I have €12000 to leave on deposit. Can anyone tell me whether I will gain more interest on a lump deposit of €12,000 in Anglo Irish @ 4.25% for one year or using a regular savings account that gives 7% on €1000 per month for one year (assuming these rates remain the same for the year.)?
Welcome to AAM, treasure. If you try the search function you'll find a few previous threads on both of those options. Or check the for details of all of 'em.
Personally I would open one of those regular savers accounts with the maximum €1000 (EBS's new offering is worth looking at), then lodge the balance with RaboDirect, where it'll earn 5% on sums up to €10K, then drip-feed €1000 every month into the regular savers account.
I want to save 850 per month, i don't know whether to go with EBS, anglo Irish bank or Halifax... anyone got some advice on which is best? I will probably have to withdraw a lot of it within about a year.
Look at the Financial Best Buys forum and pay attention to the terms & conditions such as when you can miss or vary payments and what sort of rate guarantee applies.
Heed Clubmans advice, 'pay attention to the terms & conditions.' For example, you mention 3 institutions above (1) Anglo Irish Bank closes the account on withdrawal and gives no guarantee on how long 7% will last (2) Halifax allows 2 withdrawals but limits amount saved to €750 per month and like Anglo no long term commitment to 7%. (3) EBS appears best of the trio, easy access to your cash and commit to ECB+3% until 1st April 2008. I think the EBS offer is exclusive to EBS members.