Thursday, August 18, 2011

Gold, I-Bonds, CDs & Savings Account Rates

Gold (chart and Quote) is going crazy! 
  • Gold made an all time new high today of $1,818.90 per ounce!
  • If you want to buy gold for your portfolio as an investment or to trade , my recommendation has been to buy the exchange traded fund, GLD (chart and quote).  This is the same advice Bob Brinker gives.  Most other methods to buy gold involve high expenses.
  • Note: I own gold and silver coins and misc jewelery but currently don't hold GLD. 
Buy i-Bonds: New Series I Bond Rate:
  • Now yielding a 100% safe 4.60%, I think Series I-Bonds are very attractive for cash in taxable accounts.  You can buy up to $10,000 per Social Security number.  $5,000 from TreasuryDirect.gov and $5,000 in paper form at your local bank.  This is the last year paper iBonds will be sold so get them while you can.
  • The earnings rate for Series I Savings Bonds is a combination of a fixed rate, which applies for the life of the bond, and the semiannual inflation rate.  Series I Bonds Explained and 
  • Note:  I own a lot of Series I Bonds, some with base rates as high as 3.00%!
    See
    Earning Rates for Older I-Bonds

Best CD and Savings Rates:   Best CD Rate Survey

Bob Brinker recommends CDs on his show for those who don't want to take any interest rate risk with GNMAs or any other bonds.  That is bonds will lose net asset value if interest rates go up. 
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"Highest CD RatesSurvey
as of August 15, 2010
Term
Highest
Rate (APY)
Where?
(Click link for Full Rate Sheets)
Vanguard Daily
0.02%
Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund
Vanguard Tax Exempt
0.05%
Vanguard Tax Exempt
Money Market Fund
FDIC Daily Savings
1.15%
Best Savings Account Rate Survey 
6 Month CD
1.05%
 AloStar Bank merging into Nexity Bank
6 Mo US Treasury
0.07%
US Treasury Rate Quote
1 Year CD
1.40%
     AloStar Bank merging into Nexity Bank
1 Yr US Treasury
0.10%
US Treasury Rate Quote
18 - Month CD
1.32%
  Aurora Bank
2 Year CD
1.45% Aurora Bank 
3 Year CD
1.98%
 Security Service CU  
4 Year CD
2.07%
Melrose CU & 2.06% @ TAB Bank
5 Year CD
2.57%
Security Service CU 
5 Yr US Treasury
0.95%
US Treasury Rate Quote
7 Year CD
3.30%
Security Service CU &  2.75% PenFed CU
10 Year CD
3.00%
Discover Bank
10 Yr US Treasury
2.25%
US Treasury Rate Quote
30 Yr US Treasury
3.73%
US Treasury Rate Quote
 

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