6 Smart Places to Put Your Money in 2026

Looking for better ways to protect (and grow) your money?

Luckily for you, there are plenty of options -- so many, in fact, that it can be overwhelming. But if you're looking for steady, dependable growth, there are a few smart places to start.

Here are six of the best places to put your money in 2026.

Bonds are like IOUs. When you buy a bond, you're lending money to whomever issued it. That may be a company, government, or municipality.

While the entity you loaned the money to receives the funds it needs to operate, you receive a promise that the issuer will pay you a specific interest rate over the life of the bond. When the bond matures, you'll get your principal back -- plus interest.

A certificate of deposit (CD) is a type of savings account that keeps your money safe for a specific amount of time. For example, you may put funds into a 6-month, 1-year, or 5-year CD.

In exchange for allowing the bank or credit union to hold your money for that time, you are paid interest when the CD matures. Typically, the longer the term, the higher the rate of interest you are paid.

Want to lock in a guaranteed return today? Check out our list of the best CD rates available now to get started.

To understand how a money market fund works, it helps to understand how a mutual fund works. When you put money in a mutual fund, your money is pooled with many other investors. All that money is invested on your behalf by professional money managers. Those professionals diversify your holdings so that all your eggs are not in one basket, thereby lowering your risks.

A money market fund is simply one type of mutual fund. The cash in the fund is invested in high-quality, low-risk investments. One of the main differences between a money market fund and the money market deposit account that we cover next is that a money market fund is not federally insured, while a money market account is.

Money market accounts (MMAs) are offered by banks and credit unions. Like other accounts in those financial institutions, MMAs are federally insured. Up to six times a month, you can use the money in your MMA to make payments or withdraw cash. The amount of interest paid on an MMA is typically higher than the interest paid on savings accounts.

If you currently have a savings account, you know that your money is secure. The same is true of a high-yield savings account -- only you'll be earning much more in interest.

The interest rate you're paid is variable, meaning it will go up or down over time. But a high-yield savings account is just as safe and accessible as your traditional savings account, making it the perfect place to put your short-term cash.

Want to supercharge your savings today? See our full list of the best high-yield savings accounts available now.

If you're carrying high-interest debt, paying it off is an investment in yourself. Let's say you have a credit card with a $15,000 balance and interest rate of 18%.

Paying that balance off is like getting a guaranteed 18% return on your money -- hard to match elsewhere. It's where most people should start if they're looking for places to put excess cash.

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