A 2026 study by Freedom Debt Relief and Money.com surveyed borrowers with more than $10,000 in unsecured debt to learn more about how they’re managing their finances.
According to the study, more than 40% of respondents say the first thing they’d do with extra cash is pay down their debt faster. A similar number would use that money for basic living expenses or put in savings, and 13% say they’d invest for long-term goals.
Put another way, about three times the number of respondents would put extra money toward debt over investing. Knowing investing is part of a long-term wealth-building strategy and that there’s nothing more beneficial to investments than time, is using extra money to pay off…