Banking

No doubt, when some of us hear the term "CD," we find ourselves thinking of our favorite music and artists (for me, it's Morrissey's "Vauxhall & I" which I just got from eBay for 99 cents).  But we're focusing on another kind of CD -- the kind that can make you money instead of take it from you: the certificate of deposit. 

What's a CD?

I can count on one hand all of the times in my life when I found money:  I found $20 in front of a bakery once, $10 in the street, $20 in front of a restaurant, and $5 I forgot about in one of my spring coats.  Each time, though, I felt like the luckiest person in the world, as I’m sure anyone would feel.  So, if you had a surefire way to find hidden money and harness that lucky feeling, you would be a participant, right?  Surprisingly, simply visiting with your banker can put hidden money in the form of bank fees back into your pocket.

Bank Fees

In fourth grade, a banker came to my classroom to teach my class about compound interest. I was fascinated. First, I was shocked that a bank would pay me money to keep it safe, and second, I loved learning how I could make more money if my interest was compounded.  I memorized every single thing that would be on our compound interest test, and I did really well.  My mom even hung my A+ test on the refrigerator for a few days.