How to save money
Smart Start

How to save money

Saving is a great habit to get into. Here are some quick wins to help you use your Savings Account to the full.

Saving and spending tips

Tips to help you spend and save.

Watch the video for a head start on using your Savings Account.

Read the video transcript

5 benefits of saving

  1. Saving when you’re young is proven to make you more money confident as an adult.
  2. Setting savings goals and achieving them is proven to strengthen your determination to not over-spend.
  3. Regularly saving means you’ll be on track to buy the things that you want.
  4. Developing a regular savings habit could mean you’ll find it easier to save for the bigger things later in life.
  5. Having a savings pot, you’ll also be ready for the unexpected – like a birthday that’s slipped your mind or spontaneous gig tickets.

4 ways to get ahead with saving

  • Plan what you want to buy, when you want to buy it and how much you need to save. Use our savings calculators to help you do this.
  • Transfer any spare money each month into your Savings Account by setting up a regular standing order.
  • Name your Savings Account after your savings goal to stay focused. This could be, 'Holiday money' or 'My new phone'. Find out how to rename your account.
  • Switch on Save the Change®. Every time you spend with your debit card, we’ll round it up to the nearest pound and put the ‘change’ in your Savings Account. For example, if a drink costs £2.55, we'll automatically round it up to £3 and put the 45p ‘change’ into your Savings Account.

Smart Start help hub

Get started with your accounts

  • Set up Internet Banking.
  • Manage your money on your mobile.
  • A-Z of banking terms.
  • How to prove who you are.
Get started

Spend

  • Tips on budgeting.
  • Ways to make payments.
  • Using your debit card.
See our spending tips

Earn

  • Types of jobs for young adults.
  • Tips on applying for a job.
  • Earn experience volunteering.
Find out about earning

Learn

  • Tips for staying safe on social media.
  • Using your debit card.
  • Card Freeze.
Learn more about money

Your questions about saving

  • Interest is the money we pay you for saving with us in your Smart Start Savings Account. How much money we pay you is driven by the amount of money you have saved in your Spending Account. The interest is shown as a percentage of the money.

  • A standing order is a payment that’s always the same amount, going out of your account at the same time. You choose when and how often. For example, you could make a payment to your Savings Account on the 1st day of every month. You can set an end date for it to stop or it can be ongoing until you cancel it.

  • A direct debit is when you let a company take money out of your account on a set date. Direct debits are normally set up to pay for something each month. This could be a monthly subscription, or mobile phone bill.

Save the Change® is a registered trademark and used under licence.