When people talk about “cash,” they usually mean the money sitting in their checking account. But in personal finance, cash often includes more than just dollars you can spend today. That’s where cash equivalents come in. These low-risk, highly liquid financial products are designed to hold your money safely while keeping it easily accessible. And often, they earn more interest than a traditional checking account. Understanding what qualifies as a cash equivalent can help you make smarter decisions about ...

通胀对储蓄和投资的影响 - 通胀率从美联储设定的2%目标上升至3%时，会对个人储蓄产生负面影响[1][2] - 通胀侵蚀“实际回报”，即投资名义收益减去税收和通胀后的部分，例如4%的名义回报在扣除1%的税和3%的通胀后实际回报为零[3] - 当储蓄账户利息低于4%时，购买力会下降，以3%的通胀率计算，1万美元每年损失近300美元的购买力[3] 传统储蓄工具的局限性 - 高收益储蓄账户和定期存单在通胀飙升时难以提供超过4%或5%的回报，导致实际回报为负[4] - 评估储蓄和投资时应始终比较税后和通胀后的实际回报[5] - 对退休人群而言，部分投资回报需跑赢通胀以维持未来5到30年的购买力和收入[5] 薪酬增长与通胀的脱节 - 公司提供的加薪幅度未必能跟上通胀水平，部分公司甚至不提供年度加薪[6] - 建议员工根据消费者价格指数和公司特定生产力基准来协商年度薪酬调整，以确保收入与通胀同步[6]