Personal Finance: bargain basement

Cheshire Guernsey, the offshore arm of Cheshire Building Society, has launched a one-year fixed-rate bond paying 7.75 per cent gross on deposits above pounds 100,000. Deposits of pounds 25,000 to pounds 50,000 will earn 7.4 per cent gross. Call 01481 726885.

Barclayloan is offering customers who take out one of its loans a card entitling them to pounds 1 off any video rental each week from Blockbuster Video. Loans between pounds 500 and pounds 3,400 are set at 20.9 per cent APR, falling to 13.9 per cent on loans above pounds 12,000. Call 0500 200250.

Holden Meehan, independent financial advisers, is offering to pay to Oxfam half the normal commission and two-thirds of the annual renewal fee it would earn from sales of the Jupiter Ecology Fund PEP. On a pounds 6,000 sale, pounds 90 would go to Oxfam. Investors also receive a 1 per cent discount on sales. Call 0800 7314505.

Capel-Cure Myers is donating pounds 150 to Help the Aged's Brighter Futures Appeal for every pounds 10,000 minimum investment into its Hallmark Growth or Income funds before the end of May. Call 0171-488 0505.

Skipton Building Society is offering applicants for shares in Thomson Travel Group, which is seeking a stock market flotation, entry into a draw with a pounds 3,000 Thomson holiday as the prize. Second and third prizes of pounds 1,500 and pounds 1,000 holidays are also on offer. Call 0800 1380800.