UK Banks, Credit Cards and Insurance Deals

• Santander Current Account - Get £100 to switch, and an impressive rate of interest for a current account. More details
  
  
• First Direct - Repeated voted as top in the customer service stakes, First Direct was one of the UK pioneers in online and telephone banking, and being a customer still carries some serious benefits, including a good-ish interest rate on current account balances, and a high interest e-saver account. Note that in Nov 2006, they ended their free banking for some customers. For more details on First Direct, see our First direct page.
  
  
• Citibank - Top interest rates on their current accounts, and at the time of writing, a free iPod Nano for new account sign-ups. More on our Citibank page
  
  

• BT Credit Card: Here's an interesting cashback card. Keen to hang on to your business, in 2007, BT launched the BT Credit Card. This Visa card is powered by MBNA and through normal use can earn you money off your BT home phone bill, or Broadband Internet bill. More on our BT Credit Card Review page. To apply, go to BT Credit Card site.
  
  
• MBNA Platinum Rewards Credit Card: Why have a credit card that doesn't do you any favours? The MBNA Platinum Plus Rewards Card lets you collect rewards just by using your card as normal. You can then use these points to get cash, wine, travel vouchers, or high street vouchers. More on our MBNA Rewards Card page. To apply, go to wwwa.mbna.co.uk/apply/UKCCapp.
  
  
• Nectar Credit Card from American Express. After Barclaycard's decision to end its affiliation with the Nectar bonus points scheme, American Express stepped up to bring us the "Nectar Credit Card". This gives you Nectar Points when you shop, and an introductory 5000 points when you first apply and spend £200. You'll get double Nectar points for the first 3 months and up to 4 nectar points for every £1 spent
  The card is a rather stylish part-transparent card with chip-and-PIN, and has the usual features you'd expect such as a competitive APR, no annual fee, an online fraud guarantee, and also adds purchase protection (against accidental damage and theft for 90 days).
  If you're a Nectar points collector, this is the card for you, even if all you do is take out a card to get the introductory Nectar points.
  
  
• Capital One Classic - The Capital One Classic Card has a couple of unique points. Firstly, Capital One quote a "response in one minute". There's also a choice of designs for this card. This card is ideal for you if you're looking to build up your credit rating. More details: Capital One Classic.
  Capital One Progress: Capital One also offers a card called "Progress", which offers low interest rates for balance transfers. To get a Capital One card in your wallet, go to www.capitalone.co.uk
  
  
• Barclaycard Breathe - If you want to do your bit for the environment, then consider a Breathe card. Spend on your card and Barclaycard will donate 50% of profits to environmental projects that help reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change. The Breathe card is also more environmentally friendly than current PVC cards, recycled paper is used where necessary (e.g. card carriers, PIN mailers, etc), and you can recycle your cards. An interesting solution, with some handy offers for green users.
  
  
• Egg card - This card has always been highly recommended, mainly because it has some of the better deals around. Sadly, the 0.5% cashback offer was dropped in 2004, although they offer a decent cashback value is available with selected retailers. More details on our Egg page
  
  
• Morgan Stanley - Not recommended. We were advocates of this firm's credit cards, until July 2006 when we heard that Morgan Stanley wanted our glowing review to be removed. We'd love to know why - but they haven't told us. Apparently, our editor's Platinum card has now been cut up in disgust, and returned in favour of the MBNA Points Card. Hey ho.
  
  
• Barclaycard - A review of cards wouldn't be complete without paying homage to the most well-known of all the UK cards, the Barclaycard, although sadly this is no longer one of the better value cards around since they left Nectar, The Barclaycard Platinum card offers a range of benefits including good balance transfer offers, identity and fraud protection, purchase delivery protection, text message alerts, and some extra services for travellers. For more, see our Barclaycard page.
  
  

Alliance and Leicester eSaver. Top High-interest online savings account that you can open with £1. Interest is paid monthly. More details

Abbey e-Saver - Staggeringly good interest rates if you're OK not to make many withdrawals.

• Billpayment.co.uk - A way of paying bills online with just a Switch card
• PayPal - Online payments can be made to any email address can be made using your Mastercard, Switch, Solo, American Express or Discover card. Excellent for sending money cheaply around the world, or use Paypal when paying for Ebay.co.uk auctions
  
  

• Free legal advice online
  
  

• The AA - Famous for their unbeatable roadside assistance, the AA's car insurance and car data checking is hard to beat too. If you're looking for cheaper car insurance, let the AA do the hunting for you! For cheaper car insurance and home insurance, try AA Insurance for special discounts when taking out insurance online, and greater discounts for AA breakdown members. The AA compare quotes from hundreds of insurers, and are independent. Go to theaa.com RECOMMENDED
  
  
• Travel Insurance online is one of the leading providers of online travel and holiday insurance for online UK residents on the Internet.

There are two main agencies in the UK that hold information about your credit status, and for £2, they are obliged to send you a copy of your record, under the Data Protection Act.. You'd be surprised what they know about you!

The reports contain information on the electoral roll at your current and previous addresses, details of which companies have been searching on you, and your credit history with companies who you currently have credit with (purchases, mortgages, loans and credit cards).

• Experian , Consumer Help Service, PO Box 8000, Nottingham Ng1 5GX - Get your free Experian credit report online
• Equifax , Consumer Response Centre, PLC, PO Box 1140, Bradford BD1 5US

For more, see our Be Safe page

One in 12 of us have money stashed away that we know nothing about.... from schemes we've cancelled, company pensions from ex-employers,or even saving schemes set up for us by parents or grandparents. Apparently, there's £15 billion in unclaimed pensions, lottery tickets and policies. Take a check to see if you're due any, at the Unclaimed Assets Register

Over 50 and looking for life insuarnce without a medical? Consider the Scottish Friendly Over 50's Plan