Yes — it's entirely legitimate. You're using the card's published 0% offer exactly as intended and repaying the balance in full. There's no rule against saving money you've borrowed at 0%. The only discipline required is yours: make the payments and don't spend the float.

How much can I realistically make?

Hundreds, not thousands, in 2026. It scales with your credit limit, the length of the 0% period and savings rates. As a rough guide, a ~£5,000 float saved at ~4.5% over a two-year card earns a few hundred pounds. It's a steady, low-effort return — not a get-rich scheme.

Purchase card or money-transfer card?

Purchase card = you spend on it (no fee) and bank the cash you'd have spent. Money-transfer card = it moves cash straight to your bank account at 0% for a one-off fee (~3–4%), giving you an instant lump sum to save. Use a money-transfer card only when the interest you'll earn clearly beats the transfer fee.

What happens if I miss a payment?

You can lose the 0% rate entirely and be charged interest at the card's standard rate (~20–25% APR) — which wipes out the gains instantly. This is the single biggest risk. Always set up a direct debit for at least the minimum payment so it can never happen by accident.

Will stoozing hurt my credit score or mortgage chances?

It can. Multiple card applications in a short space and high outstanding balances (even at 0%) can dent your score and affordability checks. If you're applying for a mortgage soon, don't stooze — maxed cards hurt the lender's affordability assessment. Otherwise, used sensibly and repaid, the impact is usually short-lived.

Updated June 2026

Stoozing — free money from 0% credit cards.

Borrow money at 0% interest on a credit card, put it in a high-interest savings account, and keep the interest. With savings rates back near 4–5%, stoozing is worthwhile again in 2026 — but it's not for everyone.

How it works The rules & risks

This is not financial advice

Stoozing involves credit. Only do it if you're disciplined, already debt-free on cards, and confident you'll follow every rule below. Get it wrong and the costs — interest, fees, credit-score damage — outweigh the gains.

How it works

1
Get a 0% purchase credit card
Apply for a card offering 0% interest on new purchases (not a balance-transfer card). The longer the 0% window, the better. Check your eligibility first so you don't waste a hard search.
2
Spend as normal, pay only the minimum
Put your normal everyday spending on the card and pay just the minimum each month by direct debit. The cash you'd otherwise have spent stays in your bank account.
3
Move the float into high-interest savings
Sweep that built-up cash into the best easy-access savings account or cash ISA you can find. Easy-access is ideal while you're building the balance because you can pay in and out freely.
4
Before the 0% ends — pay it off (or roll it over)
When the promo period is nearly up, either pay the card off in full from your savings (keeping the interest you earned), or balance-transfer the debt to a cheap card to keep the float going.

Money-transfer card variant: some cards transfer cash straight to your bank account at 0% for a one-off ~3–4% fee — an instant lump sum to save, as long as the fee is smaller than the interest you'll earn.

Worked example

Spend ~£1,250/month on a 25-month 0% card with a £5,000 limit and you build a ~£5,000 float within about four months. Stashed at ~4.5%, that earns roughly £420 profit over the promo period (after making the minimum payments). Profit scales with discipline, not greed.

Where to put the float

Easy-access savings — most flexible; best while building the balance.
Cash ISA — if you'd otherwise pay tax on the interest.
Regular saver — sometimes higher rates, but with monthly caps.
Premium Bonds — tax-free, instant access, but prize-draw returns.
Offset mortgage — if your mortgage rate beats savings rates.

The rules (non-negotiable)

Make the minimum payment every month, by direct debit. Miss one and you can lose the 0% deal.

Never spend the float — it's the bank's money; it must be there to repay the card.

Clear the balance before 0% ends (or balance-transfer it). Reverting to ~25% APR destroys the profit.

Don't overspend — route normal spending through the card, don't buy more.

Stay within your credit limit, and only stooze if you have no existing card debt.

The risks

Credit score & future borrowing

Multiple applications and high balances (even at 0%) can dent your score.

Mortgage applications

Applying soon? Don't stooze — maxed cards hurt affordability.

Discipline

One missed payment can cost more than a year's interest.

Rate risk

Savings rates can fall mid-stooze, shrinking the profit.

Who it's for

Good for

Disciplined, card-debt-free people with good credit and no big borrowing planned, who'll automate payments and never touch the float.

Not for

Anyone who struggles to track payments, has card debt, plans a mortgage soon, or might be tempted to spend the saved cash.

Lower-risk alternative: if stoozing feels like too much to manage, just use a cashback credit card and pay it off in full each month — guaranteed small rewards, none of the juggling. See our Cashback Maximiser guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Prefer guaranteed, lower-effort wins?

Stoozing is a slow-burn play for the disciplined. If you'd rather bank money the easy way, start with the sign-up bonuses, cashback and switch offers we track.

Read: Maximise Cashback Bank switching playbook Full free-money roadmap