One minor I-bond hack: It's generally better to only buy them a few days before the end of the month, since it counts the same as if you bought them at the begi

One minor I-bond hack: It's generally better to only buy them a few days before the end of the month, since it counts the same as if you bought them at the beginning of the month. For all timing purposes (interest, 12-month lock-up, and 5-year penalty), only the purchase year and month matter. The day is irrelevant. In other words, time it correctly and your money is only locked up for 11 months + a few days. And since interest accrues on the 1st of the month, this also helps the interest rate math slightly. Just don't go too close to end-of-month, since (iirc) it takes a few days for the transfer/purchase to go through online, and you don't want to get bumped to the next month.