Latest news with #NatWest
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Yonder Credit Card Review
Especially for city-dwellers who travel frequently and habitually clear their monthly credit card balance, Yonder could be a good fit for day-to-day spending. The provider also offers a choice between a free and pay-monthly option depending on the level benefits you want to access. rewards tend to centre around major cities £15 monthly fee to access top rewards high interest rate on card balances Yonder is a Mastercard travel and rewards credit card that offers benefits including yonderpoints, which are redeemable against restaurant bills and lifestyle experiences. There are no foreign exchange (FX) fees when using the card abroad. There are also no cash withdrawal fees both abroad and in the UK. However, limits apply*. There are two versions of the card: one with free membership, and another that charges a monthly fee but offers additional perks such as boosted points earning, cashback on spending and worldwide travel insurance . The full membership credit card also offers Yonder Flights, which allows customers to redeem points to pay towards the cost of tickets with any airline. Who is Yonder? Yonder is a fintech start-up company that launched its first app-based rewards credit card in 2022. The card was primarily targeted at Millennial and Gen Z professionals living in and around London, but it has since broadened its reach to other cities including Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Bath. In April 2025, NatWest became a minority investor in Yonder. Here are the key points of both the Free and Full Membership Yonder credit cards: no monthly or annual fee reward points scheme with selected partners no FX when you spend overseas. £15 per month fee (or £160 if paid annually) 0.5% cashback on spending enhanced rewards scheme and welcome bonus free worldwide travel insurance redeem points against any flight with any airline no FX fees when you spend overseas. Cardholders earn yonderpoints on spending on their Yonder credit card at a rate of one point per £1 spent with the free membership account, and five points per £1 spent with the full membership card. Points can then be redeemed against a range of dining and lifestyle benefits with Yonder partners. These include theatre tickets, restaurants and bars, meal prep companies, fitness brands, car rental and – for full membership card holders – flights. Yonder's team of specialists select between 15 and 20 tailored offers and experiences at which cardholders can opt to redeem their yonderpoints. Partner brands include the likes of Bao and Fallow restaurants, Frive meal kits, Sucre, Grind, Padella, Hoppers and Soma cocktail bars. Full membership cardholders will have access to the full range of yonderpoint rewards partners. Yonderpoints have no expiry date. How to use yonderpoints You can redeem yonderpoints by simply selecting 'use points' in the Yonder app. When using your Yonder card, if you have enough points, they will be used automatically to pay – up to Yonder's fair use limit. You can check the fair use limits for each offer or experience in the Yonder app. Yonder also offers a top-up feature, which means customers can pay money onto their card to effectively increase their credit limit. This can make monthly card bill payments more manageable, while the extra can be used for purchases to earn points without using credit. Rewards and benefits With the Free Membership, cardholders earn one yonderpoint for every £1 spent on the card, plus up to five points on spending at selected partners. On the Full Membership plan, points are earned at a rate of five per £1 spent or up to 25 per £1 with selected partners. In addition, you'll get 10,000 yonderpoints as a welcome bonus when you sign up. The yonderpoints you earn are rounded down to the nearest pound on card spend. So if you're a free member and you spend £1.99 on the card, for example, you would earn one yonderpoint. Referring a friend can earn you up to 10,000 yonderpoints if they take a Full Membership card or 2,000 for the Free Membership card. Points have different values depending on where you choose to redeem them. As a benchmark however, one yonderpoint under the Free Membership plan is worth around 0.5 pence and one point under the Full Membership plan is worth up to 2.5p at redemption. Full members can also earn cashback in addition to their yonderpoints, where one point earned will be worth 0.5p in cashback. Other benefits of both types of Yonder card include fee-free overseas use. The Full Membership account offers additional perks, including worldwide travel insurance and cashback on purchases. Interest rates and fees The purchase rates on the Yonder credit card are relatively high at 32.26% APR variable for the free card, and 29.32% APR variable for Full Membership. The monthly fee applied on the full membership card means that the overall representative APR – which includes the interest rate and fees – is high at 66.0% (variable). There are no late fees if you don't pay your credit card bill but you'll accrue interest on any unpaid bills and interest charges. Are my purchases protected with the Yonder card? Yonder is a credit card, which