It is important to distinguish between your savings and your investments and no one has explained the difference better than humorist Will Rogers:
"Forget about a return on my money, what I want is a return of my money."
Yes, safety and liquidity are crucial whether you're setting a few dollars aside for a rainy day, or need someplace to stash the cash component of your portfolio. But you don't have to sacrifice decent returns, either. In fact, the three work together. Give up some liquidity, that is, agree not to touch your money for three to five years, and you could see your interest rate leap to levels never before seen in a passbook savings account. Trade in a bit of safety -- á la FDIC insurance -- and you'll see that money-market mutual funds outpace their bank-bound cousins. Let's get started.
Give These CDs a Spin
Certificates of deposit offer higher yields to savers who are willing to lock their money up for a specific period of time.
Ladder Your Money
This strategy of staggering maturities helps you stay diversified.
Master the Money Market
This very-short-term credit market fuels two common savings vehicles.
IN THIS TUTORIAL
Supercharge Your Savings
