Unpack Money Research
Research & data hub
Original datasets, benchmarks, and studies — every figure computed from stated inputs or " "cited to a primary source, all downloadable. Journalists and researchers: reuse with attribution and a link.
Studies
Original research
The Cost of Carrying $5,000 in Credit Card Debt, by APR
Original research: what $5,000 in credit card debt really costs at 15%–29.99% APR with a fixed $150 monthly payment. Months, interest, and totals — computed, not estimated.
Read →Original research
The Savings Rate Gap: 0.37% vs 3.75%
Original research: the FDIC national average savings rate (0.37%) versus our top verified high-yield savings APY (3.75%) — what the gap costs on $10,000 over 1, 5, and 10 years.
Read →Original research
What a 1% Mortgage Rate Difference Costs on $300,000
Original research: the same $300,000 30-year mortgage at 6%, 7%, and 8% — monthly payment and lifetime interest, computed. Each point costs ~$200/month.
Read →Benchmarks
Benchmark
50/30/20 Budget Benchmarks by Income
Original research: the 50/30/20 budget rule applied to five incomes — exact dollar targets for needs, wants, and savings at $40k–$150k.
Read →Benchmark
Emergency Fund Targets by Monthly Spending
Original research: 3- and 6-month emergency fund targets for five spending levels, plus how long each takes to build at $500/month.
Read →Datasets
Dataset · CSV
Unpack Money Verified Rates — October 2026
Every product's headline rate, fees, and last-verified date from our product database. Snapshot, updated with each verification cycle.
Download →Dataset · CSV
Credit Card Debt Cost Data
Payoff months, interest, and totals by APR — the data behind the study.
View study →Dataset · CSV
Savings Rate Gap Data
FDIC average vs top verified HYSA growth figures, 1–10 years.
View study →How we do research
- Computed figures come from stated formulas and inputs — no black boxes, no “proprietary models.”
- External figures come from primary sources (FDIC, CFPB, Freddie Mac via FRED) with retrieval dates.
- We never survey, estimate from memory, or invent statistics. When data doesn't exist, we compute or we don't publish.
Cite this hub
Unpack Money Research Desk (October 2026). “Unpack Money Research & Data Hub.” Unpack Money. https://unpackmoney.com/research/
You may reuse any figure on this page with attribution and a link.
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