means cardholders can benefit from payment protection under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act . This means purchases of more than £100 and up to £30,000 – even if just the deposit is put on the card – are protected. You'll need to be aged between 18 and 65 and a UK resident to be eligible for a Yonder card. You're also likely to need a regular income and a relatively strong credit score. There's an eligibility checker tool on Yonder's website so you can find out your chances of being accepted first using a soft credit check that won't show up on your credit report. This can be a prudent step before making a formal application, because you could harm your credit score if you're rejected. Yonder customer service The Yonder card must be both applied for and managed in the app. Yonder has a support hub on its website with a broad range of FAQs – such as about redeeming points or setting up automatic payments to clear your card balance. You can email with questions too – but customers are encouraged to use the live chat facility offered in the app. While this is marketed as 24/7, it may use AI chatbots at certain times and you may have to wait for the on-call human assistant. Yonder has a 4.5 Trustpilot rating (out of 5) from more than 1,200 customer reviews. Among the comments, users talk about Yonder being 'a card I can use abroad without it costing me a fortune in fees' and 'great rewards, and customer service has consistently been fantastic'. What are the alternatives to the Yonder card? If you're looking for a rewards credit card , there's a wide range to consider. These deals tend to come with perks, such as cashback or airmiles on spending, and various other lifestyle and travel rewards. Again, however, the standard purchase interest rates can be high, so you'll get the best value if you can pay off your balance every month to avoid interest charges. There is also a range of travel credit cards on the market that can save considerable money in charges. *Up to £150 per day (spread across three transactions) and up to five withdrawals every seven days to a total maximum of £600 per week. Note also that cash withdrawals are reported to credit reference agencies. Frequent or large withdrawals may affect your credit score, so Yonder advises to use cash withdrawals responsibly.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Our ultimate beginner's guide to stocks and shares ISAs – how to turn £100 into £18K and the five-year rule to follow
A STOCKS and shares ISA could be the key to turbocharging your savings, and you can start with as little as £1 a month. We explain how you can turn £100 into £18,000, what the risks are, and how to find the right one. A stocks and shares ISA allows you to invest your cash into the stock market tax-free, and you can save up to £20,000 a year into the account. Unlike a normal savings account, where you earn a set amount of interest, the money you make depends on how well your investments have performed. That means the amount of cash you have could go up or down, but over a long time, you should see your money grow, and the returns are better than with a cash savings account. Studies using data all the way back to 1899 show that the UK stock market has a 90% chance of beating cash savings over a 10-year period. You can start with just £ 1 You can start investing in a stocks and shares ISA with just £1. Before you begin, you should make sure investing is right for you. You should have an emergency fund with three to six months' worth of wages saved before you start, experts say. And you should keep this money in a savings account so you can access it if you need to. Stocks and shares ISAs are offered by several major banks including NatWest, HSBC, Barclays and Lloyds Bank. Most high street banks will ask you to open a current account with them before you can get a stocks and shares ISA. Switch bank accounts for free perks You can do this online, in a branch, by telephone or using an app. If you don't want the hassle of opening up a current account alongside your stocks and shares ISA, you can use an investment platform such as AJ Bell, Hargreaves Lansdown or Fidelity. How to pick the right account When you open an account with a bank or investment platform, you will usually be able to choose between a selection of ready-made investment funds. These will range from low to high risk and are designed to help you meet different financial goals. A low-risk fund will normally focus on less volatile investments, such as bonds. Meanwhile, a higher-risk fund will invest your money in riskier assets, such as shares. This means that you have the chance to make a higher return, but also a bigger loss if it doesn't work out. Some providers will ask you to complete a short quiz when you sign up for a stocks and shares ISA to help you decide which of these ready-made plans to choose. The quiz will ask you about your goals and risk appetite. My stocks and shares ISA increased in value by £50k NEERAJ Kumar opened a stocks and shares ISA in 2002 as a way to invest in the UK stock market. The grandfather-of-two, 64, who lives in Bristol, wanted to save money for retirement and to help him become mortgage-free more quickly. He started with £1,000, which has now grown to a staggering £200,000 23 years later. Neeraj, who works in IT, said: 'I am a fan of ISAs and investing in the market for longer-term investments. 