Money Management

[[{“value”:”Image source: Getty Images
Spoiler alert: I’m not about to give you three red-hot stock tips.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. But if I did, you’d be wise to ignore them. There are safer, more practical ways for everyday people to set themselves up for financial success.Here are three of the best ways to put your money to work now.1. Credit card debt payoffCarrying a credit card balance is like being on a treadmill. As long as you have credit card debt, you’ll never get ahead financially. The interest you pay will eat up your savings and your investment returns.The average credit card interest rate is 21%, according to the Federal Reserve. That’s double the average annual return of the stock market.If you have credit card debt, put your other financial goals on hold until it’s completely paid off. Think of it as a guaranteed double-digit return on your investment.A balance transfer card is one of the best ways to pay off credit card debt fast. You’ll likely pay a small fee to move your balance to a new card, but then you’ll pay 0% interest on that debt for an introductory period of 12 months or more. Without new interest charges piling up, you’ll have more breathing room to pay what you owe before the 0% intro period ends.Want to pay off credit card debt fast and save hundreds or thousands of dollars in interest? Check out our list of the best credit cards with 0% intro APRs now to see if you qualify.2. A high-yield savings accountOnce you’re free of credit card debt, priority No. 2 is building up a healthy emergency fund in a savings account — and not just any savings account.The average savings account pays an APY of 0.41%, according to the FDIC. But these days, there are high-yield savings accounts that pay 3.75% or more — that’s over nine times the average.If you don’t yet have an emergency fund, then open a high-yield savings account and set up automatic deposits. Ideally, you save up at least three months’ worth of expenses — that’s everything you spend in a month times three. That way, you can get by for a while if you lose your job, or you can cover a big, unexpected expense without charging it on a credit card.And if you already have an emergency fund, well done! But make sure you’re earning a competitive APY.Say you have $10,000 in a savings account that pays 0.50%. Leave it there, and in five years you will have earned about $250 in interest. If you instead moved it to an account paying an APY of 4.00%, you’d earn about $2,200.Want to earn over nine times the average savings rate? Check out our list of the best high-yield savings accounts to open an account and start saving smarter.3. An S&P 500 index fundOnce you’ve laid a solid financial foundation by paying off credit card debt and setting aside some emergency savings, it’s time to invest for your future.The stock market offers everyday people one of the best ways to build wealth for big, long-term goals like retirement. But picking individual stocks is both difficult and risky. Even professional stock-pickers often earn lower returns than the stock market as a whole.Thankfully, S&P 500 index funds allow you to invest in most of the U.S. stock market all at once. The S&P 500 — a group of 500 of the biggest companies in the United States — has returned 10% per year on average since 1957. So buying an S&P 500 index fund means you instantly have a diversified portfolio of high-performing companies.To purchase S&P 500 index funds, all you need to do is open a brokerage account, add some funds from a bank account, and start shopping. Specifically, look for an exchange-traded fund (ETF) with an expense ratio (basically a service fee) of no more than 0.05%.Chasing high returns is a good way to lose moneyEverybody wants to make money as fast as possible. That’s why there’s no end of get-rich-quick advice out there, like dicey stock and crypto tips.To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with picking individual stocks in order to boost your returns — after you’re on sound financial footing, have some money you can afford to lose, and have done plenty of research on potential investments. Until then, you’re better off keeping things simple.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.”}]] [[{“value”:”

Spoiler alert: I’m not about to give you three red-hot stock tips.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

But if I did, you’d be wise to ignore them. There are safer, more practical ways for everyday people to set themselves up for financial success.

Here are three of the best ways to put your money to work now.

1. Credit card debt payoff

Carrying a credit card balance is like being on a treadmill. As long as you have credit card debt, you’ll never get ahead financially. The interest you pay will eat up your savings and your investment returns.

The average credit card interest rate is 21%, according to the Federal Reserve. That’s double the average annual return of the stock market.

If you have credit card debt, put your other financial goals on hold until it’s completely paid off. Think of it as a guaranteed double-digit return on your investment.

