Trump Paused New Tariffs -- 3 Urgent Money Moves to Make This Week

President Donald Trump has enacted a 90-day delay on many of the new tariffs that were expected to roll out this spring.

But if we've learned anything from the past couple of months, it's that our trade policy situation can heat up and change very quickly.

I'm thinking of this 90-day pause as a window of opportunity. Knowing hefty tariffs will be imposed soon, this is a great time to plan ahead and get your financial ducks in a row. Here are three immediate moves you can make.

1. Put your emergency fund to work (seriously, now)

If your emergency fund is earning 0.01% in a plain ol' checking account somewhere, you're missing out on some serious interest. Potentially hundreds of dollars each year.

That's money that you could be using to offset higher costs when tariffs kick in, or helping beef up your emergency fund.

Switching to a high-yield savings account takes minutes. Personally, my emergency fund sits in an HYSA, and I earned $798 in interest last year.

2. Pay off high-interest debt ASAP

Most people don't realize that credit card interest compounds daily. This means every day you delay in paying off credit card debt, more interest accrues against you.

Come July, when tariffs likely raise your overall expenses, managing high-interest debt balances will become a lot harder.

Start tackling your debt seriously today. Here's what to do:

• Stop buying unnecessary things with your credit cards
• Make a list of all your debt balances and interest rates
• Use the avalanche method (pay off highest rate first)
• Avoid paying high interest on your credit card debt. This balance transfer card comes highly recommended by our experts and gives you a smart way to pay down what you owe without added interest.

The faster you eliminate high-interest debt, the more breathing room you'll have.

3. Continue investing for the long term

Tariffs have certainly rattled the stock market. But for long-term investors, this is amazing news because turbulent times provide great buying opportunities.

Think back to the great financial crisis in 2008, or COVID-19 pandemic in 2020… These market slumps were excellent times to buy stocks and hold them for the long term.

For those who would prefer to stay more conservative, or have a shorter term investing horizon, CD's might be a great fit. CDs currently offer rates above 4.00%, which is a great, risk-free return right now. Check out our list of the best CDs to lock in a competitive rate today.

Focus on what you can control

I'll be honest. Reading the ongoing tariff news and trade war situation really gets me a little depressed. Makes me want to pack up and move to Australia.

But the truth is all that policy stuff is way out of my control.

So instead of worrying about upcoming tariffs and the overall economy, I'm focusing on what I can control. My goal is to beef up my savings, build my resilience, and prepare for a year of increasing expenses.

No matter what happens with tariffs in the end, I'll be in a better spot financially.