If you have premium bonds?

[RosieLeaLovesTea]

Why do you have them? I know they are tax free. But I watched a video with Martin Lewis explaining and he said you have to have £10,000 before you start winning. How much do you have and have you won much or regularly?

I've had £3k in Premium Bonds for a while.
This year, I've started adding £200/month.
According to the app, in the last 6 months I've won £400.
I won £100 in February too, so £500 since August.

I have a lot (more than £10,000) and I regularly win small amounts (never had a big prize). Over the year the return is round about their advertised interest rate, and it's tax free.
With a small number you can win a decent prize, of course. My grandchild only has a few and won £100 last year.

i won £1k on £3k invested

The numbers are drawn randomly, so there is no reason you can’t be lucky. I have had some for decades and I win occasionally. My kids have all won occasional prizes with bonds bought for them when they were little.

I don’t think they are an amazing investment but I wouldn’t sell them unless I had to - I think of them as a sort of emergency stash. And I don’t dream about a million pound win because that is so extremely unlikely.

I had a £100 in premium bonds for twenty odd years and won a small prize once.

Then a few years ago I stopped buying National Lottery tickets and decided instead to set up a standing order for buying a £ 25 bond every month. Just really to keep the hope of a win alive without actually spending any money.

I've got about £3000 worth of bonds now and won £100 a couple of months ago.

I'd love to have a few more wins but I'm quite happy just being in with a chance.

Maxed out isa and pension allowance for the year so it’s tax efficient savings

I've got full holding and normally win something every month although 2025 has been a bit lean as won nothing in Jan (very unusual!) and £25 in Feb. I normally win about £100 a month but there is a chance I could win a big amount one day!

I had the full £50k in while I was waiting to buy my house. I liked the buzz of occasionally winning! And in those days the best saver accounts were around 1.5%, you can get much better rates for your cash even if you don’t want to invest now.

I have them because they are a convenient place to keep some money however if I had put the amount (5 grand) into my isa it would have doubled by now
I've had about 200

I have £50000 in mine. Dh about £40000.

My dd (20) only has £350 in there, but last month won £1k. She was elated.

Yes it's statistically a low chance, but it can happen. I like looking at the spreadsheet of winners each month seeing who has won big while only having small amounts invested.

My DMIL left me 50k in premium bonds there was an additional 12k in prizes. Better than the lottery.

My return over the last year has been about 5%. I can cash them in at any time.

I know 3 people with £50k and they are always winning

I've only got about £2000 in at mo
Used to have £50k and hardly won a thing. Mum has £12k and is often winning bits and pieces. Last month 3 prizes totally £150.
I have them as tax free place to put some money if I've maxed out ISA for the year.

I’ve got £1000, won twice in 2 years, £50 and £100.

I have had £8 in since 1973 and haven't won a thing! 😂

Well I've more than 10k and ISA allowance is used up. Wins last year equalled interest on a decent cash ISA rate.

Money is safe and available quickly if needed.

Use it for our emergency fund so it cant be invested so it works well for that purpose

I have the maximum, it is my life emergency fund. I usually win about 4-5% over 12 months. Tax free and the opportunity for the big win keeps my cash in PB.

I have £50k. So does my husband.

Yes, we win a few prizes (between 1 - 5 prizes between us of £25 - £100 each) most months. Its dropped a bit in the latter half of 2024.

I did win a big prize in 2023. £25,000.

There is an ongoing premium bond thread on here, if you want to read in detail and overtime @RosieLeaLovesTea.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/money-matters/5243704-premium-bonds-jan-25

I have one (cost £1.00) which was a present from an Aunt when I was born in 1957.
I won £25.00 two years ago. Nothing before and nothing since!

I’ve got 50k and have used ISa and tax free for this year , getting a more than 5% return so far this time with no tax so it’s a better option than a fixed bond and paying interest

Part of a mixed investment portfolio and I'm risk adverse.

Just checked and averaged 3.3% over the last 6m. As I'm higher rate and have other interest over my allowance that increases the effective return.

Won £5k a couple of years ago.
(Then then next month my dad won £10k on approx £25k holdings).

My child has about £200 and has already won 2 x £100 and a £25. I think my other child has had one lot of £20 too.