There are a number of people who a three month term deposit might work for, these include:

• A rate surfer. Someone who likes to hunt down the most competitive interest rates on the market and surf between providers. 

• A newbie investor. If you’re new to investing in general, a term deposit could be a fairly low risk way to dip your toe in the water. A three month term deposit especially isn’t too long a commitment to start with. 

• A goal setter. A three month term deposit could be an option for someone saving for something specific. For example, you might have an event coming up in a few months time, or there might be something specific that you want to buy. Either way a short term could be one way to make sure you don’t dip into your savings beforetime.

When to invest in a three month term deposit will really come down to your personal, financial situation. For instance, you might suddenly receive a windfall of cash from a payout, an inheritance from a long lost relative or a lottery win. In this instance you may want to stash your money in a shorter term deposit, while you figure out what to do with it.

Another instance where you may want to lock your money away is when you’ve just reached a savings goal. You may have been saving for a wedding or a holiday and want to make sure that you don’t dip into your hard earned stash. In this case a three month term deposit may be an option to hide your money away until you actually want to use it.

Features to look for when choosing a three month term deposit are:

• The interest rate. A competitive interest is definitely a bonus for any term deposit. Plus, nowadays all that’s needed to compare term deposit interest rates is a quick online search! Scroll up to compare term deposit interest rates on Mozo.

• The minimum deposit. Most banks will require a minimum amount to put in a term deposit. This could be $1,000, $5,000 or even $10,000.

• The maximum deposit. Banks will also often put a cap on how much you can deposit. This could be $250,000 or as much as $1 million. Just remember that the Australian government financial claims scheme only guarantees deposits up to $250,000.

• Interest rate payment options. Can interest payments be made to another bank? Or will you have to set up a transaction account with the bank in question?

• Early withdrawal fees. In the event that you need to withdraw your funds early, most banks will charge an early withdrawal fee and/or reduce your interest rate. Make sure you read up on the penalties that apply, before depositing your money in a three month term deposit.

Case study:

The champagne has popped and is free flowing amongst family and friends. There are lots of high fives, a sense of relief and elation as Mr and Mrs Smith have sold their two bedroom unit, making a profit of $250,000 on when they bought it five years ago.

The Smiths haven't bought a new home yet so aren't too sure what to do with the money they've made. Being impulse buyers, the couple are concerned they might spend it all at once before purchasing a new place! So the Smiths start doing some research and realise they can snap up a high interest rate with a short term deposit and won't risk spending their profits before finding their dream home. A short term deposit also suits the Smiths as they know they will need to access the funds in the next couple of months.

With the benefits of the online world they search Mozo for the best interest rates on a three month term deposit with $250,000. Bang, they've hit a jackpot! With a 0.70% p.a interest rate paid at maturity the Smiths could earn around $438. 

Got a particular three month term deposit in mind? Use Mozo’s term deposits calculator to work out how much interest you might earn overall. Just plug in the interest rate and the amount you want to deposit, plus whether you’ll be collecting the interest monthly or at maturity. Bearing in mind that most three month term deposits will probably only give you the option to collect the interest on maturity.