Category Archives: Cash alternatives

Academic study: I Bonds out-perform high-yield savings accounts

Posted on June 7, 2026 by Tipswatch

By David Enna, Tipswatch.com A new research paper by a Marquette University professor found that Series I Savings Bonds created annual returns substantially higher than high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) between 1999 and April 2026. The emeritus professor, Dr. David Krause, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cash alternatives, Federal Reserve, I Bond, Inflation, Retirement, Savings Bond, Treasury Bills | Tagged investing, personal-finance, Treasury investments | 35 Comments

Treasury holds I Bond fixed rate at 0.90%; composite rate rises to 4.26%

Posted on April 30, 2026 by Tipswatch

I Bonds remain an attractive investment for capital preservation. By David Enna, Tipswatch.com The Treasury announced this morning it is holding the fixed rate of the U.S. Series I Savings Bond at 0.90%, the rate in effect since since November … Continue reading →

Posted in Cash alternatives, I Bond, Inflation, Savings Bond, Treasury Bills, TreasuryDirect | 37 Comments

TreasuryDirect, ditch the ‘gift box’ and raise the I Bond purchase cap

Posted on April 26, 2026 by Tipswatch

My solution: Double the purchase cap to at least $20,000 a year. By David Enna, Tipswatch.com Last week, TreasuryDirect again sent emails asking holders of savings bonds in gift boxes to deliver them as quickly as possible. I have written … Continue reading →

Posted in Cash alternatives, EE Bonds, I Bond, Inflation, Retirement, TreasuryDirect | Tagged investing, personal-finance, Treasury investments | 81 Comments

I Bond dilemma: Buy in April or just keep waiting?

Posted on April 12, 2026 by Tipswatch

I am buying in April. A lot of you will disagree. There is no wrong answer. By David Enna, Tipswatch.com Let’s take a moment to ponder what happened in March: The United States went to war in the Mideast, gas … Continue reading →

Posted in Cash alternatives, Federal Reserve, I Bond, Inflation, Savings Bond, TreasuryDirect | 69 Comments

March inflation sets I Bond’s new variable rate at 3.34%

Posted on April 10, 2026 by Tipswatch

U.S. all-items inflation rose 0.9% in March to an annual rate of 3.3%. By David Enna, Tipswatch.com The March inflation report — a stunner, but not a surprise — showed that non-seasonally-adjusted all-items inflation rose 0.9% for the month, matching … Continue reading →