For anyone who is expecting a tax refund this year, the temptation to go out and spend it often is great. The action of millions upon millions of people doing this very thing is often a great boost to the economy during a time of slow growth. Unfortunately, the act of you personally doing such a thing cannot be viewed as favourably, especially considering that there are smarter ways to use your tax refund. By managing the refund as you would any other weekly or monthly allocation of money, you can be smarter and more effective at getting the best bang for your buck. Below, we will outline several smart ways in which you can use your tax refund efficiently.

Pay Off Debt

Is there a large amount of debt currently hanging over your head? Do you get tired of making monthly payments, only to see the balance drop negligibly? If so, using your tax return as a way to pay down this debt is not only good for your mental well-being, but also good for your pockets. Depending on your interest rate, you can save anywhere from hundreds to thousands of pounds by paying loans and debt off prematurely. Rather than pinging a website for the latest deals in a vein search to spend your money, consider first how much you will save by negating all that interest on currently held debt.

Setup Your Rainy Day Fund

We never know when an emergency will strike, and tax time is perhaps the best time of the year in which we can allocate funds for such a purpose. Major financial advisers suggest that any emergency or rainy day fund have enough in it to cover all expenses and bills for six months; while it may not be possible to completely attain this goal with just a tax refund, you can put a solid amount back in case a situation arises that calls for emergency financing.

Work On Your Home

Whether you have been putting off a needed repair or simply wish to give the home added value by remodelling a room, using your tax return to take care of home improvements may prove to be valuable investment in the long-run. By adding value to your home, you will increase its value if and when you decide to sell it. Some may also benefit from using the funds to refinance their home and take advantage of currently low interest rates, but that ultimately depends on a number of factors like the length of your existing mortgage, how much has been paid thus far and of course, your current interest rate.

Make A Business Investment

Have you been holding back on chasing your dreams of owning your own business? Now may be the time, depending on your goals. Many small businesses can be started these days via the internet with very little capital; most people’s tax refunds will more than cover the costs of setting up the online presence, pinging your website to major audiences and also give you some leeway to grab materials or products to provide.