US Treasury bonds: if the US government fails you’ll have bigger problems than money. You don’t need to worry about that scenario. You’ll win the lottery first.
Pay off a loan: by paying off your principal early you can guarantee that you pay less interest in the future.
Buy something that saves you money: if you like cooking, an herb garden will save you a lot of money. If you like sweets, baking equipment will do the same.
Yes, savings are usually better if for some reason you are forced to choose only one. But they are generally used together. A penny saved is worth even more if it is used to generate a return.
You can get a guaranteed return in many ways.
The first is not guaranteed, the others are savings not returns.
Savings are better than returns because they are legally tax free. A penny saved is worth more than a penny earned.
Yes, savings are usually better if for some reason you are forced to choose only one. But they are generally used together. A penny saved is worth even more if it is used to generate a return.