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	<title>Practical Financial Tips &#187; Bonds</title>
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		<title>Randomness in the Premium Bonds Market</title>
		<link>http://www.practicalfinancialtips.com/investment/bonds/randomness-in-the-premium-bonds-market/</link>
		<comments>http://www.practicalfinancialtips.com/investment/bonds/randomness-in-the-premium-bonds-market/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 03 May 2009 20:05:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bonds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[financial market]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[premium bond market]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[premium bonds]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Randomness in the Premium Bonds Market

Some people wonder about the randomness of the premium bonds lottery that is conducted each month. The randomness has been under scrutiny in the past and the ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="float: right;margin: 4px;"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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</script></p> <p>Some people wonder about the randomness of the premium bonds lottery that is conducted each month. The randomness has been under scrutiny in the past and the National Savings and Interest agency, the people who conduct the lottery are scrutinized by an outside agency to provide security so that winners have an equal chance.</p>
<p>The Government Actuary Department was created for the sole purpose of checking the premium bond system and the randomness of the numbers. The Government Actuary Department is not associated with the National Savings and Interest agency and is does not receive any monetary funds. Just like the agency that checks the gauges and meters of gas pumps, the Government Actuary Department just regulates honesty for the good will of the citizens of Great Britain.<br />
<span id="more-173"></span><br />
There are conspiracy theories that say that only regional areas of the British Isle win more than others. What these people do not take to mind is that the population differences as well as economic differences create statistical abnormalities that skew the awarding of cash prizes. The Government Actuary Department investigates these allocations and through statistical analysis most are proven only disparities in population and how many people in each region actually participates in the program.</p>
<p>The National Savings and Interest agency also takes these allocations very seriously and encourages investigation from outside agencies. If these false allocations are true, it could seriously affect the premium bond program and the agency that supports it.  The scrutiny and honesty is the upmost priority of the National Savings and Investments, and scrupulous behavior is not tolerated. </p>
<p>Another theory is that new bonds win more than old bonds bought decades ago.  The Government Actuary Department explains this by stating that populations have grown as well as the population of people buying premium bonds.  The randomness remains the same, but if the purchase of new bonds that were purchased in the last decade is double or triple the amount of bonds purchased in the decade between 1950 and 1960, the number of winners will mostly come from the last decade. The general public has a hard time explaining this and when they have had bonds that have not won ever, of course they think that there is something fishy with the random number generator or the people at the National Savings and Investment. The Government of Actuary Department assures the public that the randomness does not discriminate against older bonds than newer ones. </p>
<p>The premium bond program relies on the effectiveness of the random number generator. Some people have suggested the ping pong number generator that American lotteries use. The only problem with that is that there are millions and millions of numbers generated to use and the ping pong method.  The random generator that the British system uses has gone through four upgrades and a fifth is being looked at if the popularity of premium bonds continues to increase. Premium bonds still remain a great investment and the fun at a chance of winning will continue to make the program succeed. </p>
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		<title>Facts about Premium Bonds</title>
		<link>http://www.practicalfinancialtips.com/investment/bonds/facts-about-premium-bonds/</link>
		<comments>http://www.practicalfinancialtips.com/investment/bonds/facts-about-premium-bonds/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:45:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bonds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[financial tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[premium bonds]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Facts about Premium Bonds

