Here’s How Much Money You Should Keep in Your Checking Account — It’s Probably Less Than You Think

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If you’re like most people, your checking account is where your paycheck lands, bills get paid, and everyday spending happens. But here’s the thing — you might be keeping way too much money in there.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. Sure, it feels safe to have extra cash sitting in your checking account. But keeping too much money in a low-interest account is costing you. The better move is to shift extra cash into a high-yield savings account where it can actually grow.How much money should you keep in your checking account?A good rule of thumb is to keep one to two months’ worth of essential expenses in your checking account. That includes:Rent or mortgageUtilitiesInsurance paymentsGroceriesEntertainmentetc.If those numbers add up to $3,500 each month. Then you should try to keep between $3,500 and $7,000 in your checking account. This ensures you have enough to cover bills and daily expenses without letting extra money sit idle.The danger of keeping too much in checkingAccording to the FDIC, the average checking account interest rate is 0.07%. That means a $5,000 balance earns just $3.50 a year. Meanwhile, a high-yield savings account (HYSA) offering 4.50% APY would earn you $225 a year on that same amount — for doing nothing.Ready to start earning hundreds more on your savings each year? Check out our list of the best high-yield savings accounts to open one and get started today.Where to put extra cash insteadIf you have extra money sitting in your checking account, consider moving it into an account that actually works for you. Here are some potential places to put your cash:1. High-yield savings account (HYSA)An HYSA gives you easy access to your money while potentially offering more than 60 times the interest of a regular checking account. It’s perfect for:Emergency fundsVacation savingsHome repairs or big purchasesStart earning more on your savings today by checking out our list of the best high-yield savings accounts.2. Certificates of deposit (CDs)If you have money you won’t need for a while, the best CDs offer similar rates as HYSAs. The tradeoff is your money is locked up for a set time, but the returns are locked in as your rate can’t drop.3. Investment accountsInvesting in a brokerage account, Roth IRA, or 401(k) can grow your wealth over time, instead of letting it sit stagnant. This is where you want to grow your long-term wealth as the S&P 500 Index has historically returned an average of 10% annually.Make the switch and earn more on your moneyIf you’ve been letting cash pile up in your checking account, now’s the time to move it somewhere better.Check out the best high-yield savings accounts available today — your money will grow faster, stay safe, and still be easy to access when you need it. Why let your hard-earned cash sit idle when it could be making you money?Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.”}]] [[{“value”:”

If you’re like most people, your checking account is where your paycheck lands, bills get paid, and everyday spending happens. But here’s the thing — you might be keeping way too much money in there.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Sure, it feels safe to have extra cash sitting in your checking account. But keeping too much money in a low-interest account is costing you. The better move is to shift extra cash into a high-yield savings account where it can actually grow.

How much money should you keep in your checking account?

A good rule of thumb is to keep one to two months’ worth of essential expenses in your checking account. That includes:

• Rent or mortgage
• Utilities
• Insurance payments
• Groceries
• Entertainment
• etc.

If those numbers add up to $3,500 each month. Then you should try to keep between $3,500 and $7,000 in your checking account. This ensures you have enough to cover bills and daily expenses without letting extra money sit idle.

The danger of keeping too much in checking

According to the FDIC, the average checking account interest rate is 0.07%. That means a $5,000 balance earns just $3.50 a year. Meanwhile, a high-yield savings account (HYSA) offering 4.50% APY would earn you $225 a year on that same amount — for doing nothing.

Where to put extra cash instead

If you have extra money sitting in your checking account, consider moving it into an account that actually works for you. Here are some potential places to put your cash:

1. High-yield savings account (HYSA)

An HYSA gives you easy access to your money while potentially offering more than 60 times the interest of a regular checking account. It’s perfect for:

• Emergency funds
• Vacation savings
• Home repairs or big purchases

Start earning more on your savings today by checking out our list of the best high-yield savings accounts.

2. Certificates of deposit (CDs)

If you have money you won’t need for a while, the best CDs offer similar rates as HYSAs. The tradeoff is your money is locked up for a set time, but the returns are locked in as your rate can’t drop.

3. Investment accounts

Investing in a brokerage account, Roth IRA, or 401(k) can grow your wealth over time, instead of letting it sit stagnant. This is where you want to grow your long-term wealth as the S&P 500 Index has historically returned an average of 10% annually.

Make the switch and earn more on your money

If you’ve been letting cash pile up in your checking account, now’s the time to move it somewhere better.

Check out the best high-yield savings accounts available today — your money will grow faster, stay safe, and still be easy to access when you need it. Why let your hard-earned cash sit idle when it could be making you money?

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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