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A MAJOR online bank is unveiling a new feature on its app to help customers stash away nearly £700 in 2025.

Monzo will launch the 1p Savings Challenge in the New Year so savers can build up a cashpot with “no effort”.

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Monzo is launching a new feature which will automatically save people’s cash[/caption]

It comes after research carried out by the online-only bank, with 11million customers, revealed 39% of Brits find it hard to save on a consistent basis.

The new feature will move money from customers’ personal accounts to a Challenge Pot each day.

Bankers will start by saving 1p on January 1, with the amount added increasing by 1p each day over all 365 days of 2025.

So, on January 3, 3p will be added and on January 7, 7p will be transferred from your personal account.

If customers stick with the challenge for all 365 days of 2025, they’ll end up with a pot worth £667.95.

New and existing customers can sign up via www.monzo.com/features/1p-saving-challenge.

The savings challenge isn’t currently live but customers will be notified via their apps when it is in the New Year.

Monzo also said it will offer one customer who completes the full 365 days a chance to win a £10,000 prize – while other prizes will be on offer for customers who pay for its monthly plans.

One other bank offers customers an automated 1p Saving Challenge feature – Plum.

However, they have to sign up to an Ultra plan to access the feature which currently costs £2.49 per month.

OTHER SPENDING CHALLENGES

Monthly savings challenge – £780

This 12-month savings challenge encourages you to save one lump sum every month.

Savers begin with £10 and gradually increase each month. Multiply the month by ten to calculate the savings you need to set aside.

For example, you’ll save £10 in the first month (January) and £20 in the second month (February). 

Do this for the whole twelve months and you’ll have £780 sat in your account at the end of 2024.

52-week challenge – £1,378

The 52-week challenge works by getting participants to put aside £1 for the first week, £2 for the second, £3 for the third, and so forth, until the end of the year.

The amounts start small, but towards the end of the year, you might find the weekly savings target grows too big.

For example, you’ll have to put away the largest sums around Christmas with a whopping £202 in total required in the final four weeks of the year.

So before you start, consider whether it could be too much of a stretch at an already expensive time of year.

If you can stick to it though, the payoff is huge as you’ll pocket a whopping £1,378.

You could always flip it and start with the biggest amount (£202 a week) and then get smaller – it might be worth making a chart so you can keep on top of figures.

26-week challenge – £1,378

This adaption of the 52-week challenge is ideal for people who get paid fortnightly.

As you can see, the savings outcome at the end is the same but how it works is a little more complicated.

The idea is that you start on week two and save £3 (so that’s the £1 from week one, and the £2 from week two), and then in week four, you’ll save £7 (week three and four).

This may make it harder to follow, but it can help spread out your savings.

365-day challenge – £1,456

If the 52-week challenge seems a little daunting, you might prefer the 365-day challenge.

You’ll set aside £1 on Sunday, £2 on Monday, £3 on Tuesday and so on, all the way up to saving £7 on Saturday – the largest daily amount of the week. 

You then restart the process on the next Sunday.

This should give you a weekly total of £28 in savings – adding up to £1,456 over the cost of the year.

The fiver challenge – save £7,000

The fiver challenge is one of the most hardcore savings tests but it’ll leave you rolling in it if you succeed.

It works wonders for those saving for a milestone, like a home deposit, wedding, car, or another big purchase.

To make this challenge more achievable, you can take it on with a partner – so each of you save £2.50 to begin with.

This challenge works the same as the 52-week challenge, but you go up in multiples of £5 rather than £1.

So you save £5 in week one, £10 in week two, and up to £260 in week 52.

Round-up challenge

The round-up challenge means you round up money you’ve spent and put that extra cash away into savings.

For example, if you’ve bought something that cost £19.30, then you’ll be able to spend £20 and you’ll have 70p in savings.

It might not sound like much but if you’re doing this with every transaction then it adds up.

Some banks will allow you to do this via your online banking app, so check with whoever you bank with.

Money mistake jar

With a money mistake jar, you can make things more personal.

The idea is that you challenge yourself not to do something, or to not make a “mistake”.

For example, maybe you want to challenge yourself to go running three times a week, or maybe you want to stop buying takeaways or simply stop swearing.

