If you have money you want to put in a financial institution for a while then you must choose the right bank that will satisfy your own best interest and don't just pick the one knocking in front of your door. The best short term savings account for you is the one that will satisfy your needs on the following areas: How often will you access your account? And how would you want to access it? Does the institution offers the highest possible rate for your money? If not, look for other financial institutions that can give a better deal. How would you want their service? Do you like a personalized service or you are more of a Do-It-Yourself client? If certain circumstances arise and you want to change your plans, how bad their penalties are if you’re planning to get you money back as sooner as possible? Let's have an overview of some short term savings you might want to consider. SAVINGS ACCOUNTS Back in the days, savings account (also called passbook account) was the most popular choice for short term savings. Although savings account offers low minimum deposit and insured by FDIC, the return rate here is very low. CHECKING ACCOUNTS Unlike savings account, checking accounts are designed for withdrawals and deposits but typically do not earn interest. The convenience on having a checking account is that you can access your money with the use of an ATM or check anytime and anywhere as well as transferring to or from other accounts. It is also 100% covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) which means, depositors can still get their hands on their money when they need it, especially in times of financial turbulence. Just don't expect a high return value on your deposits, if there's any, it surely is very minimal and many checking accounts demands for fees and minimum balances under the account. HIGH YIELD BANK ACCOUNTS Today, there are many financial institutions which offer significantly high-yield savings and checking accounts. In here, you can withdraw and deposit any time without waiting for a time period to withdraw and it offers better rates than the traditional savings and checking accounts with the same FDIC insurance. The caveats in this type of savings are that bare bone banks have no ATM/debit access or checkwriting permissions which can be a problem if you need to generate cash immediately. In addition, you have to consider the introductory rates offered because these alluring rates are usually temporary. MONEY MARKET DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS This type demands a minimum balance deposit and with a limited number of transactions per month only. There's an easy access to your money through ATM's, checks and cash transfers here too and just like any other type of bank accounts, money market deposit accounts are also insured by FDIC. However, due to the conveniences it offers, the return rates are low (compared to CD) and penalties are present if you don't follow the minimum balance required or exceeded the limited number of transactions. MONEY MARKET FUNDS Money market funds are offered by brokerage firms and mutual funds institutions. These funds comprised of high liquidity and safe securities. It is also easy to access your money in this type of investment with a higher return rate compared to money market deposit accounts. However, money market funds are not covered by FDIC and the net asset value of the share price may go higher than $1. CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSITS (CDs) Debt instruments like CDs have specified maturity of 3 months to 5 years. Aside from banks, CDs can also be issued by brokerage firms. Certificate of deposits (CDs) is FDIC insured with high return rates than money markets depending on the maturity period set. The maturity date is fixed which means that you cannot get your hands on your money not until the maturity expires. You will have to pay a penalty if you want to get you money sooner than the maturity date. US GOVERNMENT BILLS OR NOTES These are offered by US governments and considered as the safest investment today, however, you can't get high returns here compared to money markets and CDs. Moreover, your original investment cannot be redeemed if you decided on not continuing the deal before the maturity ends. Treasury bills have maturity expiration of less than a year while treasury notes are fixed between 2 and 10 years. As this is offered by US governments, these types of investment are exempted from state and local taxes. You can buy one of these securities directly at the TreasuryDirect free of commission. I BONDS These savings bonds are offered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and are endorsed by the US government which yields inflation-adjusted semiannual returns. This can be considered as one of the safest bonds as it is backed up by the US government and protects you from inflation. One advantage of these bonds is that they are available in affordable denominations (from $50 to $10,000) and are exempt from local and state taxes. The only drawback here is that I Bonds are subject to a 3-month interest penalty if you decided to claim it within less than 5 years of issue date. MUNICIPAL BONDS Municipal bonds are also called “munis”. It is as safe as US Securities and exempted from federal, local and state taxes especially if you reside in the town that issued the bond. These debt securities are offered for the purpose of financing capital projects such as building schools, highways and other public infrastructure projects. Even though “munis” have lower interest rates, high-income investors seek this kind of investment because of its tax-friendly returns. And like some other type of investments listed above, if you decided to redeem your money before the maturity date, redeeming your original invested amount wouldn’t be possible. CORPORATE BONDS These are debt security issued by firms and corporation to finance various future operations. Compared to government securities, CD’s and money markets, corporate bonds often give higher returns however, the corporate bonds could suspend interest payments. If you plan on redeeming your bond before the maturity date, then you might not collect all the invested money you put. Moreover, commission fees are used to buy these bonds. BOND FUNDS Bond funds are an accumulated fund from different investors and used to purchase various kinds of bonds. It is an excellent way to purchase bonds in affordable denominations and get the diversification while lessening the risk of choosing a bond from a bum company. With the arrival of the New Year 2017, young adults need to consider ways to refresh their spending from a good starting point.
