You’re not giving it to a banker, you’re trading risk for return and flexibility. One can access savings at any time, any amount. Not true with bonds, maybe if you fiddle with indices.

Also bond returns have averaged 5% over decades, not 7.

Not taking all this into account, and simply claiming bogey men took your money, is misleading.

While true, funds for retirement, college or to give as a gift when your kids move out do not need liquidity. Therefore, those should not be in savings.