'They usually outperform cash deposits, and you do not need to worry about declaring any money you make on your tax return.' His ISA is with Halifax, and he hand-picks the stocks and shares he wants to invest in. The account charges £9.50 per online trade to buy and sell funds and UK stocks. There is also a £36 annual customer admin fee. Neeraj pays into the account when he can, but does not have a set direct debit. He estimates that around £150,000 of his £200,000 pot is money he has paid in, which works out at around £6,500 a year or £541 a month. This means he has earned £50,000. 'I feel secure and confident to have my savings,' he said. 'I have even set up ISAs for my wife Sangeeta, my two adult children and two grandchildren. 'I want to put that same savings habit into all my family.' You don't have to opt for one of these ready-made plans, but they are popular with first-time investors. When you choose one of these plans, your cash will be invested on your behalf, and you will be given a breakdown of where your money is held. It will be monitored, and your investments will be adjusted by a professional team depending on changes in the market and the fund's goals. For example, if you choose the low-risk "defensive" fund at Barclays Bank then 66% of your money will be held in cash, 16% will be kept in bonds and 18% in shares. The medium risk "balanced" fund keeps 56% of your money in shares, 42% in bonds and 2% in cash. In comparison, if you put your money in the "adventurous fund" then just 2% of it would be held in cash, 9% would be kept in bonds and 89% would be invested in shares. As a result, the "defensive" fund has an estimated return of 2.11% after 10 years. If you opened the account with £100 and continued to pay in this amount every month for 10 years, then you would be left with £13,470. The balanced fund has an estimated return of 5.2% after a decade. You would have £15,864 after 10 years - £2,394 more than with the defensive fund. Meanwhile, the adventurous fund is predicted to give you a return of 7.33%. If you invested in the same way into the adventurous fund then you would have £17,834 after a decade. This is £4,364 more than you would earn with the defensive fund. Most banks and investment platforms will let you set up a direct debit to invest a set amount each month, so you don't even need to remember to do it. Know the risks IF you have enough money in your emergency fund and are ready to invest then the returns can be huge. But remember, the stock market can fall as well as rise. The FTSE 100 fell by more than 10% this year after US President Donald Trump announced plans to introduce tariffs on goods imported to the US from other countries. Jason Hollands explains: "When the news headlines about the economy are downbeat and markets are falling or paralysed by uncertainty, many people shy away from investing altogether. "However, these often prove to be the best times to put money into the stock market, as you end up buying shares when they are cheap. "Regular investing helps keep you doing this through thick and thin." Dips in the stock market are only a problem if you need to access your money immediately. If you are investing for the long term then the market will usually bounce back before you need to access your funds. Rises and falls in the market are called "volatility" and usually happen every few years. Always remember, you need to be prepared to lose any money you invest. This can help you to invest consistently, which should boost your return over the long term, even if the stock market falls. However, be warned that you should only invest money that you can afford to lose. Remember the five-year rule One of the golden rules of investing is to make sure that your money is locked in your investments for five years. That's so your investments have time to ride out any dips in the market when stocks fall in value. That means that investing is usually better for longer-term financial goals - such as saving for a house, or for your retirement. Dips in the market can have a big impact on the money you can make from your investments. Say, for example, you invested £100 a month into a defensive stocks and shares ISA with NatWest - you are likely to have £16,027 after 10 years. You would have paid in £12,000 in total, which means your investment would have increased in value by £4,027. But if your investment performs worse than expected, then it could be worth £12,024 after a decade - giving you a return of just £24. Meanwhile, if your ISA performs better than predicted, then you could have £22,424 after the same period - £10,424 more than you invested. Charlene Young, senior pensions and savings expert at AJ Bell, said: "How your own ISA performs will depend on the investments you choose and how much you can put away. Three reasons to consider a stocks and shares ISA SARAH Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown, explains three reasons why you may want to open a stocks and shares ISA. Save for university: Children can get a stocks and shares version of a Junior