Filed under
#calculation
credit
your card APR vs ~5% savings
Should I pay off my credit card first or save for emergencies?
The honest answer depends on three numbers: your card's APR, the size of the safety net you need, and how likely you are to actually use the card again if you pay it off.
taxes
you loaned the IRS at 0%
Why your tax refund is not actually good news
A $3,000 refund means you gave the IRS a $3,000 interest-free loan for the year. The fact that it feels like a windfall is a UX trick, not a financial win.