Minimums to avoid fees:
• None
Interest rates:
• 0.95% at Ally
• 1% at Barclays
Why they're winners: Top interest rates make these online options ideal choices for yield chasers seeking a standalone savings account. Barclays' savings account for U.S. customers had the highest rate of all banks surveyed.
But Ally wasn't far behind and consistently provides among the industry's highest yields. (The interest rate dropped only minimally, from 1.04%, since last year.) And both accounts are no-fuss, with neither a maintenance fee nor a minimum.
Caveat: Barclays is untested, since the account just launched in May. Ally's rate is a bit lower but at least has history behind it.
Don't let the shaky economy stress you out. A grand can still improve your career prospects, lower investment risk, make your home safer and more.
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