Don't invest in a safe; invest in making more money.

IBonds are U.S. Treasury bonds with interest rates that are adjusted for inflation. They are engineered to make sure you always make a real profit, so they never lose value. The interest rate on IBonds right now is 5.64 percent, much higher than a traditional savings account.

So where can you get your hands on some?

Buy IBonds online

Well, it just so happens you can get some at TreasuryDirect, the U.S. Treasury’s web site that lets you do all-online financial transactions. The same way you can get a no-fax payday loan or apply for credit cards without leaving your computer, you can purchase Treasury bonds that will start earning money for you right away.

How to set up an account

Before you set up your TreasuryDirect account, make sure you have these things handy:

• Social Security Number (Taxpayer Identification Number)
• Driver’s License Number or State ID and Expiration Date
• Bank Routing Number and Account Number
• E-mail Address
• A browser that supports 128-bit encryption

When you get to the TreasuryDirect site, click on “TreasuryDirect” under the “Open An Account” menu at the right.

For your eyes only

Only you can open an account for yourself. The site specifically says:

We do not currently permit a legal representative, legal guardian, or trustee to establish an account on behalf of an estate, decedent, trust or incompetent person.

However, there is a different section on purchasing Treasury bonds as gifts.

You don’t need to be rich

You can buy an IBond for as little as $50. While that one $50 bond won’t make you a lot of money, you will make two to three times as much in interest as you would if you put that money into a bank savings account. If you buy one for $50 every month, or even every quarter, that will really add up over time.

The drawback, of course, is that you won’t be able to get to that money for a year after the bond is purchased. And there is a penalty for cashing it out in fewer than five years. But, if you are serious about long-term savings, and you want to make some profit, IBonds are a good way to go.

Could this little piggy bring the economy crashing down? I don't think so.

While it’s true that more people are relying on cash advances now, there are also a higher number of people stashing money in their savings accounts.

I will be the first to admit that when I read the headline “Why Saving is Killing the Economy,” I rolled my eyes.

Sensational saving skeptics

Call me cynical, but I just have a hard time believing that hard-working Americans stowing $20 out of their paychecks is “killing the economy.” For one thing, some would argue it was already dead.

I completely understand that consumer spending is key to supporting a thriving economy. But given the fact that more and more people need cash advances, I’d say we need not look at low- and middle-income Americans as the culprits in this “saving crisis.”

Show me the money

All that’s happening is people aren’t spending money on things they don’t need. Yes, that does mean businesses that deal in frivolity run the risk of going under. Or maybe they just need to market their frivolousness to a different market.

Will Smith is "Hollywood's Most Valuable Actor." I say: Smith, get to shopping!

What about all of the actors, athletes and big business owners who have millions, if not billions, stowed away? I think if Paris Hilton went on a major shopping spree it’d make a much bigger difference than me emptying my $100 savings account.

Keep your money

If you’ve got a few dollars tucked away as a cushion, it’s not going to save someone’s job if you spend it. Buy what you need. That’s enough. The economy did very well in the ’50s when the savings rate was between 8 and 10 percent. Right now it’s at 3.6 percent.

Economists are saying that if everyone suddenly begins saving 10 percent of their income we’ll have a real problem. Call me crazy, but going from “People are saving 3 percent of their income,” to “Prepare for the worst! Everyone is about to start saving 10 percent!” is a bit extreme.

Wrapping up

To summarize my point, I understand that consumer spending will help the economy. But it frustrates me when I read headlines that say “saving is killing the economy.” It’s just so sensationalistic — kind of like when cash advances and payday loans are referred to as “predatory lending.”

A payday loan and a savings account – how can you use one to save with the other? To save money we should have willpower, otherwise we will never do it. In this article you will learn how to use your willpower to save money for the future, even if it costs you to do so. In the long run, it is not going to affect you much, and you will only be pleased that you did it.

Take the resolution

First thing to do is, to make a resolution that you will start a savings account with your next paycheck. Then, when the check comes, make sure you do it. For this you have to have some strict rules for yourself. First, decide how much you will save every month then stick to it like a clockwork. Never use up what you have saved, at least not until you are in extreme situations, which is one reason to have the savings account in the first place. Make this promise now and get set to read the rest.

Be strong

Usually what happens while dealing with our finances is that we may find a share of our income for every need but may never find a share to save. We have to get over this stigma, soon enough. So, make sure with your next paycheck, what you do is save first and then spend. Yes, as soon as you get home with your next paycheck, make sure you put the amount you promised yourself in your savings account. Now, what you may be wondering is how you will be able to get through with the month, without that money you have put aside. Mind you this is not a big problem. You will hardly notice it. You will feel desperate for that money, only if you are feeble with your promise.

You will not notice the difference

You might think this is well and good in writing but when you are short of money, this is not so practical. How to make it practical is what you will learn now. The simple thing to do when you are short of money is, not to get it from your a savings but instead use a payday loan. This way you are not likely to have any setbacks with money and you will also find the comfort of a healthy savings. When those hard times come and you have to use payday loans, you might have to pay an extra bit more, but once you have saved enough, you can capitalize on that. How? By investing your savings in some very high interest investments. Does this not sound sensible?

