Comments on: What Would You Do With $1000?

By: dalia

dalia — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:02:45 +0000

i would go shopping!

By: John

John — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:15:55 +0000

I would put it towards my mortgage to get it closer to eliminating PMI. I plan to reach 80% L/V in Feb/March 2010 and thus save $60/month on top of the interest saved.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:16:29 +0000

Anything that lowers regular monthly expenses. The key is how low can you get your monthly bills down to. Once they are low enough not to be a problem, you can relax.

By: Davon

Davon — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:21:47 +0000

I would send an extra car payment $300, spend $100 on food for pantry, $100 mad money cash fund-for life’s little nuances, and the remaining $500 into my emergency fund.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:57:21 +0000

Put it on the mortgage – it’s fixed for 5 years and I can only repay up to $20,000 extra in that time, so I’m trying to pay it off as soon as possible (already $5k down in 4 months on top of scheduled repayments!)

By: Matt Jabs

Matt Jabs — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:04:55 +0000

If we were to come upon an extra unexpected $1,000 we would use 100% of it to pay down on our Lending Club loan. Period.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:17:03 +0000

I’d use it to pay down my student loans or car loan. I tend not to spend money if I can help it, so anything that reduces my debt/increases my net worth is the way to go for me.

By: gr8tful

gr8tful — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:34:21 +0000

I would add it to our emergency fund – we are always nervous about our job security and think we need even more cash while we wait for our NW to re-emerge. We are late 50’s and mid-60’s and are obviously extending our retirement – it is SCARY.

By: fairy dust

fairy dust — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:59:36 +0000

Sock it away in a CD for the cruise we’re already planning for Jan 2011

By: Grant Baldwin

Grant Baldwin — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:47:32 +0000

Good post Nickel…I posted about this same article the other day but took a different slant on it. The subtitle was “Here are 68 of the smartest options,” so I made the point that with that many choices, most people will just end up doing nothing. Sad, but true.

http://grantbaldwin.com/blog/w.....ndecision/

By: John DeFlumeri Jr

John DeFlumeri Jr — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:25:07 +0000

Buy airline tickets and take a short vacation!
And buy flowers for my wife!

John DeFlumeri Jr

By: kenyantykoon

kenyantykoon — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:51:19 +0000

spend like 15% of it and the rest i would put it in my investment portfolio or invest it in one of my businesses

By: Greg

Greg — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:27:54 +0000

The last debt standing, our mortgage….

By: Bobby

Bobby — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 03:31:55 +0000

Ticket to Bangkok. I won’t remember the $1000 in twenty years; I’ll remember a trip to Bangkok.

By: Dan

Dan — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:56:03 +0000

A Smith & Wesson M&P AR-15 semi-automatic rifle cost only $1000? I know a few banks I can take it to to get a rebate. I think we own some of these banks.

By: The Biz of Life

The Biz of Life — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:46:14 +0000

Get out of the falling dollar and invest in emerging markets (VWO).

By: Clf

Clf — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:49:58 +0000

I’d put it straight into the house or yard. Probably the best dollar I’ve ever spent was on our property.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:17:07 +0000

$1000 would be nice to just fall in to my lap. All of the things I have heard on here are great ideas…even the AR-15 purchase. I think I would have to figure out a way to turn it in to more money now. I have been reading some books, and listening to teleseminars about building a cash machine. From what I am learning from Loral, you dont need $1000 to fall in your lap, but it would only help get you to your end result more quickly.

By: Rex Huston

Rex Huston — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:53:24 +0000

I would invest it in myself by taking some classes. Also my local NPR station is having their fund drive right now. I would donate some to them.

By: Shakela

Shakela — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:39:47 +0000

Pay down my car! Since I have no credit card debt and am a single student, it’s my biggest outstanding debt that I can pay on yet. (Student loans are still in process 3 years to go for my license!)

By: jnc51247

jnc51247 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:40:44 +0000

I happen to have that $1,000 (didn’t fall in my lap but I’ve been saving a little at a time).
There are two things I am leaning towards that are not on the list:
1. A little more food in the cupboards, dry goods packaged for 20 years, it seems to be a sound investment in the future. Our economist friend says inflation will hit us like a train in the next few years -
2. A few classes at the college for a back up in case of job loss. I have a degree, but that field is a no-hire one in our area.
When I thought about it, for me, those both seemed like the investment with the best returns over the next few years.
P.S. Our house and car are paid off and we have a emergency cash fund. Also, we do not carry credit card debt. Otherwise, that’s where the $$ would go.
Thanks Nickel, you are providing such a great service!

By: Richie Proud

Richie Proud — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:04:16 +0000

Not going to lie, if I came across $1,000 that I could just “do whatever I wanted to with it” then I’d buy a brand new Smith & Wesson M&P AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. I’d have to pony up another $400 for an auto-loader to make the rounds cost affordable.

So it looks like if I come across a random $1,000, I will end up -$400 in debt

By: prufock

prufock — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:47:57 +0000

Put it all on black and let it ride!

Just kidding. I’d sit on it for a few days, then probably put the entire sum toward debt repayment.

By: Penny

Penny — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:40:59 +0000

I’d use it to make my home more comfortable; perhaps keep plugging away at remodeling the basement level? If I had any debt other than a mortgage however, I’d be inclined to toss it at that

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:33:47 +0000

Reinsulate my attic. As the season changes, I can practically FEEL the dollars being sucked through the ceiling.

Plus, I’d get 30% back as a tax credit, so it’s a doubly good investment. Maybe I should just pony up the $1000…

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:18:36 +0000

I’d toss it into the bank…or then again maybe I’d put it on a horse at the track?

By: Lee

Lee — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:54:34 +0000

I’d add $500 to my emergency fund, and use the rest to pay down my debt.

By: Meoip

Meoip — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:23:14 +0000

I was very happy to see this article, I have about $5,000 extra this year from a side business I run. I want to put it someplace wise. I’m giving 25% to charity. so I really have 3,750 to use. I know paying off a car may not be the best long term investment but that’s where I’m leaning. I’m already putting nicely into retirement and I’m going to get the max tax benefit from my son’s 529 contributions, my appliances are 2 years old so I can’t justify dumping them.

By: Ankur

Ankur — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:16:10 +0000

I would send half to my mutual fund and half to the local food bank.

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:55:03 +0000

I would add it to my emergency fund for some extra padding.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:33:49 +0000

I would throw it at my auto loan. I hate that payment!

By: BG

BG — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:54:50 +0000

I’d use it for maintenance / repairs.

By: Adam

Adam — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:16:20 +0000

Add it to my house downpayment fund.

By: wrc1000

wrc1000 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:07:16 +0000

Fund my 2009 Roth . . .