Advantages & disadvantages of savings accounts

n order to understand the main advantages and disadvantages of savings accounts, it is helpful to analyze their main characteristics, especially when compared to other types of accounts.

Advantages
As previously mentioned, one of the key features (and benefits) of a savings account is the ability to set aside a portion of your income for a specific future purchase or simply as a safety cushion. Additionally, this type of account offers a return in the form of interest, which provides additional motivation to top up your savings account on a monthly basis rather than keeping the money in a checking account.

In addition, savings accounts are more liquid compared to other interest-bearing banking services or financial instruments. In many cases, short-term access to the funds is possible. In contrast, it's more complicated and time-consuming (if not impossible) to withdraw a pension fund or sell a stock or other financial instrument.

If you're risk averse, a savings account is a great option to keep your savings in a totally secure environment while still earning a relatively low rate of return. Furthermore, given the current threat of negative interest rates, a savings account could be a better choice than Treasury bills or other short- and medium-term government bonds.

Disadvantages
Liquidity can also be perceived as a disadvantage of savings accounts. Considering that the main goal of these types of accounts is to save for the future, the ability to access the balance almost immediately can lead you to spend it before you originally planned to.

Looking at savings accounts from a return on investment perspective, banks offer a lower interest rate on your savings compared to other financial instruments. So if you're a risk taker and looking to not only save but grow your capital significantly, other investment options may be better suited to you.