Be prepared

Commit to saving then, to be prepared, make sure you understand how to get your payday loan. You don’t want you to be in a fix when you have some financial crisis to face. First, understand you will get this loan, only for amounts ranging up to $1,500 and, in most cases, you have only until your next payday to repay it. You may get these loans without a credit check or fax. When you apply for this loan and if it is approved you will get the amount transferred to your bank, usually within 24 hours. You can apply for the loan either online or over the phone.

Okay, start saving!

Ever needed a payday loan to cover overdraft fees or ATM fees that your bank has charged you? If you haven’t, you just might be looking for one sooner than you think. Because of economic turmoil, banks are forecasting that overdraft fees and ATM fees will continue to rise above the average of $34.65 and $1.98, to try and cover losses over bad mortgage loans and poor investments. So what does this mean for you? Hopefully better budgeting and planning.

Paying Interest to Access Your Money

As convenient as an ATM machine is, you should really pick and choose which ones you use. Most banks charge a fee for using competitors’ ATM machines and sometimes that fee can be up to $2.50. If you only take out $20, you’re paying 12.5% interest on your own money. It’s kind of ridiculous, huh?  A payday loan that is paid back on the very next payday has less interest then that. The best way to avoid these fees is to use your bank’s ATM machine or find out which ATM machines are in your bank’s network. Planning ahead can make a world of difference on your bank statement.

Pesky Overdraft Fees

We have all over drafted our accounts for extra money for something at one point or another; it happens. My personal favorite though is when I purchase something at the grocery store after my paycheck has been deposited into my account and because deposits get posted after debits for the day, I get charged an overdraft fee even though the money was in my account before I made the purchase. Banks look for any way possible to charge you a fee to help boost their bottom dollar. What’s even worse is some banks charge an overdraft fee for every purchase over your limit, no matter how small, and then charge you for every day that your account is in the negative.

Where Does It End?

It doesn’t end, plain and simple. Banks will keep raising fees no matter what. The real question is, how much will they rise? Even if your bank is not raising its overdraft fees, you should really look into what fees they are raising. Banks are tacking on fees to savings accounts for too much activity in the account or if you keep a balance over a certain amount. It kind of defeats the purpose of saving emergency funds if you’re going to get charged to do so. Other fees rising include service fees, overdraft protection fees, and bounced check fees for those accounts that do not have overdraft protection. The best thing you can do is get a list of all the fees your bank charges and then ask how each of the fees applies to your account.

Knowing Is Half the Battle

Being responsible about your checking and savings account is the best advice I can give you. Make a budget and pay attention to accounts by balancing your checkbook and watching activity online. Knowing what’s going on with your money at all times is half of the battle with bank fees. Times do get rough though and accidents are bound to happen. If you find yourself in a crunch with the bank, there is always a payday loan around to bail you out.

Economic struggles are pushing more people to save money

The importance of saving and the usefulness of payday loans cannot be stressed enough in hard economic times. It’s always important to save, and payday loans are always available at your convenience, but right now, more than ever, people need to be reminded of their financial responsibilities and choices. Save, save, save, and when saving isn’t enough, get payday loans to help you out. In this turbulent economy, anything can happen, and people should be prepared for just about anything. That’s why saving is so crucial right now.

Foreclosures and Eviction

The mortgage crisis isn’t just affecting irresponsible borrowers and the people that took out subprime loans. Responsible renters have also taken the brunt of the increased number of foreclosures across the nation. Tenants living in foreclosed houses have been forced out of their homes because of their landlords’ financial problems. If the landlord forecloses on the house, the renters have to suffer because of it. Some renters are being evicted even though they have never missed a rent payment, and once a renter has an eviction on his record, renting becomes much more difficult in the future. In this case, the renters’ financial responsibility did not pay off, but making the responsible decision to save money right now will pay off. Saving helps you face anything that comes your way—like an undeserved eviction.

Your financial situation can definitely be a roller-coaster ride

Emergency Expenses

Like an undeserved eviction, there are many unexpected events that can disrupt your every day life and your budget. If you have kids, you know that there’s always an accident waiting to happen. One of the things you come to expect as a parent is that kids are going to cost you money when money is at its tightest. Whether your kid breaks a window playing baseball or breaks a bone jumping on the trampoline, a solid savings account can help you repair the damage. With winter on the way, you can be sure that winter weather is going to cause you some kind of trouble. It’s good to have savings to cover costs for unforeseen events like an icy fender bender, your spouse’s flu medicine, or unpaid days off of work due to extreme weather conditions. Life never goes exactly as you plan it, that’s why having savings is a great plan.

When Saving Isn’t Enough

You get the point. Saving could never be more important than it is right now. At the same time, saving has probably never been harder than it is right now. The holiday season is upon us, and you are surrounded by expensive temptations. In addition to holiday shopping pressures, the economy is flat out horrible. Costs are high, the stock market is a roller coaster, unemployment is up from the average, and life isn’t getting any less expensive. Again, having a stable savings account is important in order to be prepared for life’s little mishaps, and you should add to your savings any chance you can get. Unfortunately, sometimes savings aren’t enough. If you run into an unexpected cost that can’t be entirely resolved by your savings, you can get payday loans to help as a short-term financial solution.