Author Topic: Biased Survey Paints a Better Picture for America Than Is Reality  (Read 2083 times)

AH013

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A Times article reports a study by a debt counseling relief organization shows that 7 out of 10 families will use their tax refund to pay down debt, and only 2% will spend it on non-necessities...

http://time.com/money/3733393/tax-refunds-debt/

...And in other news a pig flew over a rainbow that had a pot of gold at the end of it surrounded by 4 leaf clovers.

I mean the only way I can see this article jiving with reality is if they take "applying my expected tax refund to the credit card charges I just rang up in February while spending my anticipated refund" to mean "using my refund to pay down debts".

SurlyTroll

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Re: Biased Survey Paints a Better Picture for America Than Is Reality
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2015, 02:46:21 PM »
Selection bias in the survey. Take 100 people who are actively working with a debt relief agency and ask, "What are you going to do with your tax refund?" In that light... maybe 68% should be disappointing.

minority_finance_mo

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Re: Biased Survey Paints a Better Picture for America Than Is Reality
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2015, 04:05:20 PM »
Okay, which one of you commented this on the article?

Quote
I do not give the government an interest free loan.

Indexer

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Re: Biased Survey Paints a Better Picture for America Than Is Reality
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2015, 05:33:15 PM »
Yea they got a $3000 refund.  They spent $3000 on Christmas in anticipation of getting the 3000 so they have to pay off that credit card. 

OR they just got a refund anticipation loan from H&R block, they already spent the money, and the refund is paying back the debt.

OR they spend 2500, and use 500 to pay down debt.  Then when poled they say they paid down debt.

Show me the % that saved 100%.  Thats the impressive number.