One of the most constructive, and destructive, forces in finances is the power of compound interest. Compound interest is interest that is not only paid on the principal, but also on the interest that previously accrued on your investment. On the other hand, compound interest can work against you — for instance, as finance charges against your credit card debt that could quickly snowball out of control. It can be a great burden, or a great boon. It all depends on the money choices you make.
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Making Compound Interest Work for You
Compound interest can be a great gift to you if you avoid debt and get into the habit of saving your money. A high yield savings account can get you a 1.35% annual yield, but if you look into longer term certificates of deposit, you can get around 3.00%. And if you invest for the long-term in diversified investments, you can expect an even higher average annual returns.
When you put money into interest bearing accounts, or dividend yielding investments, you get paid for letting your money sit there. For example, if you have $1,000 and average 4.00% APY across your savings and investments, after a year, you’ll earn $40 in interest and dividend. If you let your money sit in your savings account and reinvest the dividend, the following year you will earn $41.60 — doesn’t sound like much, but your original $1,000 will turn into $1,423.31 after 10 years, $2,106.85 after 20, and $3,118.65 after 30!
Tips for helping compound interest work for you:
- Start immediately to save and invest your money. The earlier you start, the more you will earn as compound interest works on your behalf. How much you start with isn’t as important as getting started.
- Let the money sit. This is easiest in a retirement account. Simply leave the money alone. It will gradually build up on itself as the interest you earn is added to the principal amount you invested — and then interest is earned on the new …