#LoveMyLISA – Maisie and James

Maisie and James, who first met at work before becoming a couple two years ago, have seen the unprecedented events of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic spur them on to save a deposit sooner than originally planned.

Early in 2020 the pair had limited contact due to lockdown and missed each other lots. For a while they were restricted to phone and video calls only, with a frequent topic being how great it would be to live together. 

Both currently live with their respective families in Leicester, but a conversation about the Lifetime ISA became the catalyst for them both opening accounts and they are already a lot closer to becoming first-time buyers - hoping to be in a shared abode by the end of 2021.

Maisie, who is 25 and works for Leicester Tigers as a Partnership Delivery Executive, takes up the story: “Prior to this year we had talked about getting a house one day but when lockdown happened we missed each other so much we decided to look at how we could accelerate those plans because saving for a house deposit is not easy these days.

“In my role at Leicester Tigers I enjoy having regular contact with people at The Nottingham (the club’s Official Building Society) and I was talking to someone one day about work matters when they mentioned the Lifetime ISA to me.

“I checked it out further on The Nottingham’s website and was drawn by the 25% Government bonus*, which was very appealing. As young people trying to get on the property ladder we need all the help we can get so both James and I wasted no time in opening online accounts, which was a very straightforward process.

“I’ve never been very good at saving money but knowing that we get the bonus, and interest, on top of our savings has definitely increased our savings focus and desire to put aside a set amount each month. That means we should get to the 10% deposit we are looking to save, quicker, and still have some money left for furniture. 

“Without this account we’d definitely have to save up for much longer, but this way we should be in our first home by the end of 2021 - that’s certainly the plan. It’s such a positive focus for us, particularly in these difficult times, and we have already started looking at new home options. I’ve even started thinking about how we’ll decorate and what dog we’ll get!

“We would like a new-build ideally and will be staying in the Leicester area, close to our family, friends and work. It’s really exciting and, yes, definitely something we’ll be able to achieve a little bit thanks to lockdown and lot thanks to the Lifetime ISA.”