

£25. Better than last month’s £0

ik8133 · « **Reply #513 on:** March 03, 2026, 09:20:35 am »

£200 for me this month, not bad.

RandomGuy99 · « **Reply #514 on:** March 03, 2026, 09:29:43 am »

£275 for me.

Massagemanmr · « **Reply #515 on:** March 03, 2026, 09:29:48 am »

Quote from: ik8133 on March 03, 2026, 09:20:35 am

£200 for me this month, not bad.

that's a half decent punt

Quote

£275 for me.

that's a half decent punt PLUS egggstraasss

Quote

£25. Better than last month’s £0

Night at out Wetherspoons

Squire Haggard · « **Reply #516 on:** March 05, 2026, 11:32:07 am »

£200 for me.

RandomGuy99 · « **Reply #517 on:** March 05, 2026, 11:37:42 am »

I know someone that won £10,000 this month

Jonestown · « **Reply #518 on:** April 02, 2026, 09:35:11 am »

£50 for April, bringing the total for the last three months to £100, from £50k, abysmal and a definite turn down from the three months before which was £625.

RandomGuy99 · « **Reply #519 on:** April 02, 2026, 10:03:43 am »

I had an amazing result this month. £50,000 invested and I managed to get a massive £0,000,000 spread over zero prizes.

Blackpool Rock · « **Reply #520 on:** April 02, 2026, 11:11:32 am »

Quote from: RandomGuy99 on April 02, 2026, 10:03:43 am

I had an amazing result this month. £50,000 invested and I managed to get a massive £0,000,000 spread over zero prizes.

Personally i'd blow it on fuck all and whatever was left over i'd just waste

robsmith149 · « **Reply #521 on:** April 02, 2026, 11:30:19 am »

£175, better but doesn't make up for the previous few rubbish months.

Darren101 · « **Reply #522 on:** April 02, 2026, 01:48:27 pm »

2x £50 for me

(30-35K holding)

ohsnap · « **Reply #523 on:** April 02, 2026, 03:01:13 pm »

£150 for me

Harry Monk · « **Reply #524 on:** April 03, 2026, 11:54:12 am »

Just £25 but that reflects the amount invested and lower percentage return

cmspunk · « **Reply #525 on:** April 03, 2026, 01:30:56 pm »

175 for me this month

Moby Dick · « **Reply #526 on:** April 11, 2026, 12:14:42 pm »

£325 for April

ik8133 · « **Reply #527 on:** April 12, 2026, 10:14:05 am »

Just £25 for me this month!

Dr Talueng · « **Reply #528 on:** April 19, 2026, 06:57:08 pm »

had a letter thru the post from NS&I to say that I'd won £100. Will be contacting them in the next few days to arrange a bank transfer.

As far as I can remember ... this is the first time <b>ever</b> that I've won anything on the Premium Bonds.
In the era when I was born it was a fairly common thing to buy the new-born a single Premium Bond, they were simply bought at the Post Office and you had a small card with your details on. I never really checked them, so I could really be a big winner (but I doubt it!). I decided to buy some more in the mid 80s, I seem to remember buying either £10 or £20, as that was the minimum you could buy at the time.

I suspect that my £100 win is from the PBs bought in the 80s. I'm not expecting any other wins from them ... 1 win in 40 years, and no wins in over 70 years!

Jonestown · « **Reply #529 on:** May 02, 2026, 09:16:56 am »

May - £25

Jomoore · « **Reply #530 on:** May 02, 2026, 09:41:52 am »

It's interesting that folk declare their winnings on the 1st and 2nd of the month sometimes, whereas I never get the email notifying me until the 4th or 5th or the month. Strange. However I don't hold my breath as it's usually a disappointment. Again.

Jonestown · « **Reply #531 on:** May 02, 2026, 09:46:06 am »

Quote from: Jomoore on May 02, 2026, 09:41:52 am

It's interesting that folk declare their winnings on the 1st and 2nd of the month sometimes, whereas I never get the email notifying me until the 4th or 5th or the month. Strange. However I don't hold my breath as it's usually a disappointment. Again.

There is an online NS&I checker online. The results are posted at midnight of the announcement day.

Darren101 · « **Reply #532 on:** May 02, 2026, 09:58:42 am »

Quote from: Jomoore on May 02, 2026, 09:41:52 am

It's interesting that folk declare their winnings on the 1st and 2nd of the month sometimes, whereas I never get the email notifying me until the 4th or 5th or the month. Strange. However I don't hold my breath as it's usually a disappointment. Again.

Yes, the prize checker app tells you sooner, 2nd of the month. You can also check the prize history in the NS&I app. I will get the SMS / email probably on the 5th telling me what I already know.

2x £25 for me. Better than nowt.

Squire Haggard · « **Reply #533 on:** May 02, 2026, 11:13:17 am »

Zero for me 2 months in a row. Not surprising since I've sold most of what was the max amount.

I will probably buy them back some day.

ik8133 · « **Reply #534 on:** May 02, 2026, 11:13:40 am »

£200 for me this month, chuffed with that!

GreyDave · « **Reply #535 on:** May 02, 2026, 01:36:22 pm »

2500 held got £25 today well told id won on my page ....thats the kebab and a bit of the dieal used paid for on next Chinese snack last months ones were Sooo good I ll be doing more in May .

Jonestown · « **Reply #536 on:** May 02, 2026, 01:49:18 pm »

On the NS&I website they claim the average return on premium bonds is 3.30%, at the same time they offer a one year fixed rate bond at 4,50%, depends on your tax situation of course as tax is due on the bond interest.

Harry Monk · « **Reply #537 on:** May 03, 2026, 10:41:07 am »

Nada

RandomGuy99 · « **Reply #538 on:** May 03, 2026, 10:48:28 am »

£200 not bad

robsmith149 · « **Reply #539 on:** May 03, 2026, 10:50:06 am »

£0 again on £50k, had enough now, am putting 20k in the one year bond at 4.5% and 20k in a cash ISA.

Massagemanmr · « **Reply #540 on:** May 03, 2026, 03:11:43 pm »

Quote from: robsmith149 on May 03, 2026, 10:50:06 am

£0 again on £50k, had enough now, am putting 20k in the one year bond at 4.5% and 20k in a cash ISA.

that's unfortunate . i think premium bonds only really do well. if you're a higher rate tax payer and maxed out interest in other savings. due to tax free nature of winnings.

i think most people play for the fun of it , rather than the returns

Darren101 · « **Reply #541 on:** May 03, 2026, 07:08:21 pm »

Quote from: Squire Haggard on May 02, 2026, 11:13:17 am

Zero for me 2 months in a row. Not surprising since I've sold most of what was the max amount.

I will probably buy them back some day.

Did you have more luck when it was maxed?

I currently only have £30K and have been hovering around this holding and still win regularly. Smaller wins than I'd like though.