# Modest inheritance- what frivolous thing to spend it on? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 18, 2019, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342 "2019-03-18T23:59:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2019, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/1 "2019-03-18T23:59:29Z")
The Mister’s mom passed away about 16 months ago, and the last of the estate process is being finalized. He will receive a small inheritance- think in the neighborhood of $15,000. We both have new cars. We will have the house paid off next year. We have both everyday use computers and gaming computers that are a couple years old but perfectly fine. No credit card debt. The money is not enough for a major house repair, so while we’d love to say “TOTALLY NEW KITCHEN!!” that won’t happen. Same for student loans. We can absorb any small or large trip we’d like to take. We have high-limit credit cards, great credit scores, savings and retirement. There is literally nothing we _need_ to spend the money on or set it aside for. The Mister is thinking about just going with “ok, what super fun thing have you always wanted to try/do/see/experience?” and being totally frivolous. It’s his money, so I’m not going to guide him in one direction or another. Hookers and blow are unfortunately not on the table- we’re on a pretty strict detox diet at the moment and our trainer would be REALLY mad at us. 😃 Were you in our position, what would you throw the money at? ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/2 "2019-03-19T00:07:21Z")
Go to Paris. Not what I would do, but you could get rid of some money that way. What I would do, in your shoes? Give it to my favorite worthy cause. ---
**Author:** ![Littleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ccd318/32.png) [@Littleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Littleman)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/3 "2019-03-19T00:08:51Z")
Sounds like a great reason for at least some philanthropy. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/4 "2019-03-19T00:12:09Z")
Send gifts to your online friends. BTW, Have I told you how much I appreciate you? Your posts are just so informative and fun;) ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/5 "2019-03-19T00:14:48Z")
Email the check to TSFR @ [SDMB.com](http://SDMB.com) ---
**Author:** ![Littleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ccd318/32.png) [@Littleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Littleman)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/6 "2019-03-19T00:17:29Z")
5k can go a very long way with say the TEARS foundation or some local cause ie ;often art auctions are for kids to go to summer camp or some other thing without much overhead. And then yeah, 10k could get any number of frivolities. What are your interests? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/7 "2019-03-19T00:22:04Z")
No hookers and blow, eh? How about then hooker and blow by proxy? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/8 "2019-03-19T00:24:45Z")
REALLY BIG TV set. Like, an entire wall full of 4K Ultra HD. And the DVD player to go with it. Go to the Olympics. Buy a used car for somebody on your friends list who desperately needs one. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/9 "2019-03-19T00:34:54Z")
We give a _lot_ every year to our various charities (I gave a car away last year when I upgraded), but will likely up the amount this year out of the money. In this case, we’ll limit the giving to charities his mom would have supported as well (animal-related, primarily) so our hands are tied a bit from our normal gift-giving (which covers military, medical, and political organizations). Charity is definitely very important to both of us. We have a huge TV (it’s one of only two televisions in the house) and a surround-sound system. Movie night at our place is epic. I’ll start a list of deserving SDMB members, including a sub-category for hookers and blow by proxy. 😉 😃 Interests… ummm. For the Mister, computer gaming, cars, travel, animals, food, economics. He’s a retired Marine. For me, books, crafting, writing, gardening, animals, food, travel. We both work out (with a trainer) and enjoy outdoorsy-things. We have all the indoor exercise equipment we need. If anyone has a line on an Irish Wolfhound puppy, I could probably convince him to let me use my portion on that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/10 "2019-03-19T00:40:25Z")
Take a cruise through the Panama Canal. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/11 "2019-03-19T02:37:47Z")
Hard to say without knowing what the two of you like. Cruise? Some new TV or gadget for the house? Again, it’s hard to advise because we are strangers who don’t know your tastes and whatever we suggest might not be as well spent as what you two would know best for yourselves. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/12 "2019-03-19T02:55:06Z")
Take a trip. Fly business class, stay in a 5-star hotel, eat at Michelin starred restaurants…you should be able to burn through 15 grand if you try hard enough 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/13 "2019-03-19T03:27:44Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Go to Paris. My wife and I spent a week in Paris several years ago. It was early June, and of course it was the most beautiful place in the world and we felt like we were on top of the world as we sat in cafes in the afternoon sipping kir royales and watching people. We had a fantastic time for quite a bit less than $15K. Any of the great cities of Europe would be a good way to burn through some free money. Or go someplace extravagant in the US. California wine country, New York, take a paddle boat cruise on the Mississippi, use your imagination! Just tell us about it! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/14 "2019-03-19T04:04:57Z")
Yes, travel is the way to go. How about an [expedition to Antarctica](https://www.quarkexpeditions.com/en/antarctic/expeditions/antarctic-explorer-discovering-the-7th-continent)? ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/15 "2019-03-19T05:41:14Z")
Electric bicycles. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/16 "2019-03-19T11:23:33Z")
> [@Littleman](#): > > 5k can go a very long way with say the TEARS foundation or some local cause ie ;often art auctions are for kids to go to summer camp or some other thing without much overhead. > > And then yeah, 10k could get any number of frivolities. Such a donation would be tax-deductible, saving perhaps $1500 on income tax. OP could add that savings to the remaining $10K, leaving $11.5K for frivolity. I’m with **Suburban Plankton** : take your next vacation and upgrade every aspect of it - the flights, the hotels, the restaurants - to whatever that pile of money will buy. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2019, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/17 "2019-03-19T12:19:58Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > The Mister’s mom passed away about 16 months ago, and the last of the estate process is being finalized. He will receive a small inheritance- think in the neighborhood of $15,000. Buy something small with which to remember her then set the money aside for a rainy-day fund or for the children. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2019, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/18 "2019-03-19T14:11:13Z")
My spousal unit wants to take a cruise to Antarctica - that’s what we’d do with frivolous money. Unfortunately, it’d take more than $15K for the cruise we’d want, plus airfare. On the other hand, we also want to drive the golden circle in Iceland - we could do the 12 or 15 day drive, including airfare, quite comfortably with $15K. Unfortunately, being the ridiculously practical and cautious souls that we are, we’d probably just save most of it, or maybe start a college fund for our granddaughter. We’re so boring… ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/19 "2019-03-19T14:24:44Z")
Make your neighbors nervous buy having several pallets of military MREs, ammunition cans (No ammo needed, just get pallets of cans. They’re great for storage.) and several, nondescript, black [PELICAN](https://www.thepelicanstore.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpsLkBRDpARIsAKoYI8xbxe0D3wTgVM0fpF2zuZnspxpKOqY4lF0lcy7HkuVFKZIEiVmFeJUaAs-JEALw_wcB) cases with “Hazardous Material” and nuclear warning signs plastered on them. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342/20 "2019-03-19T15:22:20Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Such a donation would be tax-deductible, saving perhaps $1500 on income tax. OP could add that savings to the remaining $10K, leaving $11.5K for frivolity. Maybe. The new tax law dramatically affects who will benefit by itemizing taxes, which you must do to take a charitable deduction. The standard deduction for married couples is now $24,000. There is a limit of $10,000 on deducting state and local taxes, so you would have to be at that limit for a donation of $15K to even register, and the benefit would be only for the portion over $24K. Also, beware of [mental accounting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_accounting). No reason to invest for retirement, for example? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modest-inheritance-what-frivolous-thing-to-spend-it-on/831342.md?page=2)