Don't forget stocks and bonds, which will most likely earn you more than a savings account these days, but are much less risky than the stock market. The only problem is they are not very liquid. If I had 100k I'd never put it in a savings account - or at least not all of it - just because there are other financial products which are just as safe (CDs for instance, even if we just totally eschew stocks & bonds) that will earn more. Interest rates are awful right now, savings, checking, AND CD accounts, but CD accounts will get you the most and are still FDIC Insured. Plus while they aren't liquid-liquid, they are nearly so - you forfeit something like 3-6 months' worth of interest for an early withdrawal, that's it. (The penalty is federally regulated to boot.)