Unlike the OP, I have no debt and $6000 in the bank. A soon-to-be grad student, I'm also looking at a pretty low income for years to come. So I'd like to be able to reasonably quickly free up my assets. Is the money still best left in the bank?
Yes, keep it in a decent bank, and don't bother with bonds or equity.
If you find some project that you're passionate about, then don't be afraid to burn through a little bit of your savings in order to learn and explore.
Think like this: if smart investing allows you to raise your (risk-adjusted) returns by a full percentage point - which is really good - you have earned $60/year. That's unlikely to be a good wage for the hours you need to put in.
Looking at a comparison website and moving your money to an account with good interest is probably worth it, though.
