Free Microfinance Calculators & Money Tools

Premium Bonds vs Savings Account: The After-Tax Truth The premium bonds vs savings account debate turns on tax: Premium Bond prizes are completely tax-free, while savings interest above your Personal Savings Allowance is taxed at your income tax rate. For a higher-rate taxpayer who’s used their ISA allowance, tax-free prizes can beat a headline 4.5% … Read More “Premium Bonds vs Savings Account: The After-Tax Truth (2026)” »

Authorised Push Payment Fraud Refund: Your Rights After a Bank Transfer Scam Since 7 October 2024, an authorised push payment fraud refund is no longer a favour — it’s a legal right. If you were tricked into sending money to a scammer’s UK account, your bank must reimburse you up to £85,000 in most cases, … Read More “APP Fraud: How to Get Your Money Back After a Bank Transfer Scam (UK)” »

Help to Save Scheme Explained: A 50% Bonus on Your Savings With the help to save scheme explained simply: if you’re on Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit, the government adds 50p for every £1 you save, up to a £1,200 bonus over four years. You save between £1 and £50 a month, and the … Read More “Help to Save: The 50% Government Bonus Most Low Earners Miss (2026)” »

Marriage Allowance: How to Claim Up to £1,259 Back Learning marriage allowance how to claim takes about ten minutes and can put £252 a year back in your pocket: the lower-earning partner transfers £1,260 of their unused Personal Allowance to the other, cutting the higher earner’s tax bill. Claims can be backdated four years, so … Read More “Marriage Allowance: How to Claim Up to £1,259 Tax Back (2026/27)” »

How Student Loan Repayment Works in the UK: The Short Version If you earn above your plan threshold, you repay 9% of everything over that line — for 2026/27 that threshold is £29,385 on Plan 2, £25,000 on Plan 5 and £26,900 on Plan 1. That is honestly the heart of how student loan repayment … Read More “How Student Loan Repayment Works in the UK (2026/27)” »

Under personal savings allowance UK rules, basic-rate taxpayers earn £1,000 of savings interest tax-free each year, higher-rate taxpayers £500, and additional-rate taxpayers nothing at all. At today’s best easy-access rate of 4.52%, a basic-rate saver starts owing tax at £22,124 in savings — while a higher-rate saver crosses the line at just £11,062. And from … Read More “Personal Savings Allowance UK: When Your Interest Gets Taxed (2026)” »

At UK averages in 2026 — a £273,000 home and £1,400 a month in rent — the rent vs buy UK 2026 maths says buying overtakes renting in year six, leaving you roughly £25,265 better off over ten years. That’s the maths. The catch: the answer flips by postcode and by how long you’ll stay. … Read More “Rent vs Buy UK 2026: The Honest Maths Behind the Decision” »

If you’re under 40 and employed, the Lifetime ISA vs Pension UK debate has a clear answer: fund your workplace pension first — the employer match alone beats the LISA’s 25% bonus. Take a £34,000 earner: their own £1,110.40 of pension contributions becomes £2,220.80 a year once tax relief and the employer match are added, … Read More “Lifetime ISA vs Pension UK: Which Deserves Your Money in 2026?” »

For almost any borrowing beyond a few days, a credit card is cheaper than an overdraft in the UK. Arranged overdrafts typically charge 39.9% EAR with interest starting from day one, while a standard credit card charges around 24.9% APR — and costs nothing at all if you clear the balance in full each month. … Read More “Overdraft vs Credit Card in the UK: Which Costs Less? (2026)” »

A balance transfer credit card lets you move existing credit card debt onto a new card charging 0% interest for up to 36 months. In 2026 the longest UK deals reach 38 months with a one-off fee of 2.9–3.49% — and the maths almost always beats paying 24% APR on the old card. If you’re … Read More “Balance Transfer Credit Cards: How They Work in the UK (2026)” »