Banking Without Borders

In this episode of Banking Without Borders, Jan breaks down how to actually fly business class without spending business class money.  

• Why flexibility is the single biggest lever you have — and what that really means beyond just changing your travel day
• How airlines price seats based on local purchasing power, and how to use that to your advantage
• Why booking business class directly is often the wrong move — and what to do instead
• The upgrade bidding strategy, and why you should never bid the minimum
• How to build Avios points without changing your spending habits
• Why you should pick your airline before your credit card, not the other way around
• The one tool Jan actually trusts for finding cheap flights (and why he thinks AI tools are useless for this)

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode of Banking Without Borders, we cover the May 2026 savings rate update — breaking down where UK savers can earn the highest interest right now, what the Bank of England's latest decision means for rates, and which accounts look better than they actually are.

• Bank of England holds base rate at 3.75% — eight to one vote, with one member pushing for a hike to 4%
• Why the Middle East conflict has changed the rate outlook for 2026 and what that means for savers
• Current account switch bonuses worth up to £500 from HSBC, First Direct, Barclays and Santander — with deadlines coming up fast
• Easy access savings topping 5% from LemFi — including a walkthrough of the account opening process, the ClearBank FSCS nuance, and the six-month rate cliff
• Best easy access rates from Tembo, Chase, Cynergy Bank, Hanley Economic BS and Charter Savings Bank
• Cash ISAs — flexible vs non-flexible explained, bonus cliff warnings on Trading 212, Plum and Tembo, and why the £20k allowance matters more than ever before it drops in 2027
• Fixed rate bonds from Chetwood Bank, Kent Reliance and GB Bank — and why the tiny gap between one-year and five-year rates tells you something important about market expectations
• Notice accounts — when they make sense and when easy access is simply better
• Regular savers — why 7.1% headline rates are more misleading than they look, and the actual best picks from First Direct, Club Lloyds and Monmouthshire BS

All accounts mentioned are available to compare at DepositScout.com

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode of Banking Without Borders, we ask whether the Amex Platinum is still worth £650 a year — and we've read the small print so you don't have to.

• The welcome bonus: 75,000–90,000 points, but Amex appears to be A/B testing the offer
• The £400 dining credit has six ways to accidentally lose it — including one Jan experienced personally
• Why Amex Platinum is a terrible card to actually use abroad
• The insurance is the most underrated benefit — but there are catches most people don't know about
• Is enshittification real? Harvey Nichols gone, Centurion guest cuts, Lufthansa lounges ending in October
• HSBC and Barclaycard offer similar perks at half the price — so why does Platinum still win?
• Our verdict: it's not a travel card, not a subscription bundle — it's a lifestyle accessory that only works if you work for it

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode of Banking Without Borders, we sit down with Tim Chong, co-founder and CEO of Yonder. 

In this episode:

• Yonder Premium vs Revolut Metal — Tim makes the case for why they're not actually competing for the same thing
• Why most Yonder customers also use Revolut — and why Tim thinks that's fine
• The partner network explained — how brands get selected, why over half approach Yonder inbound, and the Netflix analogy Tim uses to describe curation at scale
• The fair usage policy — and whether it creates a frustrating experience for members who can't find anything to redeem
• Is Revolut a threat? Tim responds to the prospect of a Revolut credit card launching in the UK
• The debt trap question — is Yonder glamorising credit to a generation already under financial pressure?
• Netherlands expansion and what comes next for Yonder in the UK and Europe

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode, we put Monzo Max and Revolut Metal head to head to help you figure out which one — if either — is actually worth paying for every month.

• The travel insurance small print that could leave you entirely uninsured on holiday — and which account has a hidden 75% payment rule most people don't know about
• How the phone insurance, RAC breakdown cover, rewards programmes and subscription bundles actually compare when you read the policy documents
• The FX fees, savings rates, ATM limits and money transfer costs that matter for everyday banking
• Which account wins for families, frequent travellers, and people who just want simplicity
• Our honest personal verdict on whether a premium bank account is worth it at all — or whether the free tier does the job just as well

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

It's a new financial year, which means a fresh £20,000 ISA allowance — and a market that looks more competitive than ever. But several of the headline rates are not quite what they seem.

