Ready for whatever life throws at you. With a Mountain America Traditional Savings Account, one of the best savings accounts available, you can create a cash reserve to help you prepare for the future. Your money grows safely—building interest—until you need it. Plus, unlike an online savings account, you can easily access your funds at an ATM and make deposits at any branch—no need to mail in checks. Sometimes the hardest part of building a financial safety net isn't saving the money but keeping yourself from dipping into it once it's there. An emergency fund won't do you any good if you keep using chunks of it for the latest new tech gadget or a trip to the beach. A true emergency is an unexpected expense over and above what your normal monthly budget can handle. If whatever it is can possibly wait until next paycheck, it’s not a real emergency. Make the future happen But there's more to saving money than preparing for a rainy day. In fact, saving money is the smart way to spend money. Saving up for a major purchase instead of charging it keeps more of your hard-earned money in your wallet. When you save first and buy later, your money grows while you save — but when you buy first and pay later, more and more of your money trickles away every time you make another payment with interest. At Mountain America, you can even keep your savings goals organized with separate secondary accounts for planned expenses like vacations, education, holidays, and gifts. You'll never need to wonder which part is your emergency money and which part is for summer vacation. Out of sight, out of mind — that's the smart, painless way to save. When you set up a system to move money into your savings account on a regular basis, you won't even notice that it's gone. At Mountain America, we make it easy to automatically transfer money from your checking account to your savings account every month (or as often as you'd like). Your money heads to safe port in your savings without your even having to think about it — now that's effortless saving! Savings that work hard for you In a Mountain America traditional savings account, your money grows safely, building interest until you need it. Unlike many online savings accounts, your savings account is easily accessible at ATMs. Make deposits at any branch — there's no need to mail in checks. Great emergency cushion Quickly and easily transfer funds online or in person Competitive rate compounded and paid monthly Secondary accounts available for planned expenses like vacations, education, holidays and gifts Insured up to $250,000 by NCUA In some situations, a specialized savings account might make more sense for you: a money market account, a term deposit (also known as a certificate of deposit or CD), an IRA (independent retirement account), or an HSA (health savings account). Whatever your needs, Mountain America can help you build the financial resources to support your goals, both long-term and in the immediate future. Members can apply directly in Online Branch on the Account Management page. View Rates