Guides
Guides for investors in the USA
Rates, terms, deposit protection, and the trade-offs that matter before you compare.
Fixed income
Fixed-rate savings: do not chase the top rate alone
A fixed rate only helps if you can leave the money until the end date. Start with when you need the cash, then look at the rate.
Fixed incomeCDs: only lock money you will not need early
A certificate of deposit can be a good home for money with a clear end date. Read the early-withdrawal penalty before you open one.
Fixed incomeHow to use APY when comparing US savings
APY helps you compare yields fairly. First decide whether you need easy access or a locked CD, then compare APYs inside that choice.
Fixed incomeHow long should you lock your savings for?
Choose the term from your calendar, not from whichever length pays the most today. A longer lock is not automatically wiser.
Fixed incomeFDIC insurance: useful, but not the whole decision
FDIC cover protects eligible bank deposits if the bank fails. You still need to check penalties, ownership categories, and which bank holds your money.
Fixed incomeSplitting fixed savings across end dates
Putting all your money into one long fixed term can leave you stuck. Spreading it across a few end dates keeps some money becoming available each year.
Fixed incomeSimple interest and compound interest, in plain terms
If interest is paid out to you, you can spend it. If it stays in the account, it can earn more interest later. Choose based on what you need.
Fixed incomeLeaving a fixed savings account early can be expensive
Before you lock money away for a high rate, find out what it costs to get it out early — in real money on your balance.
Fixed incomeGovernment bonds are not the same as bank fixed savings
Government bonds can play a role in longer-term investing. They are usually the wrong tool if you need a set amount of cash on a near date and cannot accept a lower market price.
Fixed incomeOnline savings rates: check the practical details
Online banks often pay more. Before you move a large balance, test transfers, check bonus end dates, and confirm who legally holds your money.
Variable & markets
Variable savings rates: flexible money, changing interest
Easy-access savings are for money you may need soon. The rate can go up or down — that is part of the deal.
Variable & marketsHigh-interest savings: look past the headline rate
In the US and Canada, high-yield or high-interest savings accounts can pay more on cash you still need to reach. Check limits, bonuses, and which bank holds the money.
Variable & marketsShares and savings do different jobs
Do not choose between the stock market and a savings rate based on last year’s winner. Start with when you need the money.
Variable & marketsWhat market risk means for ordinary savers
Investment values go up and down. The real danger is needing to sell after a fall because you have no cash buffer.
Variable & marketsBond investments can fall in value — even “safe” ones
Unlike many bank fixed savings products, bonds and bond funds bought in the market can drop in price when interest rates rise.
Planning
When prices rise faster than your savings
Your account balance can go up while it buys less in the shops. Look at your return after inflation — and, where relevant, after tax.
PlanningDo not put every goal in one place
A simple three-pot approach — easy-access cash, fixed savings for known dates, and longer-term investments only where the timing allows — covers most households.
PlanningWhen easy access beats a higher fixed rate
A fixed rate is valuable when your date is firm. Easy access can be the better choice when plans may change or early-exit charges would hurt.
PlanningHow much investment risk can you really take?
Feeling brave in a good market is not enough. What matters is whether you can leave the money alone after a fall — and whether your life can cope if you cannot.
PlanningA short checklist before you move your money
Slow down for ten minutes. Most costly mistakes come from skipping basic checks: the date, the emergency fund, exit charges, and what happens when a bonus ends.