SAVINGS ACCOUNT RATES » Savings News

Women: Have you ever analyzed what made you decide to buy that pair of over-priced pumps? Men: What led to the decision to buy that must-have gadget promising hours of technophilic bliss? Here's a fun graphic representation of how the thought patterns of men differ from those of women before deciding to make a purchase:

Disclaimer: This image is a creative exaggeration to poke fun at gender stereotypes and is in no way meant to hurt anyone's feelings or be used as fact-based fodder to fuel an argument. It does not represent the actual views of the Go Banking Rates editorial staff.

Whether you identify with this or not, how do you make more wise purchase decisions? Do you use special tactics to keep yourself focused on saving and not spending? Let us know with a comment.

About 70% of the entire United States economy is made up of consumer spending, according to the New York Times.

There is nothing better than being able to buy what you want, when you want it, and also getting a great deal. Now more and more people are going online to do most of their shopping - not just for the convenience but also because online is where you can find better deals. And in this hard economic time, shopping online is even more attractive than ever because it allows you put additional money in your savings account.

There Are No Sales People Online

Sales people can influence your purchasing decisions greatly.

They can convince you to buy items that you don't even need, or sometimes don't even like - and that is where the problems starts if a consumer is not careful. With online shopping, there is no pressure from sales people manipulating your purchasing decisions.

Did you ever go into a store to pick up just one item but end up with a full cart? Well, that problem is eliminated by shopping online. You can find the specific product you want and not be influenced to buying more items than you really need.

Compare and Shop Easily

Comparison shopping is another way to save money with online shopping.

There are tons of Web sites dedicated to side-by-side comparison shopping. As long as you know what it is that you want you can take the time to do the research yourself. Either way, you can be sure that you get the best savings possible.

Not only can you comparison shop online, but you can also bargain as well. This is especially true with car dealers. Since you can get as many car quotes as you want from multiple dealerships, you are able to get great deals on cars and bargain down the price.

Some people may be discouraged to shop online because of the cost of shipping, however, there are sites that will pay that shipping cost for you. By typing in the word "free shipping" plus the name of your favorite retailer, you may be able to find many retailers that will provide you with free shipping discount codes.

Remember to Shop Carefully

Being able to shop online is great - saves you time and money. But there are precautions you need to take when you decide on making your purchases. Here are some basic safety tips during the transaction process of your purchase:

• Do not shop on a public computer using your credit card in case the trail remains
• Use only secure websites (look for the little lock symbol or read the terms under the "about us" section)
• Credit cards are safer to use than debit cards for online purchases
• Be aware of the return policies of the shop as it may become your financial responsibility to pay for return shipping

Happy shopping!

If you or your child is on the fast track academically and wants to attend college then you may be wondering if you can save for your academic future just as quickly. The truth is, college is much more expensive than it was 15 years ago and promisesto be even more expensiveas the years go by....

Alliant Credit Union has been offering a steady health savings account rate of 3.50% APY . The purpose for a health savings account is primarily to save money by depositing funds into the account for medical expenses. Dividends paid on the account are tax-free, so long as the funds are use for...

Intervest National Bank is offering a savings account rate at 1.70% APY on their " Regular Savings Account ." The savings account rate applies to all savings account balances .

For example:

• Balances of $500 to $24,999.99 - 1.70% APY
• Balances of $25,000 to $49,999.99 - 1.70% APY
• Balances of...

First Trade Union Bank is currently offering a savings account rate at 1.8% APY for balances above $2,500. Savings balances below $2,500 will earn 0.50% APY.

The Savings Account features include:

• No monthly service fees as long as a balance of $250 is in the account at all times
• Monthly...

For many months consumers have heard that this is the "home buying market" of the century. This factor is partly influenced by the historically low interest rates that the Federal Reserve has kept at bay for the greater portion of the year. That of course is great news for those who are in the...

Umpqua bank is offering a savings account call the Umpqua Sweet Saver account. The savings account allows consumers to automatically transfer money from their checking to their savings account every month. Now through April of 2010, the bank's website stated that they will put an extra $10 a...

SmartyPig's current savings account rate of 2.75% APY is to be reduced to 2.01% APY on Monday, Aug. 17th as announced by SmartyPig's co-founder Michael Ferrari on the SmartyPig blog post .

Those who have a savings account with SmartyPig need not be concerned of any of the benefits associated with...