# What should I buy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 29, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-buy/210335 "2003-10-29T23:04:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PoignantSod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@PoignantSod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoignantSod)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-buy/210335/1 "2003-10-29T23:04:32Z")
I, having just sent off my first college application, cleaned up my room a little bit. As I dug through all the old dressers, piles, and miscellaneous clothes under the bed, I found an envelope. Upon opening it, discovered I hadn’t cashed some paychecks. They total more than $250! First of all, it’s kind of surprising that I didn’t notice that these weren’t cashed. I mean, I was working a cruddy almost-minimum-wage job I hated, so I figured I would know about every dollar I managed to scrape from it. Now, the majority of the money I am gonna put in an investing account when I’m 18 (along with more I’ve saved up), which’ll be in January. However, until then, I figured I would celebrate the money-finding / first college app send-off by spending $20-$30 on something. I’m a 17-year-old male, and have no girlfriend or anything to spend money on, so this’ll all be for me (or my friends). Leave a suggestion on how I should spend $20-$30! ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-buy/210335/2 "2003-10-29T23:20:25Z")
Well, considering that you don’t have a girlfriend then I would suggest some new porn, a bottle of lube, a fresh box of tissues, and maybe some latex gloves so you don’t infect yourself with anything. Of course, I would suggest the same thing even if you had a girlfriend…but then I would also tell you to hide them under your bed. ---
**Author:** ![cajela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cajela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cajela)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-buy/210335/3 "2003-10-29T23:48:41Z")
You’re too vague, which only invites posts like **Ol’ Gaffer** ’s If _I_ had that much to spend on a treat for me, it might be: - The Vaughan Williams Songbook (sheet music is expensive) - A couple of pints of Guinness and some pub grub somewhere where they play blues music. - A ginormous box of expensive European dark chocolates - a bottle of decent whiskey (you’d have to be lucky, but Glenlivet can sometime be found around here for under $AUS50) - a microplane grater or other kitchen toy, err I mean tool. - a couple of CDs - I’d like a Sumi Jo collection, and maybe the latest Placebo. I suspect at least some of these may not be for you 🙂 ---
**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 29, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-buy/210335/4 "2003-10-29T23:54:42Z")
Remember, here he’d need someone to buy the whisky for him. Buy a PS2. Every single guy should have one. ---
**Author:** ![PoignantSod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@PoignantSod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoignantSod)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-buy/210335/5 "2003-10-30T00:04:20Z")
Thanks guys for the suggestions! **Cajela** , good idea: as I feel like getting something out of the norm for myself, I will rephrase the question: How would _you_ spend $20-$30? ---
**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 30, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-buy/210335/6 "2003-10-30T06:58:42Z")
Depends on what time of the day I realize I’ve got 20 bucks to spend. In the evening, I’d buy a round or two for friends. In the afternoon, I’d get a few books or a pair of sandals. I have lots of sandals. In the morning, I’d go out for a steak. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-buy/210335/7 "2003-10-30T17:01:03Z")
I’d buy books. I’d go to Borders or Barnes & Knoble and go absolutely nuts. Or CD’s. Or stuff for my kitchen. Or a present for my son. Or send flowers to my mom, just cause I love her and she helps me out so much. Or dinner out. Or new shoes. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-buy/210335/8 "2003-10-30T17:40:13Z")
Spices. A brand new, state of the art, full featured VHS format VCR. A shit load of M&Ms. A good rock hammer. Two avacados. A decent-ish hat. An entire garage sale. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-buy/210335/9 "2003-10-30T17:48:17Z")
Spices. A brand new, state of the art, full featured VHS format VCR. A shit load of M&Ms. A good rock hammer. Two avacados. A decent-ish hat. An entire garage sale. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-buy/210335/10 "2003-10-30T19:42:41Z")
Nothing says “celebration” to me like a steak at a restaurant I would normally consider too expensive. In the $30 range I would suggest a nice Japanese steakhouse.