Member stories: Our Start to Save prize draw winners

Our latest prize draw in January 2021 was for qualifying members with our Start to Save account. To qualify for the draw, account holders had to save at least £50 (but no more than £100) a month in October, November and December 2020 for a chance to win £100.

Linda, Stephen and Rich were 3 of over 1,300 winners in the January prize draw. Read on for their reactions to winning.

Linda opened her Start to Save account to help her save for a family holiday.

'I thought the account would just be a good way to put away a bit of money for when we can eventually go on holiday again.

'I didn't really expect to win – when I got the email telling me I'd won £100, I just started giggling!

'It's a lovely extra bonus for us to save towards a holiday cottage or some meals out while we're there.'

Linda set up a standing order to put £50 in her Start to Save each month.

'It made it much easier to save. The money would just go out of my current account each month – almost like paying a bill, except I get to keep the money.

'The £100 prize is better than any interest rate at the moment, and there's also a really good chance of winning. And even without the £100 prize, it's still a great way to save a little bit each month for something special.

'So, if anyone's thinking of starting to save, I'd say give it a go – you never know what you might get!'

Stephen opened a Start to Save account as soon as he could.

'I'm a big fan of saving regularly, so this account was perfect for me. I used the Nationwide app to set up a standing order for £100 each month, just after payday. That meant it was easy for me to save, plus I didn't have to worry about forgetting to pay the money in and missing out on the draw.'

When October's draw came around, Stephen was really pleased to have won £100. And when he won again in January, he was over the moon.

'I couldn't believe it when I realised I'd won twice! With the world the way it is at the moment, it really brought a bit of sunshine to my life.

'I'm planning on using the money I've saved, plus the £200 I've won, to buy a new boiler. It sounds a bit boring, but it's something I need and right now., And there's not really anything fun to spend it on!'

When interest rates are lower than people might like, Stephen thought this was a great way to boost his savings.

'The 1% interest rate on the account isn't bad at all. And if you combine that with the chance of winning £100, it could be a massive return on your money. It's a win-win really, and it's just reinforced how much I like being with Nationwide.

'It's a nice little way of saving, and £50 a month is doable for a lot of people. It's a really good way to get people saving a little bit at a time that can add up to a lot.'

As he already has a current account and mortgage with Nationwide, it seemed sensible to Rich to open a Start to Save account with us too.

'My wife and I opened an account each and set up standing orders to pay money in every month. It's just good to put a bit aside for moments when we might need a little extra. I've got two daughters who've recently left home, so it's nice to be able to help them out if they need it. And if not, we can use the money we save to treat ourselves.'

Rich didn't really consider the prize draw when he opened the account.

'I knew about the prize draw, but I didn't really ever think I'd win. It was the interest rate that first drew me to the account, and the flexibility to take money out if I needed to. So, when I found out I'd won, it really was an unexpected bonus.'

Rich thinks the Start to Save account is the kind of account he'd encourage his daughters to open.

'We talk about money and they're at the stage when they might be able to start saving in the not-too-distant future – they've got their dad's money sense!

'I'll split the £100 between myself, my wife and my two daughters. After all, good fortune is for sharing.'

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