Renee invested $2,000 six years ago at 4.5 percent interest. She spends her earnings as soon as she earns any interest so she only receives interest on her initial $2,000 investment. Which type of interest is she earning?

A. Free interest.
B. Complex interest.
C. Simple interest.
D. Interest on interest.
E. Compound interest.

Simple interest is money earned by depositing some amount of money in a bank account or an investment account. The amount gained in the simple interest results from the money deposited only (the principal amount). Simple interest earns a constant amount for the entire period of savings or investment as long as the interest rate and the principal amount remain unchanged.

Simple interest is unlike compound interest. In compound interest, the interest earned in a period is added the deposit to make a larger principal amount. Renee is earning simple interest because her earnings are from the principal amount only. Since she is withdrawing her interests as they are earned, meaning her deposits remain the same. She is not allowing her earnings to be compounded with the principal amount to generate more earnings.