That article mentions online savings. People here were talking about some online bank that had a great savings plan. Do those people still have those accounts, and if so, with whom and how has that worked?

We have accounts with ING as well. We also have a few CDs with them. I love how easy it all is.

Yeah, our mortgage is almost 3k per month which is an obscene amount of money. But it's still cheaper than renting the equivalent. We loved our last place, but the landlord was in ill health and they told us they might sell if they decided to retire. Living month-to-month in a place which could be pulled out from under you is no fun, and we are LOVING being able to garden and putter.

If you're interested in opening an account, let me know

I'll need to convince my husband the money luddite, since it's a joint checking account, but that sounds like a plan.

That article mentions online savings. People here were talking about some online bank that had a great savings plan. Do those people still have those accounts, and if so, with whom and how has that worked?

I think the most popular one is with ING; the benefit to most online savings accounts is that they offer APYs that are much higher than those offered by a B&M bank. For instance: my B&M bank's savings account APY is currently (I shit you not) 0.09%.

I have a savings account with HSBC Direct, and the APY is currently 3.50% Therefore, most of my emergency fund is with HSBC.

The benefit to the online savings accounts like ING, HSBC, etc., is that they have no minimum balance (or possibly literally $1), unlike CDs and money-market accounts (which are the other savings vehicles that yield high APYs). Also, you can withdraw the money whenever you need to; there's no maturity date like with a CD.

t edit Or, whatever everyone else said while I was googling APYs.

I've been using ING as well very recently, and I like it because I can set it up to just remove the money from my checking account. I have never had an "emergency fund" before, and now I am socking away money without missing it.

From Denver Craigslist: I will give you a KIDNEY for 2 OBAMA Tickets for tonights speech!

Are you in need of an extra kidney? Know of someone who needs one? I have 2 good kidneys which is a little excessive. Ill give you one of them for two tickets to tonight's speech. I live in Denver and tried to get tickets the minute they were announced. Somehow the first come first serve registration did not work since I was put on the waitlist.

So, I need two tickets for me and my girlfriend. I have an extra kidney. You take said organ, I take 2 tickets for this historic speech.

I like how the ad has pictures of Obama and a kidney.

I'm another one who has really like my ING account. Although I'm not entirely sure if ING is FDIC insured (since it's a foreign bank) and these days I would probably have just used Wamu's online banking (or another US bank), which had an equivalent rate.

ING is FDIC insured. The wife checked on this recently.

ING is FDIC insured. The wife checked on this recently.

Oh good. I looked once but I didn't find an obvious an answer. Sadly, I only have a mini-emergency fund there, but I still would want to lose it.

If I were to buy my house (a low-ball figure being $800000) and put 20% down with a 6% mortgage, I would pay around $50000/year on interest and taxes. The rent is $1500. Market rent is probably around $3000.

Our mortgage is $1580, and the house was available for rent at $1500 when we bought it, so I think we are doing okay. And, inflation being what it is, the market rate for rent is going to rise, whereas we'll be paying $1580 a month 29 years from now. Unless we move, which is the big risk in homeownership as far as I'm concerned.