A balance transfer card is one of the best ways to pay off credit card debt fast. You’ll likely pay a small fee to move your balance to a new card, but then you’ll pay 0% interest on that debt for an introductory period of 12 months or more. Without new interest charges piling up, you’ll have more breathing room to pay what you owe before the 0% intro period ends.

Want to pay off credit card debt fast and save hundreds or thousands of dollars in interest? Check out our list of the best credit cards with 0% intro APRs now to see if you qualify.

2. A high-yield savings account

Once you’re free of credit card debt, priority No. 2 is building up a healthy emergency fund in a savings account — and not just any savings account.

The average savings account pays an APY of 0.41%, according to the FDIC. But these days, there are high-yield savings accounts that pay 3.75% or more — that’s over nine times the average.

If you don’t yet have an emergency fund, then open a high-yield savings account and set up automatic deposits. Ideally, you save up at least three months’ worth of expenses — that’s everything you spend in a month times three. That way, you can get by for a while if you lose your job, or you can cover a big, unexpected expense without charging it on a credit card.

And if you already have an emergency fund, well done! But make sure you’re earning a competitive APY.

Say you have $10,000 in a savings account that pays 0.50%. Leave it there, and in five years you will have earned about $250 in interest. If you instead moved it to an account paying an APY of 4.00%, you’d earn about $2,200.

Want to earn over nine times the average savings rate? Check out our list of the best high-yield savings accounts to open an account and start saving smarter.

3. An S&P 500 index fund

Once you’ve laid a solid financial foundation by paying off credit card debt and setting aside some emergency savings, it’s time to invest for your future.

The stock market offers everyday people one of the best ways to build wealth for big, long-term goals like retirement. But picking individual stocks is both difficult and risky. Even professional stock-pickers often earn lower returns than the stock market as a whole.

Thankfully, S&P 500 index funds allow you to invest in most of the U.S. stock market all at once. The S&P 500 — a group of 500 of the biggest companies in the United States — has returned 10% per year on average since 1957. So buying an S&P 500 index fund means you instantly have a diversified portfolio of high-performing companies.

To purchase S&P 500 index funds, all you need to do is open a brokerage account, add some funds from a bank account, and start shopping. Specifically, look for an exchange-traded fund (ETF) with an expense ratio (basically a service fee) of no more than 0.05%.

Chasing high returns is a good way to lose money

Everybody wants to make money as fast as possible. That’s why there’s no end of get-rich-quick advice out there, like dicey stock and crypto tips.

To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with picking individual stocks in order to boost your returns — after you’re on sound financial footing, have some money you can afford to lose, and have done plenty of research on potential investments. Until then, you’re better off keeping things simple.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

“}]] Read More 

[[{“value”:”Image source: The Motley Fool/Upsplash
A lot of people don’t give much thought to their savings accounts. They think most banks are pretty similar, and they don’t expect big returns on their savings.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. For a long time, they were right. But today, there are banks that pay their customers way more interest than the competition.In fact, the best high-yield savings accounts pay at least nine times the national average APY. Let’s take a look at how much a high-yield savings account could earn if you deposited $10,000 and left it alone for a period of time.Average savings account vs. high-yield savings accountThe average savings account APY is 0.41%, according to the FDIC. Meanwhile, the best high-yield savings accounts have APYs ranging from about 3.75% to 4.50%.Let’s see how much two savings accounts would grow over the years — one paying the average rate and one paying 4.00%.TimeBalance (0.41% APY)Balance (4.00% APY)Starting balance$10,000$10,0001 year$10,041$10,4005 years$10,207$12,16710 years$10,418$14,80220 years$10,853$21,911Data source: Author’s calculations.After 20 years, the high-yield savings account would have earned nearly $12,000, more than doubling the initial balance.Granted, we’re assuming that interest rates stay the same — and that’s all but guaranteed not to happen. However, if your savings are earning a low APY, then you could be robbing yourself of thousands of dollars in interest.Want to earn over nine times the national average APY? Check out our list of the best high-yield savings accounts and open a new account today.What’s the catch?So why is there such a huge difference between the APYs different banks offer? Surely the banks paying low APYs must make up for it in other ways, right?Not really.The biggest difference is that most high-yield savings accounts are offered by online-only banks — banks that don’t have any physical branches. So if you want a high APY, then you’ll probably have to forgo the option of strolling into a bank and speaking with a teller and conducting your bank business in person.That’s a small price to pay for the extra interest you can earn. On top of that, online-only banks tend to offer other perks like no overdraft fees, no maintenance fees, no account minimums, and more.Further, the best banks have websites and mobile apps that make it easy to do pretty much everything you need. You can deposit checks by uploading photos of them. You can transfer money between accounts, send money to other people, make wire transfers, and more. When you need cash, you can use a debit card linked to a checking account at the same bank.In other words, very few people need physical bank branches these days.If you’re earning a low APY, make the change ASAPWith competition more fierce than ever, banks have made it fast and easy to open new accounts. I recently opened a new high-yield savings account from our list of favorites, and within an hour I had:Opened a new accountTransferred money over from my old accountChanged my direct deposit at workChanged my automatic bill payment settingsDownloaded and signed into my new banking appAnd just like that, I was earning way more money than before.There’s no reason to settle for a low APY on your savings. If your bank is stingy, then start looking for a new bank account today. Your future self will thank you.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.”}]] [[{“value”:”

