Our latest research shows that over two in five (43%) savers managed to put aside £174 more per month during the pandemic, and with the extra savings some consumers have managed to make, many are looking at ‘upgrading’ a life milestone or big purchase, with one in five (21%) looking to take a longer or bigger holiday abroad and one in seven (14%) doing the same for their holiday in the UK.

We handpicked three to become RCI Bank’s Super Savers, we caught up with them to find out what they are currently saving for and asked them to share their best savings advice.

Meet RCI Bank’s Super Savers

1. Jacquie, has been a RCI Bank customer for many years and her and her husband have been saving for retirement
2. Keith, has been an RCI Bank customer for over five years now, choosing us because of our consistent competitive rates, and has been saving to have a bigger pot in retirement to go on long haul holidays
3. Richard, works at RCI Bank as a Operations and Change Manager and is also a loyal RCI Bank customer, holding both a Freedom Savings and Fix Term Account. Richard is currently saving for a house deposit

What is your current saving goal?

Jacquie: My son has recently started planning his wedding for next year, so we have started putting some extra money away to help him out. Additionally, we have also recently moved house, so are currently saving up, and looking to spend some of our savings on house renovations over the next year.

Keith: Prior to the pandemic, my wife and I always saved to go on long-haul holidays, visiting the likes of Canada, Australia, and China. Last year we were planning on going to Japan, however we unfortunately had to cancel our trip due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are hoping to rebook for next year and are planning a luxury staycation in Wales for this summer instead.

Richard: My dream has always been to own my own home, so I’m currently saving towards a house deposit. I’ve had to be quite strict with myself but I’m hoping I can achieve my goal quicker than I had originally planned.

How has the pandemic affected your savings?

Jacquie: We have always been good at saving, however my husband unfortunately got made redundant during the pandemic last year, so we weren’t able to save anymore than we usually would do in a ‘normal year’. However, we are still on track to meet our savings goals, which we are very grateful for.

Keith: As the pandemic meant that we had to cancel our big trip to Japan, we managed to save a little bit of extra money which we plan to spend on luxury hotels during our holiday to Wales. We feel incredibly fortunate to be in this position.

Richard: As there has been less to do over the past year, I haven’t needed to dip into my savings pot as much, which has meant I have saved more than I otherwise would’ve done.

What is your one piece of savings advice?

Jacquie: Don’t be too hard on yourself when you start saving. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that circumstances can change quickly, so it’s important to still enjoy the little things.

Keith: Set a goal to save for and set an amount which you can realistically save each month. It’s crucial that that amount is within your budget. A top tip is to keep it modest and then at the end of the month if you have any extra money left, add that to your savings pot.

Richard: Always try to put some money aside for a rainy day. Some months you may need to access the money you have put away, but this will not always be the case and even the smallest of amounts can grow considerably over time.