Do you find it difficult to build a savings. You are not alone. Many people have trouble finding money in their budget to put away for a rainy day. Here are four things you may not have considered to find the cash to jump start your savings.

1. Raise your deductible on home, auto and other insurance policies. Raising the deductible means you’ll pay more out of pocket if you ever file a claim, but you’ll lower your monthly premium. Use the money saved to start a savings account.
2. Sale sports equipment and musical instruments you no longer use. If you have kids, it’s likely you’ve spent money on activities they no longer participate in. Place an ad online or in the newspaper, or check with local consignment shops and thrift stores to see which items you can unload.
3. Do manual labor. If you’ve got an arsenal of lawn equipment and other tools, post flyers around town and let your neighbors know you are available for hire. Put most

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North Carolina savers can take advantage of some of the best money market and savings account rates in the country.

Alliance Bank & Trust is paying 1.50% APY on its savings account. Its top MMA rate on account balances less than $100,000 is 1.35% APY.

The Gastonia, N.C., bank’s Super Savings account tops the best nationally available deal by more than a quarter point.

SFGI Direct, the online division of Summit Community Bank of Moorefield, W.Va., pays 1.21%.

Alliance Bank (www.alliancebanknc.com) requires a $2,500 minimum deposit and balance.

If you fall below $2,500 you’ll be charged a $5 monthly fee. And you can’t make more than nine withdrawals per quarter without being charged a $2.50 fee for each additional withdrawal.

Rates on the bank’s MMA increase as your deposits grow.

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Dear Dr. Don,
Have the savings bond purchase limits changed for 2011? My bank has refused my request to purchase a $5,000 I bond because they say I already have purchased the maximum in electronic I bonds via TreasuryDirect.
– Kenneth Constrained

Dear Kenneth,
The savings bond purchase limit changed as of Jan. 1, 2008. The Treasury press release on the annual purchase limit for savings bonds being set at $5,000, explains it in greater detail, and it explains how you can finesse the issue to buy more Series I bonds as excerpted below.

The limit applies separately to Series EE and Series I savings bonds, and separately to bonds issued in paper or electronic form. Under the new rules, an individual can buy a maximum of $5,000 worth of electronic and paper bonds of each series in a single calendar year, or a total of $20,000, in single ownership form.

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It keeps getting harder to find a good national deal on savings accounts.

With so many banks slashing rates on nationally available accounts, it’s worth looking for a local deal. There are some out there that offer considerably better returns than what you can find with our national rate leaders.

Recently, we’ve highlighted local savings accounts that pay 3.00%, 2.02% and 1.51%.

Compare that with SFGI Direct, which after recently cutting its rates — again — narrowly leads Discover Bank for the best nationally available deal.

SFGI Direct, the online division of Summit Community Bank in Moorefield, W.Va., is offering a 1.21% APY, while Discover Bank is offering 1.20%

Since mid-January, SFGI’s rate has tumbled from 1.41% APY, while Discover Bank has cut its rate slightly, from 1.25% APY. Discover

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You can earn the top nationally available savings rate at Tennessee Commerce Bank with no restrictions.

Until Friday.

Then you’ll need to also open a checking account (there are several options) when you open your savings account to earn the top rates advertised in the Franklin, Tenn., bank’s special offer.

Tennessee Commerce’s savings account pays 1.50% APY on balances between $250 and $99,999. The bank pays 1.55% APY for balances between $100,000 and $249,999 and 1.6% on any balance above $250,000.

That beats the best nationally available rate of 1.31% APY offered by SFGI Direct. The Tennessee Commerce Bank deal is available on a national basis. Although the bank’s website says the special offer goes into effect April 1, if you sign up before then, all you need to do is deposit $250 to earn 1.50% APY.

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As consumers struggle with steadily falling rates on CDs, money market and savings accounts, the chance to earn a sizable return on your cash can be a real challenge. Despite low interest rates, though, it’s always a good time to start a savings plan.If you are young, record-low rates may make you wonder if you should even bother stashing away a certain amount each month. What’s the difference if you start now or in two years, after rates have perhaps climbed? Well, it turns out that delaying saving can cost you big time. If you put aside $200 per month for 10 years at even 1 percent, you end up with about $25,245. Waiting two years to start, however, “costs” you more than $5,000.Paying medical bills or dealing with unemployment is expensive. These unexpected events can be serious stress-inducers — unless you’re prepared. D

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All charities are unhappy with their current savings account rate, according to a new poll.

The poll, carried out by Fair Investment Company, asked 82 charities the question ‘are you happy with your charity’s savings rate’, and the answer, an unreserved ‘no’.

This is a three per cent increase on last month, when 97% of the charities polled said they were unhappy with their charity’s savings rate.

According to Fair Investment Company, the average instant access charity savings account is offering interest of just 0.29%, which is 0.21% below the historically low 0.5% base rate, and this, says the firm, means it is not at all surprising that charities are unhappy with their savings deals.

David Doulton, who is director at Fair Investment Company, says although all savings rates are low, it seems charities are getting a particularly raw deal.

“Yes, savings account rates are low for everyone at the moment, but it would seem that charities are getting a really bad deal,” he said.

“While the average personal account is paying 0.74%, the average charity savings account is even worse; it is not even beating the historically low base rate of 0.5%!

Mr Doulton says that although there is nothing much to be done about the fact that rates are, on a whole, fairly poor, charities should at least be able to ensure they are getting the best deals available.

“Although there is nothing we can do to make the rates go up, we have launched a charity savings accounts comparison service that can help charities find the best rates available

“We compare leading charity savings accounts and can offer up to 4.15% on fixed rates, up to 2.0% on notice accounts and up to 1.5% on easy access deposit accounts.”

Fair Investment Company is one of a few intermediaries offering the 4.15% three year fixed rate RBS Royal Deposit Plan 5, which is not available directly from RBS and one of the highest deals on the market for charities. Read more…

According to a poll carried out by Fair Investment Company, 99% of businesses say they are unhappy with their savings account rate.

The average rate for an instant access business savings account is just 0.52%, and three year fixed deals are not offering much better, with the average just 1.05%.

With rates like this, it is no surprise the satisfaction levels are so low, says David Doulton, director of Fair Investment Company.

“The base rate is still at its historic low of 0.5%, so it is inevitable that rates will be fairly low across the board, but rates for businesses are particularly bad, especially when you compare them with the equivalent personal savings accounts.

“While the average personal instant access account is offering 0.74%, the equivalent business account is 0.52%. Read more…