It's a bit silly to leave too much money in the bank with today's interest rates.
So let's look at some dividend shares…
Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)
Wesfarmers has a good history of paying dividends, with shareholders this year receiving a fully franked total payment of $2.23.
This equates to a yield of 5.24% based on Thursday's share price of $42.55.
This year's payment was significantly up on last year's dividend of $1.86.
However, it should be noted that 2016's dividend was significantly down on the $2 the conglomerate paid shareholders in 2014 and 2015.
Wesfarmers, with a market cap of more than $48 billion, is a solid company and could offer shareholders good long-term returns, particularly if its retailer Coles manages to withstand the Amazon effect.
Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN)
Suncorp this year paid a total dividend (fully franked) of 73 cents which works out to be a yield of 5.21% on a $14 share price.
This year's payment was up on last year's, which came to a total of 68 cents, but it was down from stronger dividends reaped by shareholders in previous years.
In 2015, Suncorp's total dividend came to 88 cents and in 2014 in worked out to be $1.05.
While it's often a bit more reassuring to a see steady increases in dividends, Suncorp could be worth a closer look.
Its share price has come up from the $12 it was trading at a year ago and there is a chance dividends will increase, along with its share price.
Analysts are tipping Suncorp's sales to steadily increase in coming years.
Scentre Group (ASX: SCG)
Scentre Group, owner of the Westfield shopping centres, is paying a partially franked dividend of 21.6 cents which equates to a yield of 5.2% on a share price of $4.15.
The company has managed to steadily increase its dividend over the past few years.
But this year its share price has bounced around from the $4.11 it was trading at a year ago to land at pretty close to same place on Thursday.
It should be noted that Scentre hasn't managed a particularly impressive sales-growth record and, with a heavy reliance on its shopping centre business, it is difficult to imagine the company turning things around amid Amazon's arrival.