Premium bonds are the British answer to the need for savings and the fun of gambling. Each bond you buy will have a specific number. The number of the bond is put into a n]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="float: right;margin: 4px;"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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</script></p> <p>Premium bonds are the British answer to the need for savings and the fun of gambling. Each bond you buy will have a specific number. The number of the bond is put into a numbers generating machine and monthly thousands of numbers are chosen randomly to receive a cash prize in lieu of interest.</p>
<p><span id="more-167"></span> The investment is completely safe and you can cash in your bonds at value when ever you wish.  There is a thirty thousand pound cap on the investments so large corporations cannot buy millions of bonds to skew the chance for the common man to win.</p>
<p>There are ways to improve your odds. For example the more bonds that you buy and hold the more chance you will have in winning a cash prize that can equal as much as one million pounds.  Statistically you have about 23,000 to one shot with a one pound premium bond. By buying more bonds, your odds of winning increase significantly. The system is designed to choose number randomly so the more numbers you have in the system the more money you will make as a cash prize.  You can even sign up for a monthly fifty pound savings program where you can have the money automatically drawn from your regular checking account.</p>
<p>A thirty thousand pound investment would give you a little of four hundred thousand chance to one for winning the big million pound prize. So the more you save the more chances you have of winning enough money to set you up for life. You can even buy the premium bonds online or over the phone.  You can even purchase the bonds at your local post office. It&#8217;s that easy. Purchase, save, and win. Of course not all bonds are going to win you money, but you will have a nice nest egg to help you in your advanced years or if you run into financial troubles. </p>
<p>You can buy the bonds for a child or if you are sixteen you can buy them yourself. It is a great way to save money for college or to put away some extra cash for when you meet that special someone and want to start a family.  If you win a high end prize you can even pay for your college with the winnings. The big prize of a million pounds would be enough to set you up for life. So don&#8217;t let your young age keep you from purchasing and holding premium bonds.  Even if you are a senior citizen, it is never too late to put away some money for a cloudy day. </p>
<p>If you win a cash prize, it is free of taxes.  So when you win those million pounds, you get to keep the whole million. You can reinvest and at the same time live the quality of life you always dreamed of. Even if you one the minimal prize of fifty pounds, you would have made more money on your investment than you would have if you put it in a savings account at the bank. </p>
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		<title>Premium Bonds And The Northern Ireland Widow</title>
		<link>http://www.practicalfinancialtips.com/investment/bonds/premium-bonds-and-the-northern-ireland-widow/</link>
		<comments>http://www.practicalfinancialtips.com/investment/bonds/premium-bonds-and-the-northern-ireland-widow/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:49:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bonds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[finances]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Premium Bonds and the Northern Ireland Widow

Premium bonds have been a great way to save money in Great Britain and in Northern Ireland.  There is speculation amongst the Irish citizens that most o]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="float: right;margin: 4px;"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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</script></p> <p>Premium bonds have been a great way to save money in Great Britain and in Northern Ireland.  There is speculation amongst the Irish citizens that most of the prize money is allocated to the British Isle and they are shortchanged on the winning. The cash prizes given out to premium bond holders are based on the bond number. The more bonds you buy the more chances you have to win a cash prize. The population of Britain far exceeds the population of Northern Island so statistically the winnings would be less frequent.  The salary range for the average citizen in Northern Ireland is less so there are not as many individuals able to invest the cap of thirty thousand bonds. It is just simple math not a conspiracy.</p>
<p>Over a million prizes are given out each month that range from fifty pounds to two one million pound prizes. The ERNIE random number generator puts out the winning numbers each month and the winners are notified about their winnings. This does not stop conspiracy theories though, either in Northern Ireland or in Great Britain. A lady in Northern Ireland reported that she had inherited premium bonds from her dead husband and the National Savings and Investments refused to acknowledge her rewards. She even claimed that it was because she was Irish.</p>
<p><span id="more-94"></span>A local radio station took up the woman&#8217;s problems and called the National Savings and Investment. They found out that only the original owner can claim the prizes and that nobody can inherit the premium bonds. This means if your spouse dies and has the maximum thirty thousand pound investment, the surviving spouse will not see a penny of it. There was no conspiracy against the Irish widow, but there was a loophole in the premium bond contract that let the money be kept by the government.  The bonds cannot be transferred to another name after a death, but they can be cashed in for new bonds. There is more than three hundred thousand pounds unclaimed in Northern Ireland alone. So instead of looking at the conspiracies of the National Savings and Investments, they should be looking to see if they have a winning bond.</p>
<p>The Nations Savings and Investments agency has a free tracing service that can track down your numbers for you and see if you have a cash prize waiting for you. Even if the bond is forty years old the agency can track it down for you. If you have a claim you can fill out the payment order and about seven days you will receive your cash prize.</p>
<p>So next time you feel that the National Savings and Investments are trying to swindle you out of your money or that there is a huge conspiracy against you, contact the agency and ask. They are always willing to help you with your particular problem and will gladly provide the tracing service for you.  You can contact the National Savings and Investments online or call their toll free number. You can find contractual information about premium bonds at your post office or you can get the contract information directly from the National Savings and Investments online.</p>
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