what would you do with a couple thousand dollars?

[Nintendesert]

I would fill up my gas tank.

 

[T2urtle]

1k a month is mortgage/rent in most big cities.

 

[highland145]

Savings. The family wish list:
New kitchen for the wife....$12K..I hope
Paved drive (Bball court for the kid)....$6k...I hope

My list:
HSA....$6350
Kids school...$5500
Retirement....never...I can cross that off.

 

[waggy]

I'd seriously have to cut down on my spending to live on 1k a month...

no shit. i couldn't live on 1k a month. that would pay my mortgage and leave me a little extra.

add in propane
garbage
food
Tv (though i would cancel that in a heartbeat)
daughters gymnastics (2nd biggest bill)
sons twd/self defense class


shit..

 

[nageov3t]

I'd seriously have to cut down on my spending to live on 1k a month...

my 6-month shit fund is $10K... that's probably a good more than I'd actually need.

my current bills are rent ($600), electricity (~$75), and cable/internet ($200, though if I were unemployed, I'd cancel cable and cut my internet back to the cheapest I could get just for job hunting)... I guess cellphone ($80/month) too, since that's paid for by my job currently.

my food budget would probably get slashed down to rice/pasta/beans plus whatever meat is on sale (with a heavy helping of dinners at my parents' house)

 

[bigrash]

I'd invest in a new computer or dslr lens. Save the rest.

 

[Thebobo]

pay for a maid

 

[Jeff7]

IRA. Yeah, it's a boring option.

Roth: Pay income taxes now, but pay no income tax when you get the money out sometime around when you turn 60.
Traditional IRA: I think you get to deduct the contribution amount, so you theoretically don't pay taxes on it now, but you do have to pay income taxes on it later when you take it out. Also, you're required by law to start taking some minimum distribution after you turn 70.

My recommendation: Low-cost index mutual funds. (Also a boring option, but effective.)
If that's not your thing, just mind your costs if you pick funds. Brokerage fees, sales loads, and the expense ratio all eat away at your money. Little nibbles like that can add up quickly.

You have the IRA and 401k options available.
IRA gives you $5,500 of tax-advantaged space per year, and I believe the 401k is $17,500. if you miss out on filling that space, you won't get it back.

 

[Wonderful Pork]

If by "left over" you mean after monthly IRA, emergency savings and vacation savings contributions are made, then I personally would put it in my engagement ring fund.

Otherwise I'd put it into my brokerage account, but probably keep 10-20% to "blow" on stuff I've had my eye on for a while.

 

[GrumpyMan]

Haven't had hookers and blow in a long time so if that money really bothers you, I'll give you my routing number and account number?

 

[IronWing]

Ticket from New Jersey to Tucson, flying tomorrow, returning Wednesday = $1000.
Motel (dumpy), cab, and food = $400.
Buy some really cool rocks. Spend rest of time enjoying sun and looking at your newly purchased pretty rocks in the sun = $1600.
Fly home with the memory of that warm sunshine and a bagful of pretty rocks that will never look as pretty in Jersey as they did in the Tucson sun.

 

[Jeff7]

Ticket from New Jersey to Tucson, flying tomorrow, returning Wednesday = $1000.
Motel (dumpy), cab, and food = $400.
Buy some really cool rocks. Spend rest of time enjoying sun and looking at your newly purchased pretty rocks in the sun = $1600.
Fly home with the memory of that warm sunshine and a bagful of pretty rocks that will never look as pretty in Jersey as they did in the Tucson sun.

Well of course you would recommend that.

 

[IronWing]

Well of course you would recommend that.

Just got home from one of the shows. Didn't part with any money yet this year but it is cool to see amethyst geodes the size of hot tubs.

 

[Jeff7]

Just got home from one of the shows. Didn't part with any money yet this year but it is cool to see amethyst geodes the size of hot tubs.

Wow.


I'll admit, whenever I've been at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, I spend a rather inordinate portion of my time there in their mineralogy exhibit.

 

[Gintaras]

... and allocating money into the hookers and blow fund, ...

Why do you need hookers?
Communication problems?
There are plenty of women who want that without(well, almost without) money involved...
Can't you go to a bar, meet a woman, buy her a couple of drinks, have some conversation and after go to her/or your place and spend very good night together...well, if you like each other, there will be more night like that....

 

[DrPizza]

I'd probably put it toward my son's wedding. He was supposed to get married at the end of the summer, but his fiancee's father was just diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, so they moved the wedding up to this month. Wife & I are apparently covering almost all the wedding expenses due to the circumstances.

 

[IronWing]

Wow.


I'll admit, whenever I've been at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, I spend a rather inordinate portion of my time there in their mineralogy exhibit.

Here's a few pics of miners pulling out a giant geode.

 

[IronWing]

Wife & I are apparently covering almost all the wedding expenses due to the circumstances.

Best to ask no questions.

 

[Baked]

Meh, probably my IRA account. Can't buy anything substantial with only a couple K. If we're talking in the 10K+ territory then I'll get a new car, paid in cash.

 

[nageov3t]

Why do you need hookers?
Communication problems?
There are plenty of women who want that without(well, almost without) money involved...
Can't you go to a bar, meet a woman, buy her a couple of drinks, have some conversation and after go to her/or your place and spend very good night together...well, if you like each other, there will be more night like that....

er, that was a joke... because I assumed the first 15 responses would be "hookers and blow."

 

[IronWing]

er, that was a joke... because I assumed the first 15 responses would be "hookers and blow."

You just smashed my fantasy about selling services to you. Thank man, thanks a lot.

 

[highland145]

I'll admit, whenever I've been at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, I spend a rather inordinate portion of my time there in their mineralogy exhibit.

Worth it.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

hookers


and blow

obviously!

 

[waggy]

Wow.


I'll admit, whenever I've been at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, I spend a rather inordinate portion of my time there in their mineralogy exhibit.

i so want to go. Also my son is fascinated with rocks and minerals. I think he would enjoy it.

 

[Quakester]

AR 15 and a lot of 5.56 ammo