These can be your “mistakes” and if they’re not fulfilled then you can put money into the jar.

How much you put in each time is completely up to you.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

A WOMAN has been left horrified after discovering that her friend is set to marry her step-brother, but said that no one in the family seems to mind.

The couple, in their early twenties, have been dating for two years, according to the woman, and got together when their parents were already in a relationship.

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She added that they had gone to school together, so had known each other before they were step-siblings.

Taking to Facebook, the woman raged: “I don’t know what’s wrong with people, how could they support this.”

“How are you going to explain to your children that your step grandpa is also your grandpa.

“It is more than messed up.”

The woman added that the bride-to-be’s sister is also dating her step-brother’s cousin.

“Why is this family so onboard with incest?” she fumed.

The post was flooded with comments from social media users, many of whom slammed the woman for getting involved in the couple’s relationship.

One person said: “Imagine being so bothered by someone else’s relationship.

“Sounds like pure jealousy to me.”

Then, despite the woman posting anonymously, the people involved in the post recognised themselves and shared their two sides of the story.

“I am the sister.. dating the cousin.. we are not biologically related,” a woman revealed.

“There is nothing wrong with it, get a life or come to me if you want to know the facts.”

Another person who knows the family then chimed in: “The kids actually got together at about the same time as the parents and no one knew about either situation until they had been dating for a few months.

“They love each other which is what counts.”

However, others sided with the original poster, in suggesting that the relationship was wrong.

“Every family dinner would be like a double date, this is so wrong,” one person pointed out.

“Someone should have broken up in the early days. This is far too close for comfort,” another person added.

And others shared details of their own relationships with step-siblings.

“I am married to my step brother, have been for eight years and have three kids,” one person admitted.

“But he has never been the step brother to me – he was always my soul mate.”

In the UK, it is illegal to marry your sibling or half-sibling, but no law prevents the union of step-siblings.

CELEBS Go Dating star Ella Morgan has taken a new swipe at ex-boyfriend Alex James Ali following their split.

Ella seemed to find love on Celebs Go Dating after her time on Married At First Sight UK ended in disaster.

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Ella and Alex have been dating for the past six months[/caption]

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Ella has accused Alex of messaging other women[/caption]

But The Sun exclusively revealed last week that the pair had split after rumours of infidelity within the relationship.

She’s since taken a series of swipes at him online, deleting all traces of him from her Instagram and even sharing a Christmas picture with her dog who she declared was “her main man”.

But her new dig in an official statement is the clearest comment yet she’s ready to move on.

A rep for Ella told The Sun Online: “Ella is extremely grateful for her time on Celebs Go Dating and for meeting Alex.

“Sadly the couple had decided to split recently this month, but Ella was unaware of any messaging between Alex and other girls during the time they were together.

“This has come as a bit of a shock and so Ella will be focusing the rest of the Christmas and festive period on spending time with her family, alongside focusing on her career and wellbeing.

“She has learnt so much about what she wants and deserves, and knows what her worth is, which is the most important thing.”

What Went Wrong

Ella and Alex’s blossoming romance played out on screen over the summer, with the pair meeting on one of Celebs Go Dating’s retreats.

Their bond only grew when Ella was forced to take time off from the show after falling ill, and Alex sent her flowers while she recovered.

After the show, the pair became official and have been sharing loved-up posts ever since as they enjoyed time with family and friends, and even a romantic getaway.

In October Ella told The Sun at the Pride of Britain Awards she was “happy and content” with Alex, and they’d both said they loved each other.

She told us: “He’s not like any of the other people I’ve been with. I feel like I want to pinch myself.

“I went on two dating shows, first one didn’t go well.

“I actually didn’t think anything would happen, this sounds so cringe, you know when you know.”

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A source said that Ella ‘knows her worth’ after her romance with Alex[/caption]

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Ella called her dog her ‘main man’ on Christmas Day[/caption]

But Ella called it quits just before Christmas after accusing Alex of being unfaithful and messaging other and younger women.

A source told The Sun at the time: “Ella is absolutely heartbroken and disappointed but the trust is gone now for her.

“On the outside they appeared so happy and loved up but there was cracks growing on the inside.

