CASH and bonds

Hi,

  1. I am wondering where best to park cash for 1 to 2 years. I see CDs return around 2%. Anyone sees better than 2.5% CDs? It seems that Treasury bills seems to be better at >3% for the 1 year bill.

I already put the max 10K in I-bond. I hear you can add another 5K/year if you buy it offline and get the paper? do you go to your bank to do that?

where other high yielding places could one park the cash?

  1. for the investment portfolio, how do you invest in bonds? do you buy ETFs? what kind of bonds look best to buy now?

tj

If you want to get ~2% and have ready cash, many online banks are at that point so you won’t have to tie up the cash with a CD. (Right now you can get a $150-200 bonus with Discover Bank and 1.8% APY).

https://www.nerdwallet.com/best/banking/high-yield-online-sa…

You can also do much better than 2.5% CDs. You can get Brokered CDs (e.g. Fidelity) in the range of 3.25 - 3.5% for 1 or 2 years. The Brokered CDs typically pay more than banks or credit unions, with more options. You may want to avoid callable CDs.

I just picked up a 3% - 3-month Treasury at Fidelity last week. I didn’t want to play the long game that you are seeking as I think that rates will continue to go up - so I prefer shorter timeframes for now.

Best of Luck -
'38Packard

You can also do much better than 2.5% CDs. You can get Brokered CDs (e.g. Fidelity) in the range of 3.25 - 3.5% for 1 or 2 years.

I was just looking at moving some of my cash to CDs, at Fidelity can get 3 month CD at 2.75% and 6 month CD at 3.1%. Money market currently 1.8% so may be worth a few mouse clicks.

I don’t think I’d go any longer than that, expect rates to keep climbing.

JLC

1 Like

what are callable CDs?

You basically lock your cash for a determined period and take it out at maturity. You would have penalty if taken before. The magnitude depends on the interest rate at that time and on?

tj

yes that occurred to me but how high do you expect?
when the interest rate start to go down, the rate will too. When do you see that inflection?

Do you buy bonds?

“I don’t think I’d go any longer than that, expect rates to keep climbing.”

yes it all depends if you think the interest rate is going to be higher or lower early next year…but I’ll have some money in gathering interest at the current rate, and I ll put some in a 3 months and or 6 months, and see if I want to lock in for longer (when the interest rate are going to fall).

Fall by mid next year? or after?
tj

UFB direct is currently paying 2.21%. CIT bank just went from 1.90% to 2.10%.

I think this is a bad time to lock money into a CD.
Here are the rates at ALLY since January:

0.50%
0.60% <<< 5/12/2022
0.75%
0.90%
1.00%
1.15%
1.25%
1.40%
1.60% <<< 8/5/2022
1.75%
1.85%
2.00% <<< 9/1/2022

I almost got a 12 month CD at CIT a few months ago, at 2.0%. Glad I decided to stay liquid.

1 Like

what are callable CDs?

You basically lock your cash for a determined period and take it out at maturity. You would have penalty if taken before. The magnitude depends on the interest rate at that time and on

No, a callable CD may be called by the issuer of the CD prior to the maturity date for a preset rate.

1 Like