ISA. This account lets you save for your child's future and they can access the money when they turn 18. You can invest up to £9,000 every year without paying income or capital gains tax. Build up a house deposit: If you are aged between 18 and 39 then you can get a stocks and shares lifetime ISA. The government will top up your contributions - up to £4,000 a year - by 25%. You can use the ISA to buy your first home as long as it is worth less than £450,000 and you are aged under 50. Save for retirement: You can also use your Lifetime ISA to save for retirement. Withdrawals are tax-free from the age of 60 onwards. If you withdraw money for any other reason, you will pay a penalty. "Investing your money gives the best chance of beating cash and rises in the cost of living over the long term." Watch out for fees Every bank and investment platform sets its own fees, and these should be made clear to you when you open an account. These pay for the costs of running the account and fund, investment manager fee, administration costs and legal fees. For example, NatWest charges a fee of 0.55% of the value of your investment. That works out at 55p for every £100 of your investments. In comparison, Barclays charges a 0.25% fee, which works out at 25p for every £100 you invest. Other providers will charge you a fixed amount to invest with them. Among them is Interactive Investor, which charges customers on its Investor Essentials plan £4.99 a month. If the value of your investments grow above £50,000 then you will be moved onto the £11.99 a month Investor plan, which charges some of the highest fees of any provider. Charlene Young said: 'The impact of higher charges can eat into your ISA value over time and mean you're giving away more of your tax-free investment returns. "Shopping around for the best deal to meet your needs can make a huge difference to the end value of your ISA." She added that someone who starts investing £100 a month could end up with £3,000 more in their pot after 30 years if they reduced their ISA charges by just 0.2%. You can use websites such as and Forbes to compare ISA providers and their fees.
Pink Villa
3 days ago
- Sport
- Pink Villa
All about Prince of Kolkata Sourav Ganguly's career in cricket, marriage and alleged affair
Sourav Ganguly's rise is the stuff of legend. Born on July 8, 1972, in Kolkata, he developed from a provincial left-handed batsman into one of India's fiercest captains. Under his leadership, India won a Test series overseas for the first time and has nurtured several future greats as well. Off the field, he built a life with classical dancer and educator Dona Ganguly and raised daughter Sana. Today, as he eyes coaching over politics, his story is set to hit the big screen. Early life and cricketing breakthrough According to Britannica, Ganguly originally debuted in first-class cricket for Bengal in 1989-90, contributing to the Ranji Trophy triumph. His entry into the sport was encouraged by Snehasish Ganguly, who was a left-handed batsman at the time. Sourav Ganguly reportedly began batting left-handed because he had to use his brother's equipment. He earned his Test call-up in 1996 at Lord's, scoring a neat 131 on debut alongside Rahul Dravid's 95. Promoted to open in ODIs in 1997, he created a deadly partnership with Sachin Tendulkar. His swashbuckling 124 off 138 balls in the 1998 Independence Cup final against Pakistan powered India to what was then the highest successful run chase in ODI history: 315 in 48 overs. The match helped redefine what was considered an 'impossible target' in that era. Ganguly's captaincy and impact today In the wake of match-fixing scandals, Ganguly succeeded Sachin Tendulkar as captain. He guided India to the 2002 Champions Trophy and the NatWest final victory at Lord's. As reported by the publication, he backed some of the big names of today, including Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh, and Mohammad Kaif. Under his stewardship, India won 11 Tests abroad, clinched its first series in Pakistan in 2004, and reached the 2003 World Cup final. His tenure as captain ended with 21 total Test wins in 49 matches. His many achievements have led Ganguly to be dubbed as 'Dada,' 'Maharaja,' and 'Prince of Kolkata.' Who is Sourav Ganguly's wife? Outside cricket, Ganguly's anchor has been Odissi dancer Dona Ganguly. Born on August 22, 1977, in Kolkata, Dona trained under Amala Shankar and Kelucharan Mohapatra. As detailed by Financial Express, she later earned a PhD in International Relations and headed dance departments at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Sourav and Dona's romance was not without trials, as the couple faced a Romeo-and-Juliet-esque feud between their families. However, unlike the Shakespearean epic, the cricketer-dancer duo successfully eloped in February 1997. They were later blessed with their daughter, Sana, in 2001. Reportedly, Sourav was seeing actor Nagma in the early 2000s, and they are said to have parted ways after a few years. Their relationship was never made official, though Ganguly's alleged extramarital affair was the talk of the town at the time. The supposed relationship was often blamed for his bad performance on the field. Ganguly's life after