Instead, check out our suggestions for how to invest for short-term goals. Learn more about monry to prioritize your financial goals. A guaranteed investment return is as rare as free money, and a k match gives you both: When you put dollars into the account, your employer puts dollars in. When that contribution is swiped out of your paycheck, repay yourself from the money in savings. An Cam is like a k you open on your own, which means no match. You can choose to contribute that to a traditional IRA, which will get you a tax deduction on your contribution. Generally, a Roth IRA is best if you think your tax rate will be higher later than it is .