Americans are saving more money than ever before as the economic crisis continues to weigh on households. The average household saved 5% of their disposable income in January, which pushed the personal savings rate to a 14-year high. Many experts consider this a healthy change for a nation that has traditionally seen a negative savings rate over the past several years.

The move to save is good news for banks, who are using consumer deposits to bolster their balance sheets. Remember, banks make money via the interest rate spread between what it pays depositors and charges those who take out loans. Right now, loans happen to be very expensive, so many banks can afford to dole out more cash to depositors to attract them for the long-term.

Many banks are now offering cash sign-up bonuses of up to $100 and attractive rates that surpass the current record-low federal funds rate of 0% to 0.25%. In fact, some banks are offering interest rates that can exceed 6% APY! Southern Missouri Bank, Kansas State Bank, Rocky Mountain Bank, and First Robinson Savings Bank are all offering these attractive yields.

Meanwhile, cash bonuses are increasingly being paid to consumers just for opening an account. Compass Bank is offering $100 while others like Citigroup and HSBC are offering $25 or more to setup an account at their banks. Even highly-accessible online-only banks are offering relatively high rates of 2.55% to 2.65% on many accounts. Combined, these are great deals for consumers!