Need Feedback on Savings Bonds...

[RileyE104]

Ok, I have twelve Series EE $50 Savings Bonds that were bought for me a while ago. (as far back as 1995 and as recent as 2002)

I went to treasurydirect.gov and calculated to total value of the bonds.
It came out to $454.68, which is a $154.68 increase from the initial $300 spent on buying them.

My question is, what should I do with these?
I had been contemplating whether or not I should just cash all/some of them in now.

Should I just cash them in whenever I need some extra money, like for emergency purposes?

If I cash all of them in, my plan was to add $350 to my savings pile and then add the other $100 to the other pile of money I have set aside which I use to buy silver with on a weekly basis.

Or is it actually worth waiting another 16-20 years for the full interest on the bonds to accumulate?

 

[KCIndy]

I can't believe no one answered this!

Personally, if it were me I would cash out and buy silver.... but that's just me.



Anyone else care to chime in?

 

[Mike4Freedom]

Even though you are getting an interest rate for them. They are losing there value at a faster rate. So take them out and do something with them. Wait for silver to dip a bit and get 30 ounces of it or get another 50 bucks and open a scottrade account and invest in natural gas and oil companies that pay dividends. Transcanada in canada or Linn Energy in the US are some good ones that come to mind.

 

[stag15]

Even though you are getting an interest rate for them. They are losing there value at a faster rate. So take them out and do something with them. Wait for silver to dip a bit and get 30 ounces of it or get another 50 bucks and open a scottrade account and invest in natural gas and oil companies that pay dividends. Transcanada in canada or Linn Energy in the US are some good ones that come to mind.

EVEP, VNR, PWE, all pay dividends over 10%. Plus as the dollar falls, oil and gas should go up making the units/shares worth more.

 

[tmosley]

EVEP, VNR, PWE, all pay dividends over 10%. Plus as the dollar falls, oil and gas should go up making the units/shares worth more.

Oil will go up. Gas, not as much, as it is hard to export.

 

[youngbuck]

Ok, I have twelve Series EE $50 Savings Bonds that were bought for me a while ago. (as far back as 1995 and as recent as 2002)

I went to treasurydirect.gov and calculated to total value of the bonds.
It came out to $454.68, which is a $154.68 increase from the initial $300 spent on buying them.

Hold on a sec. Wouldn't it cost $600 to buy twelve-$50 savings bonds?

 

[Mike4Freedom]

Oil will go up. Gas, not as much, as it is hard to export.

Long term they are going to start using natural gas for cars. Also a lot of companies are still building pipelines for natural gas.

 

[angelatc]

Hold on a sec. Wouldn't it cost $600 to buy twelve-$50 savings bonds?

No $50 is the price at maturity.

 

[pinkmandy]

I can't believe no one answered this!

Personally, if it were me I would cash out and buy silver.... but that's just me.



Anyone else care to chime in?

Our children had a bunch of them. That's exactly what we did awhile back and have requested that grandparents who want to buy them more (they get them every birthday and Christmas) to please buy them silver instead.

 

[EddieG]

They should rename savings bonds to "looting bonds."

 

[ILUVRP]

I agree that silver is better than bonds.

If i were going to stay in bonds and thought that we were going to have more inflation i would look at TIPS.

 

[bill50]

Hold on a sec. Wouldn't it cost $600 to buy twelve-$50 savings bonds?

If its a paper bond, it is bought for half the face value. Supposedly the face value can be redeemed after a certain number of years, but since the bond can be redeemed with full interest from 5-30 years after issue (before 5 years you lose 3 months interest and after 30 years it accrues no more interest) there's really no true maturity date.

Bonds may also not ever reach face value if the interest is too low. I just looked and a bond from 1997 to now would only earn 1.7%. That's fucking pathetic.

If you buy bonds online they are sold at face value with the same method of accruing interest.

 

[Johnnybags]

Convert the bonds into US nickels

at the bank, get 3-4 100.00 boxes. Nickels are worth a nickel about in metal content.