retirement and future plans After retiring in 2008, Ganguly turned commentator, led the Cricket Association of Bengal and served as BCCI president in 2019. He also served as Team Director at Delhi Capitals from 2018-19, and then again from 2022-24. In a recent June 2025 podcast with Press Trust of India, he ruled out politics, clearly stating: 'I am not interested.' Instead, he reportedly expressed openness to coaching Team India. Upcoming biopic and Rajkummar Rao's role Fans can soon see Ganguly's journey dramatized on the silver screen, as National Award-winning actor Rajkummar Rao has officially signed on to play him. In an interview with NDTV news, Rao stated: 'I am nervous… It's a huge responsibility, but it's going to be a lot of fun.' He also noted that he was honing a Bengali accent with help from his wife, Patralekhaa. Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and produced by Luv Films, the film's shooting begins in January 2026. The release has been slated for December that year, sure to bring Dada's story to life.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
NatWest gives some customers £125 - and you could get extra £50
The bank has announced a new offer for customers with certain accounts NatWest customers are in for a treat as they may be able to get an extra £175 in free cash. The banking giant is offering a £125 bonus for customers transferring from other providers to a NatWest Current Account. You can get an additional £50 if you open a Digital Regular Saver with the group. You can bag the £125 by moving your main current account using the Current Account Switch Service. The rules are that you must deposit £1,250 and log into the mobile app within 60 days of making the switch. The £1,250 can be added in multiple instalment, but it needs to sit in your account for at least a full day. Besides the £125 switch incentive, there's an opportunity to land another £50 by setting up a Digital Regular Saver in the same 60-day window. This savings account offers a 5.5% interest rate, and you can make monthly contributions ranging from £1 to £150. By maxing out the deposits, after a year, savers will accrue £53.53 in interest. The 5.5% rate applies to balances up to £5,000, with any amount above this attracting a lower rate of 1.15%. Paul Slinger, NatWest's head of Account Opening, said: "The Digital Regular Saver account is a great way to build a savings habit, and with Round Ups you can save even more. "This offer is a great way to receive a cash bonus and fully take advantage of all our current account benefits." Round Ups allow you to utilise your spare change to boost your savings. For instance, if you spend £2.80 on a purchase, you can 'round it up' to the nearest pound, with the 20p being added to your savings. This won't be included in your £150 monthly limit. You can also earn rewards that can contribute to the account. Rewards can be earned when you pay your direct debits, use your debit or credit card, or log into the mobile app. Once you've accumulated £5 in rewards, you can deposit this into your current account or a savings account. This also won't be counted towards the £150 limit. To take advantage of this, when making the switch you'll need to opt for a NatWest Reward Current Account, rather than a Select Account. The switch offer is available when switching to either a NatWest Select, Reward, Premier Select or Premier Reward account. When you switch bank accounts using the Current Account Switch Service, all your payments, such as direct debits and standing orders, will be automatically transferred to your new account. The process typically takes seven working days to complete.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Saga, NatWest in talks to launch personal banking products
British holiday group Saga has confirmed that it is in talks with NatWest to develop a range of personal banking products, starting with a savings proposition. The companies have agreed heads of terms and are now in 'final negotiations,' Saga said in its trading update. 'This partnership would combine NatWest's scale and banking capabilities with our customer insight and marketing strengths, and support our ambition to continue growing our Money business,' the statement read. The company noted that it will share further details as the partnership progresses. Saga Group CEO Mike Hazell said: 'We are progressing well with our medium-term plans and the potential new partnership with NatWest is another good example of this.' Furthermore, the company announced that the sale of its insurance underwriting business Acromas Insurance to Ageas UK subsidiaries is 'progressing well' and 'remains on track' to complete by 31 July 2025. In April this year, NatWest acquired a minority stake in Yonder, a credit card platform that enhances customer experiences with lifestyle rewards. This investment aims to boost Yonder's growth by tapping into NatWest's 19 million customer base. Yonder targets young professionals and expatriates, providing a financial lifestyle platform that connects users to personalised rewards from local businesses and major brands. "Saga, NatWest in talks to launch personal banking products" was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
