# I'm giving you 500 dollars. However, you must spend it immediately. What do you do with it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 26, 2016, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232 "2016-01-26T04:03:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/61 "2016-01-26T21:11:46Z")
I’d probably go to TJ Maxx/Home Goods and go nuts. On the way home, I’d hit the liquor store, and also buy a few cartons of cigarettes. Practical AND well dressed - that’d be me. Snort 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dizzee\_dee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@dizzee\_dee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dizzee_dee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/62 "2016-01-26T21:19:36Z")
A DSLR camera. Costco has a Cannon kit Rebel for that right now. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/63 "2016-01-26T21:27:02Z")
Amazon. I don’t have anything specific in mind but I’d find a way to spend it all. ---
**Author:** ![Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Last_Glacial_Maximum)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/64 "2016-01-26T21:31:31Z")
One Abu-Garcia revo toro STX HS baitcasting reel. Coupled with a heavy power 7’8" fast action rod {I haven’t decided on the rod yet}. The combined cost should be almost exactly $500. . ---
**Author:** ![Hopeful\_Crow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/da6949/32.png) [@Hopeful\_Crow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hopeful_Crow)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/65 "2016-01-26T21:48:32Z")
I could buy the best camera I could for that amount. I need to replace the one I have now. The photos don’t seem as sharp as they used to be. Or I could be practical and buy a couple of good pairs of shoes. I have really hard to fit feet and shoes for me don’t come cheap. But I would probably have enough left over for a new pair of glasses. too. Or I could get a scroll saw and supplies to make some crafty stuff for bazaars. A work station, too, for my Dremel tool. Maybe some other stuff for it if there’s money left over. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/66 "2016-01-26T21:51:31Z")
Groceries for me! I do live by myself, but with that much money I could get some extra good stuff. I’d go for special cheeses, quality meats, and other gourmet goodies. Of course I would get stocked up on staples too. I bet I could dispose of the money in a lot less than five hours if I had to. Maybe I could take a side trip to my favorite liquor store. I actually have nothing alcoholic to drink at all in the house right now. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/67 "2016-01-26T22:02:03Z")
Based on recent events and the suggestion of many friends with far more experience, I’d buy a snow blower. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/68 "2016-01-26T22:34:44Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > deposit it into the bank. Bzzzt! Violation of OP rule #2. I might go for a couple of bottles of really good wine. Maybe just one. ---
**Author:** ![davey77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@davey77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davey77)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/69 "2016-01-26T22:56:01Z")
> [@Last\_Glacial\_Maximum](#): > > One Abu-Garcia revo toro STX HS baitcasting reel. Coupled with a heavy power 7’8" fast action rod {I haven’t decided on the rod yet}. The combined cost should be almost exactly $500. > . You know, when I read the OP, I thought of fishing tackle, too- maybe an Orvis Superfine fly rod with a Battenkill click-pawl reel. These would also cost about $500 on the nose. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/70 "2016-01-26T23:00:28Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Based on recent events and the suggestion of many friends with far more experience, I’d buy a snow blower. Oooo, can I change my answer? My father got a rinky-dink electric one which is spotty at best. I want the most powerful gas-powered one I can find! ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/71 "2016-01-26T23:04:58Z")
Cheat by going to the grcocery store and stocking up on lot’s of long shelf life stuff. That means 500 I don’t need to spend later that’s freed up for other things I can’t/won’t buy in the 5 hour time limit. I do need a new laptop …so that probably gets bought in the time frame after the groceries get put away. Hey exploit the loopholes when you can. 😉 ---
**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:** [January 26, 2016, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/72 "2016-01-26T23:06:49Z")
Assuming I can’t spend it on regular bills, I would buy a new recliner. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/73 "2016-01-26T23:30:41Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Second pair of shoes for work, which will eat about half of it. What kind of work shoes cost $250 for a pair? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/74 "2016-01-26T23:44:28Z")
Work shoes that you need in women’s size 8EE, which you can’t get on special or on sale. I can stand and walk on concrete floors for 8 hours in those shoes and at the end of the day my feet DON’T hurt. This is in contrast to some “work shoes” in the form of designer high heels I saw while working as a cobbler, which ran into the four digits. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/75 "2016-01-26T23:53:06Z")
Is paying down credit debt a valid choice? If not, I’d be upgrading the business-type wardrobe, getting a really good hairdo/manicure, and so on, since I’m a few months from a need to job-hunt. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/76 "2016-01-26T23:54:41Z")
A Papillon puppy. Or rescue. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/77 "2016-01-27T00:17:29Z")
Ten new board games. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/78 "2016-01-27T00:28:59Z")
I had about 3 hours of drive time today and I thought to myself, “wow, my sound system is terrible.” So I’d gladly put $500 towards an amp, speakers and subwoofer. Not enough to throw in a nice new head unit, so I guess I have to dig into my own wallet a bit if I want that. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/79 "2016-01-27T00:32:11Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > That new [table saw](http://www.lowes.com/pd_530411-70-DWE7491RS_1z0wck2__?productId=50040968&pl=1) I was eying at Lowes last weekend. That’s the one I have. Pretty good saw, but I wish it had a larger table. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232/80 "2016-01-27T00:40:13Z")
Assuming you mean true “fuck around, spend-on-me” money, and not to dance around the hypothetical with stuff like “buy $500 worth of stuff you’re going to end up buying in the future, anyway,” I might go with an electric bass. I’ve always wanted to tinker around with the bass and learn how to play it (or play it better than I play it now, and that’s only playing it from the knowledge I have of guitar.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-giving-you-500-dollars-however-you-must-spend-it-immediately-what-do-you-do-with-it/744232.md?page=5)