A lot of people don’t give much thought to their savings accounts. They think most banks are pretty similar, and they don’t expect big returns on their savings.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

For a long time, they were right. But today, there are banks that pay their customers way more interest than the competition.

In fact, the best high-yield savings accounts pay at least nine times the national average APY. Let’s take a look at how much a high-yield savings account could earn if you deposited $10,000 and left it alone for a period of time.

Average savings account vs. high-yield savings account

The average savings account APY is 0.41%, according to the FDIC. Meanwhile, the best high-yield savings accounts have APYs ranging from about 3.75% to 4.50%.

Let’s see how much two savings accounts would grow over the years — one paying the average rate and one paying 4.00%.

After 20 years, the high-yield savings account would have earned nearly $12,000, more than doubling the initial balance.

Granted, we’re assuming that interest rates stay the same — and that’s all but guaranteed not to happen. However, if your savings are earning a low APY, then you could be robbing yourself of thousands of dollars in interest.

Want to earn over nine times the national average APY? Check out our list of the best high-yield savings accounts and open a new account today.

What’s the catch?

So why is there such a huge difference between the APYs different banks offer? Surely the banks paying low APYs must make up for it in other ways, right?

Not really.

The biggest difference is that most high-yield savings accounts are offered by online-only banks — banks that don’t have any physical branches. So if you want a high APY, then you’ll probably have to forgo the option of strolling into a bank and speaking with a teller and conducting your bank business in person.

That’s a small price to pay for the extra interest you can earn. On top of that, online-only banks tend to offer other perks like no overdraft fees, no maintenance fees, no account minimums, and more.

Further, the best banks have websites and mobile apps that make it easy to do pretty much everything you need. You can deposit checks by uploading photos of them. You can transfer money between accounts, send money to other people, make wire transfers, and more. When you need cash, you can use a debit card linked to a checking account at the same bank.

In other words, very few people need physical bank branches these days.

If you’re earning a low APY, make the change ASAP

With competition more fierce than ever, banks have made it fast and easy to open new accounts. I recently opened a new high-yield savings account from our list of favorites, and within an hour I had:

• Opened a new account
• Transferred money over from my old account
• Changed my direct deposit at work
• Changed my automatic bill payment settings
• Downloaded and signed into my new banking app

And just like that, I was earning way more money than before.

There’s no reason to settle for a low APY on your savings. If your bank is stingy, then start looking for a new bank account today. Your future self will thank you.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

