Help me choose how to spend my money

[Locut0s]

I still say travel the world as I posted above, no one else seems to have mentioned this.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Maybe combine something else with fixing your old trailer. What's wrong with it?

Standing snow over the winter compromised the roof. We had massive water infiltration in the front sleeping compartment (we have a fifth wheel). My brother in law and I basically rebuilt the front of the trailer from the studs out, but it still leaked even afterreplacing the rubber roof. We finally resorted to ~100 linear feet of ice and water shield, which seems to be keeping the rain out for the time being. The trailer is still "usable," but it is definitely not attractive or comfortable. Think, "sleepind=g in a luon cave" and you will have some idea of what the sleeping compartment of the trailer looks like.

In addition to that fine mess, the toilet is giving us fits. We have banned #2's in the trailer because the tank doesn't drain well at all and "burps" quite often.

Last, my family shares the trailer with my sister in law's family. Between the 2 families, we have 4 adults and 3 kids, and one more kid is on the way. For the last couple of years, we have been able to fenagle 7 places to sleep in a 6 person trailer 26' trailer. But with one more kid on the way, we all recognize that the trailer is just too small, and we need to go our seperate ways.

 

[dmcowen674]

It's not on the poll.

Spend it on more taxes, looks like Bush tax cuts leaving you flush.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Either #1 if your wife is behind it 100%. Or else I'd suggest taking a killer vacation. Travel the world!

Amazingly, my wife 100% supports getting my teeth fixed. She is sick of hearing me talk about the options. The phrase, "shit or get off the pot" is frequently uttered when I start talking about my choppers.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

If your teeth work, cavities are filled, root canals are done, caps are in place, cleaning and root planing is done, then there is little more to do. However, you mention missing some teeth.

I'm not missing any teeth, yet. And FWIW, a smile makeover is not purely cosmetic. For me, it is intended to PREVENT me from having to take more drastic action in the future, e.g., dentures or implants.

I've posted the story before, but for brevity I'll summarize it here. When I was 13, my parents forced me to get braces. I hated the idea of them, but they made me get them nonetheless. To rebel, I didn't brush my teeth. By the time I was 15, I has massive decay on most of my front teeth, and the orthodontist insisted that I have the braces removed so that the decay could be addressed. I had 14 fillings on my front teeth done, and 2 root canals. At 15.

Fast forward 20 years. I now have 20 year old dental work that is literally falling apart in my mouth. All of that stuff needs to be repaired, and many of my teeth require crowns to fix the issues. We are talking ~25k worth of dental work, whether or not it is "made pretty." I figure that if I am going to have to spend that much anyway, I would like an aesthetically nice result as well.

Kitchen improvements can have a big effect on the happiness of the home. However, if the improvement is purely cosmetic, do not bother.

Generally agree, but with the sidenote that cosmetic improvements to kitchens and baths improve resale value, and thus are arguably practical expenditures.

Bathroom? Who cares so long as it works. My old home has 50 year old counters, sinks, toilets, floor and wall tile, and a bath with old colors but much improved functionality and quality over modern appliances. To change something of high quality merely for a modern fashion is nuts.

Ah, you have a 50s or 60's era home, where everything was made to last. I have a 90's era home, were most everything was made with a mixture of saw dust and glue. It is functional. But it is also horribly unattractive/

A new water heater can save money in gas or electric bills and is worthwhile.

In our case, we would be adding a hot water tank to our existing off boiler system. That tank will allow us to use our jacuzzi tub, because our existing system is not capable of providing enough hot water for the tub.

Children, now that is the priority. A place for them to play may not be so important if there is a park nearby or if the yard is small. Otherwise, give them the best you can.

Trust me, my son wants for nothing.

An older camping trailer without plumbing can be an improvement over tents when it rains. However, half the fun of camping is sleeping in a tent, feeling the fresh air, and looking up through the mesh top to see the stars and tree limbs swaying in the morning breeze.

I should clarify and say that our "camp" is a trailer with a deck around it, a built in grill, and a brick outdoor fireplace. We do have a tent set up as well, but it is on a platform and more or less a semipermanent structure. A better way to describe our place is the poor man's lake front property.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

It's not on the poll.

Spend it on more taxes, looks like Bush tax cuts leaving you flush.

Yes, because apparently, 35% of my gross income is "not my fair share." But that is a topic for P&N.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

I still say travel the world as I posted above, no one else seems to have mentioned this.

I would love to do that. But unfortunately, traveling with a 2.5 year old is not exactly easy. Especially when said traveling includes long flights.

 

[rcpratt]

Not gonna happen. At least not before I get them fixed. I rarely smile in photos anyway, so it would be a chore to find a suitable pic anyway.

We are impartial observers who would only use the information to help you make your decision and would definitely never mock you!

 

[Sho'Nuff]

We are impartial observers who would only use the information to help you make your decision and would definitely never mock you!

 

[chusteczka]

...

It seems your situations are outside my experience. Sorry about that.

Regarding your teeth, root canals and caps are the extent of my experience. Beyond that, I might consider just having them pulled but I am not sure if I could really do that. Maybe you can work out an agreement with the dentist for the large amount of work necessary.

Regarding your camping trailer, I had similar as a child. My father purchased some land on a lake in NW Wisconsin and we would go up there for a few weeks each summer. We felt guilty if we took a vacation anywhere else, since bills, utilities, and money was invested in that property and a mobile home trailer that we placed and left there year 'round.

A few years ago, the snow caved in the roof, similar to what you mentioned, and the mobile home was hauled off for garbage. The trailer was our refuge from the mosquitoes. However, now as an adult, my preference is to camp in a tent and visit all the state and national parks to hike the trails and rent canoes for the rivers.

I sometimes wonder if the time spent and costs involved for maintenance of a property are worth it. There are certainly advantages and trade offs to each option.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

leaning on 3 cuz i just did my kitchen.

but ideally, pics of all the options would be the most helpful to see where the funds should be allocated.

 

[gophins72]

i still say choice #1, in regards to hookers and blow, they should never have better teeth than you.

 

[lxskllr]

Given the details regarding your teeth, I'm 100% with that. All the other stuff is unnecessary, but your teeth will have to be dealt with at some point, and sooner is better than later.