Editorial Policy

Last updated: October 20, 2026

Thrift Panda exists for one reason: to help everyday people make better money decisions on a real paycheck. This page explains how we choose our topics, how we research them, and the standards every guide has to meet before it carries our name. If we ever fall short of what you read here, we want to hear about it.

How we choose topics

Every article starts with a question a real person is actually asking: how to budget on two paychecks a month, how much interest a minimum payment really costs, whether a balance transfer is worth the fee. We look at the money problems our readers write to us about, the questions people search for most, and the situations where bad advice does the most damage. If a topic would not help someone save money, pay off debt faster, or avoid an expensive mistake, we do not publish it.

How we research

We go to primary sources first. The rules, limits, and rates in our guides come from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Reserve, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Securities and Exchange Commission and Investor.gov, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When we cite a statistic, it traces back to one of those sources or to a named study — never to another blog's summary of a summary. Where a number matters to the advice, we show the math, so you can check it with your own figures.

Numbers are checked and dated

Money facts go stale: IRS limits change, savings rates move, and credit card terms shift. Each guide is reviewed before publication for accuracy, and when a figure we rely on changes, we update the article and its date. Older articles are revisited on a rolling basis, starting with the ones readers use most. If you spot a number that looks wrong, tell us — corrections are a priority, not an embarrassment.

Corrections policy

If we make a mistake, we fix it in the article itself and update the date at the top. We do not quietly delete errors and pretend they never happened; where a correction changes the advice, we say so in the text. To report an error, email us at hello@thriftpanda.com with the article URL and what needs fixing. We read every message and aim to review reported errors within a few business days.

Independence and how we make money

Thrift Panda is reader-supported through advertising, including Google AdSense. Advertisers and sponsors have no say in what we write, which products we mention, or what we recommend. We do not accept payment for reviews, rankings, or favorable coverage, and no company can pay to change a conclusion. If that ever changes, we will disclose it clearly on this page and on the article itself. Our calculators are free, and the numbers you enter into them never leave your browser.

We are not financial advisors

Thrift Panda provides general education, not personalized financial, tax, or legal advice. Your situation is your own, and for decisions that carry real consequences — taxes, retirement accounts, large debts — we encourage you to consult a qualified professional. Our Disclaimer explains this in full.

Questions about this policy? Write to us at hello@thriftpanda.com.