If you like to wait until the last minute, you know you’ve got a few extra days to file your taxes this year. But what if you don’t like waiting for your money — are instant tax refunds a good deal?

Tax preparers still offer these loans (yes, they make a loan instead of giving you your refund instantly), but they’re getting harder to find. Instead of waiting for the IRS to send your refund, you can get it as you file your taxes.

Unfortunately, these programs are expensive and often unnecessary. If you needed the money so badly, why not just file a return earlier? Fees on tax refund loans are higher than fees for most other loans, so they should be a last resort. In addition, the IRS processes refunds relatively quickly in most cases — they can zap money to your bank account using direct deposit within two weeks.