Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTChristy BieberFri, June 5, 2026 at 6:10 PM GMT+2 6 min readMoney makes the world go ‘round, so what happens if some surprise cash comes your way? According to a study from financial services company Empower, which surveyed 1,011 Americans in early March 2026, 65% of Americans said they’d save or invest any money they’d receive from a financial windfall. Another 52% said they’d pay off debt, and 37% indicated they’d get immediate financial relief by using it to pay their bills.Okay, so that’s what people say they would do with their winnings. But what should people be doing with the money?Must ReadRobert Kiyosaki says this 1 asset will surge 400% in a year and begs investors not to miss this ‘explosion’Prime US real estate was a rich person's game — then something changed. Now everyday Americans are getting a piece of the action for as little as $100Millionaires under 43 are reshaping investing — just 25% of their portfolios are in stocks. Here’s where their money is goingLet’s pretend that Arya just turned 30 and her aunt gave her a $10,000 birthday present to celebrate the milestone. Arya has to figure out what to do with all that cash, and she’s just not sure about the best approach.Here’s what financial experts recommend.Get rid of expensive debtsIt may seem like the obvious solution, but dealing with burdensome debt is probably the best thing to do with a $10,000 windfall if you owe money.“My first recommendation would be to pay off or make a significant dent in high-interest debt, particularly credit card balances. Earning 4% or 5% in a savings account is nice, but eliminating debt with interest rates in the teens or even higher often provides a much greater financial benefit,” Mary Ware, senior wealth advisor and managing partner at Carnegie Private Wealth in Charlotte, North Carolina, told Moneywise.With the average credit card interest rate at 21% as of February 2026, few investments are going to beat the ROI you get from paying off credit card debt.“Lingering credit card balances can quickly compound against us,” Clifford C. Cornell, financial advisor at Bone Fide Wealth, LLC, told Moneywise. “A windfall of this nature could be exactly what someone needs to level the playing field.”If Arya had any debt besides a mortgage and student loans, she should seriously consider using that $10K in unexpected cash to pay it off ASAP. Fortunately, she’s debt-free in this example, so doesn’t have to use her windfall this way.Read More: BlackRock warns buying and holding the S&P 500 isn’t enough for retirement anymore — here's whySave for emergenciesSince Arya isn’t in debt, bulking up her emergency fund would generally be the next best place for her $10,000 to go. “I’d encourage people to ensure they have at least three to nine months’ worth of living expenses set aside as their cash reserve,” Cornell told Moneywise.Terms and Privacy PolicyPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info