NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- The Federal Reserve has pretty much guaranteed that interest rates will remain low for the foreseeable future, probably for another two years, which is bad news for anyone using certificates of deposit as a savings vehicle or an investment strategy.

CD rates have experienced a major downhill slide in the past year and a half – and, just to be clear, the rates back in June of 2010 weren’t that great to begin with. But they were much better than they are now. Still, that doesn't mean you can't find decent deals on a certificate of deposit, if you can stand the pain.

Here’s a look at interest rates on the main CD maturity periods as of today and 18 months ago, as calculated by the BankingMyWay Weekly CD Rate tracker.

January 30, 2012
60-Month CD: 1.199% (previous week: 1.209%)
48-Month CD: 0.909% (previous week: 0.922%)
24-Month CD: 0.516% (previous week: 0.518%)
12-Month CD: 0.318% (previous week: 0.319%)
6-Month CD: 0.211% (previous week: 0.211%)
3-Month CD: 0.131% (previous week: 0.131%)

June 22, 2010
60-Month CD: 2.059% (previous week: 2.074%)
48-Month CD: 1.751% (previous week: 1.764%)
24-Month CD: 1.180% (previous week: 1.188%)
12-Month CD: 0.738% (previous week: 0.743%)
6-Month CD: 0.480% (previous week: 0.485%)
3-Month CD: 0.307% (previous week: 0.312%)

Does the recent trends mean bank investors are forever doomed to bargain-basement CD rates? Not necessarily. If you know where to look – and the BankingMyWay CD search engine is a good place to start – you can dig up some gems. Here are three of those deals, all available this week:

Hudson City Savings Bank

This bank offers three-month CD rate deals at twice the national average, at 0.60%. The deal is focused on investors in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, but outside of those three states, bank investors can still get in on the deal with a $5,000 minimum investment.

Washington Federal

This Seattle-based financial institution offers double the national average on 60-month CDs, offering interest of 2.25% compared to the average rate of 1.199% (according to the BankingMyWay Weekly CD Rate tracker). You’ll need a $1,000 minimum deposit, or $500 deposit for minors.

People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union

This Miami-based credit union has a three-year CD that pays 1.67%, which is actually better than most four-year CD rates right now. Again, you’ll need a $500 minimum to open an account.

These three CD deals are proof that if you look hard enough, you can still find good rates for your savings. You may have to widen your search, but if you do you can cash in on deals that are twice as good as the national average for select CD terms.

For the latest on the state of bank rates in the U.S., check out MainStreet’s Credit Power Index, which tracks that interest rate climate every month!

—For more ways to save, spend, invest and borrow, visit MainStreet.com.