The news recently bannered how financially stretched millennials are: So many of them are lagging on their savings. If you are one of those lagging behind, you can take small steps that will change your habits and still create a big impact on your annual expenses, right now. While they are short-term or tiny adjustments to help you save money for the whole year, they have the potential to help you obtain bigger financial objectives. Gareth Shaw, top executive of Which? Money online, says: “With all the uncertainties of 2016, it behooves everyone to be more proactive and take control of one’s money instead of postponing it for an indefinite time. “People can save so much money by just shifting from one energy provider to another or by availing of a prepaid travel money card during a vacation trip. Debt consolidation and having the right Isas and bank accounts could also help you save money in 2017, allowing you to have more money for a longer period.” We asked Hannah Maundrell, editor-in-chief at www.money.co.uk as well as Lee Murphy, financial adviser at Platform Pandle, an accountancy software firm, to suggest 10 saving tips for 2017. Consider then these valuable steps to save money the way savings-savvy millennials do: 1) Make a foolproof budget This is the old faithful way to financial success. So many young adults often fail to even follow a mental budget monthly, not being conscious about the meaning of money available to spend in relation to one’s monthly expenditures. Hannah Maundrell says: “Calculate the amount of money you have available every month and assign the necessary amount to cover your bills. Whatever money is left, pay your debts fully as fast as you can or begin a personal savings program.” 2) Be creative in handling available money Oftentimes, many young adults get into the practice of buying something new; so, why not try to be practical and creative with your spending habits and consider ways you can set aside some money, according to Lee Murphy. Murphy adds, “Before you realize it, expenses already add up to neck level. Hence, find ways to reduce your costs. If you have TV/cable now but rarely use it, you might end up saving a significant amount by shifting to a Netflix account and a wi-fi connection. Consider how you can do away with things you never use or do not really need.” 3) Avoid emotional buying Buying or spending out of emotional compulsion ends in owning something you do not need or, sometimes, do not even want. This happens when you let certain emotional triggers lead you to buy on a whim, especially when you feel depressed or bored and going to the mall is the only solution you can think of to escape the situation. “Somehow, you will have to do something about your habit of getting into overcharging on your card as well as emotional buying when you have the blues. Escape the pattern by diverting yourself with back-to-back episodes of Game of Thrones instead of getting another guitar worth £250,” Ms. Maundrell said. 4) Find the best deals before buying things Many young adults can rack up hundreds of pounds every year on practically anything, from gifts to groceries and outings with friends – if they only look hard enough for the best deals from eBay or Lazada or hunt for the best shop bargains. “It can be as exciting to hunt for good bargains online as it is to go to the mall; and you save the effort and transport cost. Before doing your groceries, check out the flyers to look for items available at lower prices. Saving pennies now and then can add up to so many pounds eventually,” Mr Murphy says. 5) Reduce your entertainment cost This refers to such things as Friday or Saturday bar hops or a fast-food treat after a morning jog. “Your indulgence for preparing organic juicing every day may be a healthful necessity to you; but considering how much you are spending, doing it twice or at most thrice a week might help you save a lot each month,” Ms Maundrell suggests. 6) Never neglect your finances Never ignore obvious signs that tell you that your finances need a revamp, especially if you are in your early 20s. Although it can be a scary thing to know, find out whether you are running out of money. When you realize your cash is about to say goodbye – shape up and do something about it as soon as you can. That beats having to wake up one morning and finding out you have zero balance. 7) Maximize the use of your savings The savings you now have can be made to work to your advantage. Ms Maundrell suggests that you put them in an account paying a minimum of 1.2 % interest to make sure they can balance out the effects of inflation. “Not doing so will practically reduce your money’s worth,” she says. 8) Consider how you move around Do you live in a city? Avail of a monthly or yearly season ticket for your use (preferably, one that is on interest-free loan from your company). Living in London, for instance, allows you to use the night tube to reach almost any point without paying for high cab fares. 9) Avail of cashback deals Cashback can be enjoyed almost anywhere now. “Whether for insurance or for a new pair of shoes, find out how you can get back some money. Save these funds for a time that you need it most, especially for medical care,” Ms Maundrell says. 10) Think of buying investment products You may not be an investment expert, or personal finance pro, or a member of a wealthy family, or adept at using complex economic terms; but you can be a novice investor. “Buying an item that you will eventually neglect or discard for being old or useless is essentially an unwise practice. Why not put your money into something that will become a profitable investment? Are you spending your money on things that provide fleeting satisfaction or on something that will bring you long-term and continuing benefits?” Mr Murphy asks. We all know the practical uses of credit cards. However, it takes great discipline to use them responsibly in order to buy only essential things, obtain rewards and strengthen your credit worthiness. Many of us fall into really bad habits when using credit cards.
