# I won i won **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378 "2009-10-28T00:28:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/41 "2009-10-28T17:29:23Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > First, a tax deduction is always smaller than the spending for which it is claimed. Deliberately prolonging an expense in order to claim a tax deduction will always make you worse off. You’re missing the point. If **Wildfire** has $10k in debt for a car at 6% and $10k in debt for a house at 7%, he has to do the math. Paying off the car and continuing to pay for the ‘high interest’ house has tax benefits that the reverse does not have. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/42 "2009-10-28T17:53:06Z")
If he has enough to pay off both, what does it matter? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/43 "2009-10-28T17:54:35Z")
Pay off debt, then buy a rental property. Don’t quit the job. Alternately, you could use the money to start your own business if you have one in mind. It might not be the best idea in the world, but if you’ve always wanted to, now’s your chance. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/44 "2009-10-28T18:11:55Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > this is a once-in-a-lifetime windfall- make sure to spend it on something that will benefit you for your whole life. Agreed. My motto in handling money is _spend strategically_ - that is, don’t fritter away money on the little things, but don’t be afraid to spend, and spend big if appropriate, on things that will really make a difference in your life. That might mean fixing up your house if it’s in poor repair, or adding on if it’s always not had enough room. It might mean going back to school to enable a career change if you’re not crazy about your current line of work. Or if you _are_ basically happy with things, then take that trip you’ve always wanted to do but seemed a bit beyond what you could afford. But yeah, when you get a windfall like that, you should use it in a way that makes a difference, that will improve your life in some tangible way or give you memories that will always stay with you. This is a good time to take stock and think of what you really _want_ out of life, and whether this money can help you get there. But like the others are saying, don’t quit your job. $170,000 well invested won’t support even a very frugal person indefinitely. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/45 "2009-10-28T18:52:13Z")
I was totally expecting this to be one of those “I got a badly spelled, grammatically incorrect email from some guy saying I’d won a lottery I’d never entered, in another country.” Because I got one of those today. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/46 "2009-10-28T19:08:23Z")
I think you should make a list of all the bad things you ever did to other people, then spend the next few years making amends. Maybe your brother could help. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/47 "2009-10-28T19:43:59Z")
So maybe 100 grand after taxes? Nice. But enough to quit your job? Joe ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/48 "2009-10-28T23:00:34Z")
And doesn’t it take a few weeks before you actually see the money? If you quit your job now, what will you live on until the check comes? For those who said it’s a year’s salary for a middle class income…it’s about 5 year’s salary for me…and I still wouldn’t quit my job right away. And when I said don’t blow it on a car or a house, I of course meant don’t go out and buy a $100,000 car or make a downpayment on a brand new huge house that you won’t be able to afford in three months. Do pay off debts, and buy sensible, reliable transport if you don’t have any. Should we worry that the OP hasn’t come back in to comment? ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/49 "2009-10-28T23:59:04Z")
How old is the OP anyways? Maybe he’s close enough to retirement that he _can_ quit his job and live in comfort. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/50 "2009-10-29T00:50:16Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I’ve gotta ask - what make a $100,000 hooker worth $100,000? If she’s covered in blow. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/51 "2009-10-29T02:21:31Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Invest $100,000 in safe, sensible stuff, and you’ll be able to retire very early, and have years and years to do what you like. Huh? You must have some kind of investment savviness that I completely lack, or an extremely low cost of living. Spend $10,000 on hookers and blow (I’d go with 14 $500 hookers and $3000 worth of blow (if you buy it all in one fell swoop, you can probably get a pretty good deal), $10,000 on traveling, pay off all short term debt, pay down a portion of your mortgage, and invest the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/52 "2009-10-29T18:35:18Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > If she’s covered in blow. Ah. I see. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/53 "2009-10-30T10:28:19Z")
Congratulations 🙂 No, don’t quit your job. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/54 "2009-10-30T12:04:34Z")
Woohoo for you!!! Me? After paying off any short-term debts (e.g. car loan, not my mortgage), I’d split my after-tax winnings in 4 parts: 1/4 - charity (this includes helping out needy family and friends, not just strangers) 1/4 - completely frivolous stuff (travel, 55" plasma tv’s) 1/4 - invest 1/4 - fixing up the house Note that I already have a degree and get paid well for what I do. If I was in a dead-end job, I’d direct a lot of the money towards training myself to get a better paying career. ---
**Author:** ![ColdPhoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@ColdPhoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColdPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/55 "2009-10-30T12:59:28Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > Should we worry that the OP hasn’t come back in to comment? Nah, would you waste time on the internet if you were surrounded by hookers and blow? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/56 "2009-10-30T15:57:13Z")
> [@ColdPhoenix](#): > > Nah, would you waste time on the internet if you were surrounded by hookers and blow? But how will everyone know to be jealous of you if you’re not Tweeting about it? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/57 "2009-10-30T16:15:15Z")
You can Tweet from mobile devices, correct? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378/58 "2009-10-30T20:33:21Z")
Can post to this forum from a mobile device, too, I’d assume. It’s all germane to wasting time on the internet if you were surrounded by hookers and blow. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-won-i-won/515378.md?page=2)