In this episode:

• Why eToro's 4.78% works differently to a standard Cash ISA
• What XTB's 6% actually means over 12 months
• The bonus rate traps — and which accounts drop by up to 2% after year one
• Flexible vs non-flexible ISAs explained clearly
• How ISA transfers work — and the one mistake that kills your tax-free wrapper

Rates sourced from DepositScout.com — check the link for the latest figures before you act.

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode of Banking Without Borders, we rank the four biggest names in UK private banking — Lloyds, HSBC Global Private Banking, Coutts, and Barclays — and ask whether the exclusivity actually holds up.

We cover what private banking really costs to access, what you get for your money, and where the gap between the prestige and the reality is uncomfortably wide. Spoiler: the savings rates are embarrassing.

We cover:

• What separates private banking from premier banking — and why it matters
• Lloyds as the most accessible entry point, and whether that's a good thing
• HSBC Global Private Banking's multi-currency edge and travel card suite
• Why Coutts is still the most prestigious name in the room, despite disappointing cash rates
• Barclays Private Bank's £3m entry bar and its investment banking access
• The savings rates across all four — and why they're not the point
• Which banks we left off the list and why
• The three-question checklist for working out if you actually need a private bank
• Who private banking is genuinely built for — and who should stay well clear

If you've ever been curious about what sits above premier banking, or whether the mystique of Coutts and HSBC Privé is justified, this episode breaks it down properly.

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode of Banking Without Borders, we run through the best UK savings accounts for April 2026.

Cash ISAs are the main focus this month, with the tax-year deadline creating a lot of competition across the market. We talk through the top rates, why some ISA deals are more straightforward than others, and where bonus-led offers can get a bit confusing.

We also cover:

•  the best Cash ISA rates right now 
•  regular savers paying up to 7.5% 
•  fixed-rate savings accounts 
•  easy-access accounts worth watching 
•  why some headline rates need a closer look 

We also mention some of the tools on DepositScout, including filters, email alerts, and rate graphs that let you track how specific products have changed over time. 

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

This week on Banking Without Borders, Jan and Jonny are asking when bank cards stopped being financial tools and started becoming status symbols. 

From metal cards and paid-for “premium” designs to the new Revolut Audi F1 card, this episode looks at why banks and fintechs are increasingly selling image, identity, and exclusivity — not just useful features.

• Why are people paying for debit cards that offer no meaningful financial benefit?
• When did banking become part utility, part luxury branding exercise?
• Are premium cards actually worth it, or are they just clever status products?
• And what does this say about the direction fintech is heading in?

A fun one, but also a genuinely interesting conversation about branding, consumer psychology, and the strange ways money and status now overlap.

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]

In this episode of Banking Without Borders, we ask the big question now that Revolut is a proper UK bank: should it be your main bank account?

We break down what actually matters in a main bank account, from trust and FSCS protection to support, savings, rewards, travel spending and everyday usability. We also look at where Revolut genuinely stands out, where it falls short, and whether the app-first experience is enough to replace Barclays, HSBC, Monzo, Lloyds, Starling, Nationwide, Chase or Zopa. 

We cover:

•  What Revolut’s UK banking status changes 
•  Whether FSCS protection makes Revolut more trustworthy 
•  The strengths and weaknesses of Revolut support 
•  Everyday banking features like pockets, salary sorting and virtual cards 
•  Whether Revolut is still a top choice for travel spending 
•  Why its savings rates may disappoint 
•  Whether RevPoints are worth anything on the free plan 
•  Who Revolut works best for, and who should probably stick with a different bank 

If you’ve been wondering whether Revolut is finally ready to be your salary account, this episode is for you.

Join the new Banking Without Borders Discord community 

https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discord

Subscribe on YouTube

https://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8e

Check out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. 

Connect with us (via LinkedIn)

Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/

Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-pease

Got a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]