The economy has always been a mercurial beast capable of throwing out curveballs with no warning, but for many, life in the financial senses feels more precarious than usual. The implementation and continued uncertainty around tariffs have taken us into fairly unprecedented territory. It’s difficult to get a clear picture of what we can expect. That said, many financial experts are pretty confident that we’re on the brink of a recession.
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On her website, financial guru Suze Orman posted a blog on May 1, 2025, discussing the three best cash moves we can each make during this turbulent time. Here’s what she recommended.
Some financial experts say having a three- to six-month reserve of cash readily available is a sufficient emergency fund. Orman is more conservative, recommending that you have at least a year’s worth of money set aside to get you through any pains a recession may bring. Don’t set this money aside in any old bank account. Opt for a high-yield savings account (HYSA), so that your money makes some money just sitting there. Orman is a fan of the The Ultimate Opportunity Savings Account at Alliant Credit Union, and she’s teamed up with Alliant to promote an incentive.
“Make 12 monthly deposits of at least $100 into your Ultimate Savings Opportunity account, and at the end of those 12 months you will be given a $100 bonus,” Orman said. “That’s on top of earning a solid 3.10% annual percentage yield (APY) right now.”
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To access an even higher APY, put your cash in a certificate of deposit (CD) account.
“CDs come with higher yields because you are giving your money to the bank or credit union for a set period – CDs typically have maturities of 1 year, 18 months, 2 years, or 5 years – and you agree to pay a penalty if you want the money back earlier,” Orman wrote.
Typically, the higher the APY, the longer the term of the CD. It’s fine and sometimes beneficial to spread your savings out over a few CD accounts. This is called CD laddering.
Finally, Orman recommended buying Treasuries, which can be best done via an account at a discount brokerage. You can take a laddering approach with Treasuries, too.
“For example, you could divide your ‘safe’ money across a 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and maybe a 7-year Treasury,” Orman wrote. “This way you have some money maturing at different times. Depending on your needs when a Treasury matures, and what is happening with interest rates, you can decide if you want to reinvest in another Treasury (and at what length) or if you want to move the money to cash or another investment.”
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