Having money in savings is important no matter your age or income. But you may find it interesting to learn that middle-class Americans have a median savings account balance of $13,000, according to research conducted by Motley Fool Money.
If your savings balance is well below that threshold, it’s a good idea to try to raise it. And while your goal should be to save enough money to cover at least three months of essential living expenses, a $5,000 balance is certainly a nice start. Here are a few benefits to growing your savings to $5,000.
1. More interest earnings than you might think
It’s not exactly a secret that savings accounts pay interest. But what might surprise you — in a good way — is how much interest they’re paying these days.
Even with the Federal Reserve’s recent interest rate cuts, a lot of savings accounts are still paying around 4%. If you can earn 4% on a $5,000 balance for one year, that’s basically a free $200 in your pocket.
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American Express® High Yield Savings APY 4.00%
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APY 4.00%
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Capital One 360 Performance Savings 
APY 3.90%
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APY 3.90%
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Min. to earn $0 |
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Western Alliance Bank High-Yield Savings Premier 
APY 4.46%
Rate info Min. to earn $500 to open, $0.01 for max APY
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APY 4.46%
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That said, it’s important to make sure your savings account offers a competitive rate. And if not, it’s time to shop around. Click here for a list of the best high-yield savings accounts so you can snag even more interest.
2. More peace of mind
If your savings account balance is pretty minimal right now, then unplanned expenses are probably a pretty big source of stress. Once your savings balance gets to $5,000, though, there may be a bit less to worry about.
If your grocery bills come in higher one month and you need to raid your savings to the tune of $50, you can do that without worrying you’ve just removed a large percentage of your balance. And if a $2,000 car repair pops up, that’s certainly not something to celebrate. But you can potentially breathe easy knowing it won’t result in an automatic credit card balance.
3. Waived checking account fees
It’s common for checking accounts to charge a maintenance fee that applies when your balance dips below a certain level set by your bank. But often, banks will waive those fees for customers who have a large-enough balance in a linked savings account.
Now, you’ll have to check your bank’s rules to see what savings balance is needed on a linked account to avoid fees on your checking account. But chances are, $5,000 will get the job done.
That said, if your bank’s maintenance fees (or any other fees) seem unreasonable, it may be time to get yourself a new checking account. Click here for a list of the top checking accounts so you can potentially avoid fees and aggravation.
Getting your savings account balance to $5,000 won’t necessarily mean you’re done trying to save for good. It may not even fully cover you as far as your emergency fund goes. But it could do you a lot of good. It’s a great goal to aim for in the coming year, or as soon as you can reasonably achieve it.