“Fans absolutely adored them and that initially spurred them on to try and make things work and they even planned to move into Alex’s house at some point.

“She’s going into the New Year single with a positive mind frame but it has come at the worst time with Christmas and her birthday just days away.”

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Ella first shot to fame on Married At First Sight[/caption]

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Ella and Alex struck up a romance on a Celebs Go Dating retreat[/caption]

NEW Year’s Eve revellers have been warned to brace for plummeting temperatures – as the Met Office reveals when snow will fall.

Partygoers may have to hit the town with their coats on to see in 2025 as figures are forecast to drop as low as -2C.

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New Year’s Eve revellers have been warned to brace for -2C temperatures[/caption]

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The first snowfall sweeps in on Monday at 6pm over northern Scotland[/caption]

The bone-chilling cold is predicted in northern Scotland, but much of the country is set to remain just above freezing.

Elsewhere, Met Office meteorologists forecast the north of England and Midlands will hover at around 4C.

There are highs of 9C expected along the southwest coast of England and Wales as the bells bring us into the new year.

Meanwhile most of England will remain a few degrees cooler at around 7C.

And in Northern Ireland, revellers can expect average temperatures of 6C.

Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: “Not a lot changes through the rest of this week and indeed this weekend, but as we move towards the New Year, we could see a change to cooler conditions and wetter conditions more widely.

“There could be some heavy rain at times and there is an increasing chance of some snow – but it’s too early to say where that snow is going to fall.”

Last year, New Year’s Eve partygoers hit the town despite weather alerts and galeforce gusts.

Boozy Brits didn’t let stormy conditions and Met Office yellow weather warnings put a dampener on festivities.

Met Office maps have also revealed the exact moment snow is set to settle over parts of the UK.

The first snowflakes are set to hit northern Scotland on Monday December 30 at 6pm.

It will continue to get heavier as the evening progresses, with hail also sweeping in the batter the country.

By midnight there will be up to four millimetres per hour falling across northern Scotland and the Scottish Highlands.

There are hail storms and torrential rain predicted in Fort William surrounding areas, reaching their peak at around 3am.

Today’s forecast showed a misty and mild morning for much of the UK.

There are some sunny spells predicted in between cloud cover in Scotland and Northern Ireland this afternoon.

Fog is expected to roll in from around 6pm across the Midlands and Wales.

Temperatures will reach highs of 10C in Glasgow, and lows of 3C in the north of England.

This comes after Brits experienced a seasonable mild Christmas and Boxing Day this year.

Scotland and Northern Ireland hovered at around 10C yesterday.

And the afternoon saw highs of 10C on the south west coast of England in areas such as Plymouth.

Elsewhere, much of England and Wales felt temperatures of around 8C or 9C, while the Midlands were predicted lows of 6C.

Brits also woke up to what has been called a “green Christmas” on December 25.

Forecasters said the “exceptionally mild” temperatures seen on Christmas Eve will likely continue until closer to the new year.

Mr Morgan said: “So great news if you do have travel plans over the next few days, no weather warnings are expected, no disruptive weather – but, as I say, not great news if you want a festive feel and certainly no snow or frost on the way.

“Christmas Eve has been very mild – we haven’t broken any records, but we did see a high temperature today of 14.8C in Aberdeen, which is exceptionally mild for Christmas Eve.

“It’s going to stay very similar through the Christmas period, so Christmas Day will dawn cloudy and very mild once again.”

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Heavier snow, hail and torrential rain is forecast over Fort William and surrounding areas[/caption]

JAMES Corden has shared unseen behind-the-scenes photos from Gavin and Stacey, after gaining an emotional response from fans following the Christmas Day finale.

The Gavin & Stacey Christmas special spelled the end of Ruth Jones and James Corden‘s series for ever – 17 years after it was first created.

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James Corden has shared unseen behind-the-scenes photos from filming Gavin and Stacey[/caption]

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After 12.5million viewers watched the emotional final episode[/caption]

Overnight figures show Gavin & Stacey attracted the largest Christmas Day audience since 2008 – with 12.5million viewers and climbing.

Part two of the 2019 BBC special was must-watch telly and delivered an unforgettable final episode.

Fans broke down in tears as Nessa and Smithy finally said: “I do” after a shock twist.