To learn how you develop the right way to use credit cards, avoid these five bad habits often committed by many individuals: 1. Out-of-Control Charging Many credit cards user get carried away and charge mindlessly in order to gain as many rewards points as possible. The key principle is responsible charging; as long as you do, a credit card can be your best friend. That is, charge only what you can truly afford to pay, monitor your credit use ratio and pays your debts promptly. People often become complacent and forget how much debt they are raking up within a month. What steps to take: Create your personal budget and follow strictly. With a budget, you have a clear basis upon which you will make your purchases; so that when the monthly statement comes, you can fully pay the required amount. To give an example, if your allotted budget for your regular weekend trips has been spent, have a picnic in your backyard instead. 2. Only paying the minimum The rule to observe for credit cards is to pay above the minimum since this prevents accumulating big interest payments in addition to our expenses. However, sometimes we incur a few big expenditures at one time and we cannot pay our dues completely. What steps to take: in case you cannot pay off your card fully after several months, set a definite time in which you will reset your payment schedule back to normal. (You can calculate the time this will take you by using the credit card payoff calculator application.) Aside from that, your main concern is to pay your statement promptly; and pay the least amount required. And while you are paying off excess purchases, avoid piling up what you need to pay by making more new charges. 3. Missing a payment If you fail to pay your statement fully, you are adding to your interest payments on your unpaid statement. But the point here is that if you fail to pay or pay late, you will incur a late payment. For example, if your card company charges you a $35 late fee and you fail to pay three late statements in a year, you will crank up over $100 just in fees for late payment, plus other interest accruals. (Moreover, missing payments will negatively affect your credit — more to follow.) What steps to take: Missing a payment can be remedied by setting up a reminder on your smartphone or by having an automatic payment arrangement. But if your real concern is not having the funds, visit your card company and ask for a payment schedule within which your may pay off the balance. 4. Ignoring your rewards Some credit cards offer rewards for travel, cash returns or others which can be quite attractive for many people. This is particularly applicable for cards with annual fees. In general, if you do not use your points or your account is inactive, you may lose your rewards points. Learn what the fine print says about your card or you may miss out on big rewards. What steps to take: As suggested, become familiar with the limitations of your card and then strictly observe the necessary requirements on rewards. Perhaps you could utilize your cash return to cover your Christmas shopping needs or take care of travel costs during your vacation. 5. Learn how your card usage can affect your credit Some people may consider themselves responsible credit card user, not realizing that even if they pay their statement promptly and fully most of the time that they are not aware of some problems. It is crucial to review your credit profile and regularly. What steps to take: Always review your credit statements every year at least. Get free report copies from the three primary major credit offices — TransUnion, Equifax and Experian — every year at this site: AnnualCreditReport.com. Check out any errors that might be affecting your scores and submit any problems. (We can help you do it here.) You may likewise find a photo of your credit reports at Credit.com. Aside from two free credit scores, which are regularly updated every two weeks, you are also provided an evaluation of things you can do to improve your scores or how to remain on course. |