In 1992, when I was the money (& gardening) editor of a women's magazine, I wrote an item on Series EE bonds & how there would never be a better time to buy them. So I did. I spend $250 & a few months later $500 ~ all I could scrape up ~ for $500 & $1,000 bonds. They finished maturing 30 years later & I cashed them in yesterday: $3,110.40. A windfall. The amazing part is that I knew where they were the entire time.