Cash Chats UK Money & Personal Finance podcast 499 | Savings or premium bonds: which are best? What's a good credit score & more
Dec 16, 2025
Discover what constitutes a good credit score and the differences between agencies. Learn how supermarket layout changes can influence your spending habits. Dive into the world of premium bonds, exploring their popularity and the varying outcomes for savers. Hear about the compelling stats from NS&I and why understanding effective returns matters. Andy also shares smart saving tips and comparisons between premium bonds and easy-access savings, ensuring you make informed choices for your financial future.
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Credit Scores Are Indicators Not Decisions
- Credit scores are merely indicators reflecting data on your credit report rather than absolute decision drivers for lenders.
- Experian expanded its score range, so higher numeric values don't necessarily change lending outcomes.
Check Experian Directly And Monitor Changes
- Check the Experian report directly to see the new expanded score and ranges rather than relying on older third-party scores.
- Monitor sudden large jumps or drops in your score and investigate any unexpected negative changes.
Scores Vary By Agency, Bands Matter More
- Different credit reference agencies use similar data but different scoring ranges, so your numeric scores will vary across Equifax, Experian and others.
- If you're excellent on one agency you're likely excellent on others, but borderline cases can flip bands.