Finance
Personal finance and money guides: bank and savings accounts, budgeting apps, side hustles, buy now pay later, home buying and the cost of owning a pet.
Money decisions come up whether or not you feel ready for them: where to keep savings so they earn something, which checking account won't charge you for being you, whether a certificate of deposit beats a savings account this year, how to budget without an app that nags, and what a mortgage rate move means for a payment. This section is for those decisions.
The guides here are comparisons you can act on. Each one lists the accounts or products it covers, the rate or fee checked on the bank's own site and the date it was checked, the catch (minimums, direct-deposit conditions, promotional periods) and who the product suits. Rates change weekly, so every money guide carries its last check date and the savings tracker shows the current numbers. National averages come from the FDIC and Freddie Mac; nothing is estimated.
Some links in these guides earn The Jolt Journal a commission if you open an account through them. That never changes what is recommended, and every story that carries such a link says so at the top.
Updated
Start here
Money guides
Plain-English guides to the money decisions that come up most.
-
Savings
High-yield accounts, with rates checked on each bank's own site.
-
CDs
How to choose a CD and term length.
-
Checking & banking
Banking news and guides: checking, online banks and apps.
-
Budgeting
Make a budget in one evening, step by step.
-
Mortgages & home buying
A first-time buyer's guide to the money side of a home.
-
Credit cards
APRs, fees and what card news means for your balance.
-
Side hustles
Ways to make extra money on the side.
-
AI tools
What ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and other AI plans cost.
-
Pets & family costs
What owning a pet really costs.
-
Tools & calculators
Savings rates, refinancing, side-hustle earnings and more.
Today's rates
National averages from official sources, and the top rate in our own savings tracker.
Banking
-
Top APY we track
Happen Bank LevelUp Savings (formerly LendingClub)
Rate with conditions; 3.00% standard rate
· Unchanged since Nov 6
4.20%
National average
0.38%
-
National average
1.76%
-
National average
0.63%
Mortgages
-
30-year fixed
Weekly average
· Down from 7.24% on Oct 29
7.18%
-
15-year fixed
Weekly average
· Down from 6.60% on Oct 29
6.57%
-
See how long a lower rate takes to pay back the closing costs.
Averages: FDIC national rates (Nov 7); Freddie Mac PMMS via FRED (Nov 5). Top APY from The Jolt Journal savings tracker, checked Nov 7. Rates change; confirm with the bank. This site uses the FRED® API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
30-Year Mortgage Rate 7.18%: Freddie Mac Reports a Third Straight Weekly Decline
Freddie Mac's Nov. 5 survey puts the 30-year fixed rate at 7.18%, down from 7.24% and 0.96 points above a year ago. The 15-year rate is 6.57%. Here…
Latest in Finance
Business Savings Account: FDIC Insurance Rules by Entity
How FDIC insurance treats a business savings account at an LLC, corporation or sole proprietorship, with worked examples and questions to ask a bank.
Joint Savings Account: FDIC Coverage Limits and Rules
How FDIC coverage works for a joint savings account, with a $700,000 example, what happens when a co-owner dies, and what the account earns.
Savings Accounts for Kids: Joint, Custodial and Teen Options Compared (November 2026)
A savings account for kids can be joint, custodial or teen-owned, and each changes who controls the money, how it is insured and how interest is taxed. Here…
Credit Union Savings Accounts: What They Pay, Who Can Join and How NCUA Insurance Works (November 2026)
A credit union savings account can pay 3.01% or 0.01%, depending on the institution. Here are the current rates, interest math on $10,000 and $25,000, how to join…
Trump Accounts: How to Claim the $1,000, Contribution Limits and Withdrawal Rules
A Trump Account is a new IRA for children that can start with a $1,000 Treasury deposit. Here is who qualifies, how to claim it on Form 4547,…
How to Switch Banks Without Missing a Payment: A Step-by-Step Checklist
Moving your checking or savings to a new bank is mostly about timing. Here is a step-by-step checklist built on the CFPB's guidance, with a four-week calendar, a…
Treasury Bills vs CDs vs High-Yield Savings: Rates Compared (Nov. 2026)
Treasury bills, CDs and high-yield savings quote their rates differently. Here is how the three compare in dollars on $10,000, before and after tax, using auction results and…
How to Build a CD Ladder With Today’s Rates (November 2026)
A CD ladder splits your savings across CDs that mature at different times. Here is how to build one with $20,000, what each rung earns at November 2026…
Jolt Savings Rate Index: October 2026
The median high-yield savings APY in our tracker was 3.50% and the top rate 4.20%, as of Oct 31, 2026.
401k Rollover When Leaving a Job: What Happens to a Small Balance and How to Keep It
Leaving a job with a small 401(k)? Here is what the plan can do with a balance under $1,000 or up to $7,000, what cashing out costs, and…