This Lazy Banking Habit Could Cost You Thousands

I get it. Life's busy. You're juggling work, errands, family, maybe a dog who needs more walks than you have time for. The last thing you want to do is rethink where your savings sit.

So your money stays parked in the same old account it's been in for years. And that, unfortunately, is the problem.

Because while you've been busy doing literally anything else, your bank has likely been quietly underpaying you.

You're not earning interest. You're earning inertia.

Big banks are betting that most of us won't bother moving our money. And for the most part, they're right.

They know if your savings account still technically works, you'll probably let it ride. Doesn't matter that it's paying you 0.01% interest -- they've already won.

I know this because I used to do it too. For years, I let a chunk of cash sit in a "savings" account at a big bank that made more on my money than I did. It felt safe. Familiar. Easy.

But here's what's not easy: Looking back and realizing how much money I missed out on just because I didn't feel like logging into a new website.

The lazy habit that adds up fast

Let's say you've got $15,000 sitting in savings. That's a solid emergency fund. But if it's earning 0.01%, you'll net about $1.50 a year.

Now take that same $15,000 and stick it in a high-yield savings account earning 3.80%. That's $570 a year in interest. Just sitting there. No side hustle. No spreadsheets.

Over five years, the lazy habit of doing nothing with your savings could cost you over $3,000 in missed interest. That's not a rounding error. That's a full month's rent in a lot of places.

The good news: you can fix it today

High-yield savings accounts are everywhere right now. Some of the top ones (think Barclays, Synchrony, SoFi®) are paying 3.80% APY or more. And switching takes maybe 10 minutes.

There's no fee. No need to close your old account. Just move your money and let the interest start doing the work.

The best part is you don't have to think about it again. Once it's set up, your money earns while you sleep, walk the dog, or forget your login password again.

Set it and actually forget it

This isn't about chasing some new app or financial trend. It's about fixing the boring stuff that quietly drains your potential.

If you're someone who likes "set it and forget it," great -- just set it somewhere smarter.

Because doing nothing with your savings isn't neutral. It's actively costing you. And the sooner you change it, the more your future self will thank you.