“}]] Read More 

[[{“value”:”Image source: Getty Images
When your certificate of deposit (CD) reaches maturity, what you choose to do next will seriously affect your finances. CDs are low-risk, interest-earning accounts that come with set terms, but your CD maturing isn’t the end of the line — it’s an opportunity. Continue to earn a return on your investment by avoiding these four common mistakes.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. 1. Ignoring the grace periodYour CD almost certainly comes with a grace period of seven to 10 days after it matures. This grace period gives you a chance to decide what to do with your money. This can be easy to miss or forget.Before doing anything else, review the terms of your CD and take note of exactly how long your grace period is. Missing this window could lock your cash into a new CD that might have an interest rate well below competitors.2. Rolling over without reviewing your optionsIf you don’t otherwise specify, many banks automatically roll your funds from the expired CD into a new CD once your grace period ends.While this may seem convenient, especially if you want to keep your cash in a CD, when you do an automatic rollover, your bank doesn’t give you any choice of which CD your money will be put into. That means the interest rate you get can be well below today’s best CD annual percentage yields (APYs) of 4.00% and higher.Looking for a new CD to roll your cash into? Check out our list of the best CD rates to continue earning a top APY on your money.3. Letting your money sit in a low-interest savings accountOne of the benefits of a CD is earning a high interest rate on your money, while preventing you from spending that cash before reaching your savings goal. Transferring your funds to a standard savings account after your CD matures might seem easy, but it can be a big mistake.The average 6-month CD interest rate is 1.64%, according to the FDIC. But the average savings account interest rate is only 0.41%. That makes the average CD rate three times higher than the average savings account. Instead, check out the best CD interest rates or the best high-yield savings accounts, which currently include accounts earning APYs of 4.00% or higher.4. Not using funds to pay down debtWhile earning a return of 4% or more on your cash in a CD is a sweet deal, consistently paying credit card debt with a 25% annual percentage rate (APR) more than wipes out anything you earn. Having a savings goal is important, but it becomes a moot point when you’re dealing with high-interest, revolving debt. Paying down credit card debt will increase your credit score, give you more financial freedom, and give you the best chance to land the top credit cards.Once your CD matures, it’s not just time to collect your earnings, but it’s an opportunity to reassess your financial priorities. Make sure you’re reviewing your savings goals, paying down as much high-interest debt as you can, and exploring the best high-yield savings accounts.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.”}]] [[{“value”:”

When your certificate of deposit (CD) reaches maturity, what you choose to do next will seriously affect your finances. CDs are low-risk, interest-earning accounts that come with set terms, but your CD maturing isn’t the end of the line — it’s an opportunity. Continue to earn a return on your investment by avoiding these four common mistakes.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

1. Ignoring the grace period

Your CD almost certainly comes with a grace period of seven to 10 days after it matures. This grace period gives you a chance to decide what to do with your money. This can be easy to miss or forget.

Before doing anything else, review the terms of your CD and take note of exactly how long your grace period is. Missing this window could lock your cash into a new CD that might have an interest rate well below competitors.

2. Rolling over without reviewing your options

If you don’t otherwise specify, many banks automatically roll your funds from the expired CD into a new CD once your grace period ends.

While this may seem convenient, especially if you want to keep your cash in a CD, when you do an automatic rollover, your bank doesn’t give you any choice of which CD your money will be put into. That means the interest rate you get can be well below today’s best CD annual percentage yields (APYs) of 4.00% and higher.

Looking for a new CD to roll your cash into? Check out our list of the best CD rates to continue earning a top APY on your money.

3. Letting your money sit in a low-interest savings account

One of the benefits of a CD is earning a high interest rate on your money, while preventing you from spending that cash before reaching your savings goal. Transferring your funds to a standard savings account after your CD matures might seem easy, but it can be a big mistake.

The average 6-month CD interest rate is 1.64%, according to the FDIC. But the average savings account interest rate is only 0.41%. That makes the average CD rate three times higher than the average savings account. Instead, check out the best CD interest rates or the best high-yield savings accounts, which currently include accounts earning APYs of 4.00% or higher.

4. Not using funds to pay down debt

While earning a return of 4% or more on your cash in a CD is a sweet deal, consistently paying credit card debt with a 25% annual percentage rate (APR) more than wipes out anything you earn. Having a savings goal is important, but it becomes a moot point when you’re dealing with high-interest, revolving debt. Paying down credit card debt will increase your credit score, give you more financial freedom, and give you the best chance to land the top credit cards.

Once your CD matures, it’s not just time to collect your earnings, but it’s an opportunity to reassess your financial priorities. Make sure you’re reviewing your savings goals, paying down as much high-interest debt as you can, and exploring the best high-yield savings accounts.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

“}]] Read More