# $200,000 free dollars, what are you gonna do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 29, 2009, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582 "2009-10-29T09:24:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/61 "2009-10-30T18:39:33Z")
None of the above. Pay off the house. Use the \>$1500/mo to learn to fly small planes. If it’s $20,000,000, then pretty much the same thing, except also purchase an amphibious dual engine “flying boat,” and spend my life following the hunting & fishing seasons around the Americas & Caribbean. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/62 "2009-10-30T18:49:52Z")
> [@frootle](#): > > Inspired by a recent post, but nothing to do with it.. what would you do with $200,000 bucks when it lands unexpectedly in your lap?\*\*\*\* Sit at home and start my new career as a self employed loan guy via [www.lendingclub.com](http://www.lendingclub.com). ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/63 "2009-10-30T20:29:38Z")
Pay off the mortgage (that’s half of it) and set up in business. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/64 "2009-10-30T21:00:04Z")
1. Pay off debt. 2. Trade in jeep for a newer model 3. Engagement ring 4. Honeymoon 5. Put a nice, five-figure chunk in an IRA 6. Remainder goes toward a house ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/65 "2009-10-30T22:12:26Z")
Uh, none of the above. Pay off all debt (~ $30,000K), and put a large enough down payment on a modest home to get a really good APR. Invest whatever’s left over on some medium-low risk mutual. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/66 "2009-10-30T22:27:26Z")
Pay off the house. Finish paying off my once-crushing medical debts. Invest with the intent to give all or most of the interest to charity so long as I can afford to. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/67 "2009-10-30T22:48:18Z")
Well, I didn’t vote in the poll, because my choice would be a _corollary_ to the first choice; that is to say, not to _start_ a new business we’ve always dreamed of, but _expand_ on a small business we already have. We own two sets of investment properties. Our goal is to use the collateral from them to buy _more_ investment properties, and eventually have enough to retire on. The kind of money the OP speaks of would get us there faster. . . ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/68 "2009-10-30T23:54:10Z")
We need a new roof and new windows. I want a new front door and a replacement for the nasty back patio doors. I want a deck out back. I want to give my husband the workshop he has been wanting to build. I want new countertops in my kitchen. And if there’s anything left, I’d get a landscaper to do something with my yard. It’s too big a job for me. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/69 "2009-11-02T06:33:57Z")
My only debt is around 20k in student loans, so I’d pay that off, buy a new but not very flashy car, and put the rest towards a house. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/70 "2009-11-02T09:37:42Z")
Live a cheap life (roommates, small apartments, use the bus, frugality, etc) but spend several months at a time in cities all over the US and the world before moving on to the next city. Atlanta, NYC, San Francisco, Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, Rio, London, Berlin, etc. I’d probably burn through $50,000 in 2-3 years doing that. I’d invest the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/71 "2009-11-02T16:23:24Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Live a cheap life (roommates, small apartments, use the bus, frugality, etc) but spend several months at a time in cities all over the US and the world before moving on to the next city. Atlanta, NYC, San Francisco, Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, Rio, London, Berlin, etc. > > I’d probably burn through $50,000 in 2-3 years doing that. I’d invest the rest. Oh, yes, this sounds good. But I would say just one month in each city…that way I don’t have to be as frugal. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/72 "2009-11-02T18:21:01Z")
Unfortunately, there wasn’t a pay off mortgage/debts - stow the rest into a rainy day account selection - so I went with the improve house…as the closest alternative ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/73 "2009-11-02T18:34:33Z")
- 10% to the church - pay off the house, make some improvements (new carpets, cabinets, etc) - invest the rest (including a college fund for the kids) ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/74 "2009-11-02T18:38:18Z")
Pay off my house. That’s be like getting a $1300 a month raise for the next 18 years. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/75 "2009-11-02T18:40:00Z")
Pay off my student loans, use the rest for an extremely generous down payment on a house. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/76 "2009-11-02T23:30:29Z")
Condo, then bank with balance. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582/77 "2009-11-02T23:51:13Z")
I don’t have any debt except for the mortgage, so I’d pay that off first. Then I’d max out my retirement contributions while living off the balance of the windfall. And, probably, a nice truck. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/200-000-free-dollars-what-are-you-gonna-do/515582.md?page=3)