Want to learn how to get the most out of your savings? Upgrade your life and your finances by opening a high-yield savings account. According to the FDIC, the average national interest rate on savings accounts is presently 0.04%. This national average includes savings account holders with average to larger account balances. Before the Great Recession, local banks offered rates that were larger than 3%, but that is not the current reality.
These days you're more likely to find a better interest rate for your savings accounts at an online bank, plus these banks usually provide higher interest rates independent of your account balances. Below is a list of 7 online banks that offer some of the highest interest rates and benefits around.
1.Varo
Varo
Varo helps you to save money effortlessly and boasts an insanely high APY of up to 3%, which is higher than the majority of high-yield savings accounts. You don't even need a minimum balance to open an account and there aren't any fees. It's hard to beat Varo's benefits.
Initially, a savings account holder earns 0.2% APY, but that number can quickly rise to a 3% APY when at least five qualifying purchases are made using the Varo Bank Visa Debit Card and account holders receive total direct deposits of $1,000 or more. The only catch is your account balance can not exceed $5,000 for the entire calendar month.
2.Consumers Credit Union
Consumers Credit Union's (CCU) high-yield savings account or "Smart Saver" account gives you the potential to earn 1.50% APY, as long as you have a CCU checking account. But, you're required to deposit a $500 minimum into your CCU checking account every month. If you don't want to be bothered with the checking account, you can still open a CCU checking account and earn 0.25% APY.
Unfortunately, there are a few fees and requirements for their high-yield savings account. The Smart Saver account requires a minimum deposit of $50 and a maximum deposit of $1,000 into your savings account monthly. The fees to become a Consumers Credit Union member and open accounts through their credit union is an extremely low fee of $5 per member.
3.SmartyPig
SmartyPig
SmartyPig by Sallie Mae is a free-of-charge piggy bank that helps you to save for financial goals, like retirement, vacays, or holiday gifts. SmartyPig offers great APY rates, so you can crush your savings goals quicker. Earn up to 0.70% APY if you have under $10,000 in your savings account, and 0.45% APY if you have over $10,000 in your account.
The best part is that there are no fees to join, no fees to save, no fees to withdraw, no minimum fee and you can open multiple savings accounts for specific savings goals!
4.Nationwide by Axos Bank
Nationwide by Axos Bank provides a 0.70% APY when you have a "My Savings" account and a checking account through their bank. But, if you don't have a checking account through them, you can still benefit from a 0.40% APY on your savings account.
Fortunately, with Nationwide, you don't have to worry about any pesky fees because the online bank doesn't have any monthly maintenance fees, nor a minimum balance requirement after the initial $100 deposit.
5.Ally Bank
Ally Bank
Ally Bank allows you to divvy up your savings to reach separate financial goals, without the hassle of multiple bank accounts. Also, they offer a 0.50% APY when you have at least $5,000 deposited. Assign portions of your savings for up to 10 savings buckets in your online accounts, while still earning interest on your total balance. Ally Bank makes it easy to save by offering automatic recurring transfers from your checking into your savings account.
Even though Ally Bank provides incredible features, it still offers zero dollars in monthly maintenance fees and doesn't require a minimum opening deposit. Although, it's good to note that you can only make 6 transactions a month before you're charged $10 per transaction.
6.Synchrony Bank
Save for tomorrow with Synchrony Bank's high yield savings account that offers 0.40% APY. They provide convenient withdrawals because they're a bank that never closes, so you can bank anywhere and anytime.
Head over to their website where they have a free calculator that will calculate your high-yield savings earning potential in comparison to other major banks. Synchrony Bank has no minimum balance requirement and no withdrawal fees. If you need to withdraw from an out-of-network ATM, they'll even refund you up to $5.
7.Vio Bank
Vio Bank
Vio Bank currently provides high yield savings accounts with a strong 0.57% APY, but they claim to adjust this to stay competitive. To open a saving account, there is a $100 minimum initial deposit. If you need access to your account frequently, this may not be the account for you, since you're only allowed six withdrawals every month before you're charged $10 for each withdrawal. But, if you're looking for an account with no monthly fee, then Vio Bank could be your perfect match.
Online savings accounts offer higher interest rates to increase your savings, but they lack physical branches. Keep in mind banks that aren't online do not offer rates that can keep up with inflation as online savings accounts can. It's up to you to determine if the trade-off is worth it.
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
___
Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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