Smile ISA

When I opened my ISA with Smile, it was offering the best rates of interest across the board. Now the rates are not quite so high, but then all of the interests have fallen, and Smile is only amongst the top, not THE top. Saying that, the rates are still very good and the service is excellent. The site is easy to access, quick and easy to navigate around. Paying money in is easy, you can do it at any post office and getting money out is also very easy. You do have to have a current account somewhere, but as long as you have that, you can get money transfered anywhere within 4 days and if you have a Smile current account, the transfer is instantanious. I have found ...  Read the complete review

UPDATED to apply to the current tax year. Smile, say cheese, CLICK FLASH. There that was a nice picture wasn’t it? It is always nice when you smile and with a Smile Mini-Cash ISA you will be positively beaming. In these days of turbulent stock markets, you need a safe investment and what is better than a tax-free cash mini ISA, guaranteed not to lose you money and a nice way to save a little nest egg tax-free. This current tax year you can once again invest £3,000 in any mini-cash ISA. This is somewhat of a relief as under the original legislation this years limit was going to be a paltry £1,000!! You can of course opt for the maxi-isa where ...  Read the complete review

When I was looking for a long term savings account Smile had the best interest rates by far; I dont know how they compare now but they are certainly worth looking at. When I last checked they were offering 7.25% which wasn't matched by anyone else. Being an internet bank their overheads are low so they can afford better interest rates; this can often be at the expense of convenience, and I know that some internet firms are difficult to get hold of. Not so with Smile - I use their helpline which is excellent, very informative and never seems to be closed. My only gripe is that it took me a while to get the account set up because I didn't have any utility ...  Read the complete review

The Smile mini cash ISA, like all others, is limited to a maximum of £3000 input per annum at the moment, although this can change at the whim of the Chancellor. You cannot have one at all, if you have a) already put any cash into another mini cash ISA in the same year or b) into any form of maxi ISA in the same year. It it backed by the Co-Operative Bank, being their internet wing under the guise of smile.co.uk. Put quite simply, if you are at home with the internet, and are looking for a mini cash ISA, then look no further. This one has the highest interest rate of 6.75 % tax-free (as of 13/02/2001 - reduced from 7.25% ...  Read the complete review

This mini cash ISA pays a staggering 7.25% interest. Now, walk into your local Nat West branch and I belive that they pay a paltry 6%. The account complies with the CAT standars so its instant access, youre not even paying a premium for that. A reult both ways. Even better it's tax free! Although i don't use that bit, being a student it pays such a good rate that I couldn't resist it. It's only rivalled by the nationwide e-savings account (www.nationwide.co.uk) and that's a pain to set up. Everything at smile is really well thought out and it is soon set up. You can pay in at your local post office or co-op bank (who own it) so that's not a ...  Read the complete review