Meanwhile Stacey and Jason’s mum Gwen found love with Nessa’s ex, Dave Coaches.

And viewers were on tenterhooks waiting to hear the truth behind Uncle Bryn and Jason’s fabled fishing trip – but the story remains untold.

The saga closed with a moving montage of the gang celebrating at the couple’s low-key pub wedding.

Writer Ruth Jones, who plays Nessa, said simply: “I hope we did you proud.” She added: “I’m not going to lie, I’m feeling a bit drained!”

Meanwhile, James said: “Tears all around. It was probably the most emotional film set I’ve ever been on and it was kind of wonderful.”

Taking to Instagram, James has shared unseen behind-the-scenes photos filming the finale.

The images capture heartfelt moments with cast members, showcasing the bond and joy shared during filming.

There’s James and Ruth walking down the streets of Barry, Wales together, and the cast on a coach as they race to the docks.

There a photo of the girls in the cast celebrating the hen do.

While the boys pose in their West Ham football shirts and enjoy drinking together for Smithy’s stag.

James reflected on the journey of creating the beloved show, describing the finale as a meaningful farewell to the cherished characters.

He captioned the post: “Here’s some behind the scenes photos from the special. Thank you so much to everyone who watched last night. It means more than you’ll know. All my love, James x”

However, fans were quick to spot a “missing” character from the BBC show.

Some viewers will remember Barry’s own Del Boy, Dick Powell, who has popped up throughout the series, flogging random wares.

He’s sold everything from Black Market sat navs to meat he’s stolen from the slaughterhouse.

Dick is also the only resident on the Island who speaks only Welsh.

Despite appearing in two episodes and being mentioned many times throughout the show, the dodgy salesman was not in the finale.

Co-creator Ruth Jones revealed they managed to include Dick in the final script – but it didn’t make the final cut.

“I think in the original script we had Dick Powell. There just wasn’t room for him, God bless him,” she said at the press event.

Gavin & Stacey The Finale is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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The cast bonded during filming[/caption]

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And enjoyed drinking together[/caption]

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The boys posed in their West Ham football shirts[/caption]

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While the girls posed for a snap on as they filmed the hen do[/caption]

MAURA Higgins and Pete Wicks have shared a glimpse inside their £243 a night romantic getaway.

The reality TV couple jetted to Maura‘s native Ireland for the festive period and have been staying in a cosy lakehouse.

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Instagram

And loved-up Pete, 36, and Maura, 34, have been making the most of their alone time.

She took to Instagram to reveal they were spending the afternoon in bed watching Christmas films.

Maura and Pete are staying at the Glasson Lakehouse Spa & Golf Club where rooms start from £243 a night.

The I’m a Celebrity star previously showed off the room, revealing a cream chaise sofa, a standalone bathtub, and wooden beams.

Last week we shared exclusive pictures of Maura and Pete packing up a Mercedes with cases.

Irish beauty Maura had wavy hair and wore a cropped black top with jogging bottoms, while Pete complemented her in a jazzy black and white jacket and beanie.

The brooding podcast host, whose luxury Porsche was parked close by, beamed at times and looked relaxed around Maura.

After months of speculation the pair seem to be an official item after Pete’s best pal Sam Thompson cheekily “welcomed Maura to the family” when she appeared on I’m A Celebrity spin-off, Unpacked.

Maura addressed the romance rumours on an appearance of This Morning, telling Alison Hammond: “You do forget about the cameras, and I do like to keep things private.

“But let’s be real, I said it. I can’t remember saying it, but I said the words ‘I miss him’.“

“I do miss him, like I missed all my friends and family.

“Honestly, he’s been so supportive, honestly. I didn’t know if he was still in Strictly and I’m so proud of him, he’s proud of me, and I can’t wait to see him when I get back.”

Splash

A sexual predator was out of jail for just over a month when he allegedly followed a woman from a train station, dragged her into bushes and violently raped her.

Indian selectors face a monumental call over the future of standing captain Rohit Sharma after yet another failure with the bat. 

Germany is headed for a national election seven months early after the President dissolved parliament in response to a no confidence vote in the government.

Greens MLC Brad Pettitt called the ‘huge’ sums donated to the major parties ‘disturbing’.