Fee-free investing in U.S. bonds

You can invest in United States federal government savings bonds, notes, and bills without paying a maintenance fee or commission.  Information is at www.treasurydirect.gov This website also has all sorts of information about the various investment vehicles issued by the government, including notes (longer maturities), bills (shorter maturities), TIPS (inflation protected securities), and savings bonds (including series H, E/EE, and I).  If you have lots of savings bonds, there are ways to input the information on these investments, and get a value of all of your holdings.

For normal small accounts, the government does not charge a maintenance fee for an account nor a transaction fee for each investment.  Money is pulled right out of your checking account to invest, and deposited back into your checking account when they pay interest or the bill or note matures.  You can invest along with the big investors by placing bids or can just submit orders that will be placed at the going rate.

There is also information about upcoming actions of securities.