# What to do with $10,000? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 24, 2009, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820 "2009-06-24T12:55:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/21 "2009-06-24T18:51:27Z")
Buy a house. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/22 "2009-06-24T19:02:58Z")
I’d buy a new computer, a new 50hp motor for the boat and save the little I’d have left. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/23 "2009-06-24T19:08:07Z")
I’d spend $1,000 on something fun, then put the rest into a savings account or some sort of cash deposit where I could access it in an emergency. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/24 "2009-06-24T19:30:38Z")
Based on you saying you have no significant savings, I would save most of this. If its a windfall I might take a small percentage of it and splurge on a celebratory item, but most of it would be stashed away. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/25 "2009-06-24T20:37:22Z")
I’d buy you a green dress. (But not a real green dress—that’s cruel.) ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/26 "2009-06-24T20:49:21Z")
Borrow $10,000 less in next year’s student loans. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/27 "2009-06-24T20:58:39Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’d buy you a green dress. (But not a real green dress—that’s cruel.) Haven’t you always wanted a monkey? ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/28 "2009-06-25T00:25:42Z")
alpaca farm? ---
**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/29 "2009-06-25T00:57:02Z")
Put it all in my “oh shit” fund. For when things go wrong. ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/30 "2009-06-25T01:11:20Z")
Right now? Use it to buy a house. In this market, with housing prices way down, but certain to eventually pick back up, I think that would be the best way to both “save” AND “invest”. Lots of bargain basement prices right now (here, at least, which is a traditionally rather pricey city). I’d rather be paying what I am now on rent or even 50% more towards a mortgage and be building equity than not. Otherwise, I’d put it in savings of some easily accessable form. ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/31 "2009-06-25T01:12:26Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > Haven’t you always wanted a monkey? 😃 But without a HOUSE, where would I keep one? So few rentals allow pets. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/32 "2009-06-25T09:08:17Z")
> [@Driver8](#): > > Based on you saying you have no significant savings, I would save most of this. If its a windfall I might take a small percentage of it and splurge on a celebratory item, but most of it would be stashed away. Sadly, I’m not the one getting the $10,000; it’s a friend mine. I have prett subsatntil debts to pa off, so it would be an eas choice for me. I think I’m going to be all “OMG, you spent it on what?!” when I hear how he spent it, so I was curious to hear what other people would do with it. Interesting that people would buy a house with it. I don’t think it’s even enough for a 5% deposit around here. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/33 "2009-06-25T13:03:41Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > Interesting that people would buy a house with it. I don’t think it’s even enough for a 5% deposit around here. Agreed. If all you have is $10,000 and you have no other savings, buying a house with it seems remarkably foolish. Establish a bit of a financial cusion for yourself first. ---
**Author:** ![Jimson\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@Jimson\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimson_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/34 "2009-06-25T14:32:58Z")
I won $10,000 about 10 years ago. It disappeared rather quickly. $3,000 into savings to pay the tax. We took her parents out to dinner on the leftovers from this amount. $2,500 into some minor home improvements and buy real furniture (After 5 years of marriage we still had the 2nd hand stuff from college) $1,000 to local charities $2,500 to take our first ever real vacation $1,000 into savings. We still have the furniture and our vacation inspired us to get out and travel more. In the current economy we’d have saved more. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/35 "2009-06-25T17:13:46Z")
> [@InterestedObserver](#): > > Right now? Use it to buy a house. In this market, with housing prices way down, but certain to eventually pick back up, I think that would be the best way to both “save” AND “invest”. Apart from it being nowhere near enough money, people viewing houses as investments rather than homes is one of the things that got us into this mess. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/36 "2009-06-26T00:04:07Z")
It depends on your life situation. But if you have no pressing needs, then I’d take a GREAT trip. There must be some place you’ve always wanted to see. NYC or San Fran are great cities for 3 day weekends. Or take a trip to Israel, see biblical places. Or as the late Jo Stafford said, “See the pyramids along the Niles.” ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/37 "2009-06-26T01:51:27Z")
Either make some vacation home improvements or take another trip to Hawaii to hunt for that really big marlin. Hm. Probably both. Or maybe a helluva down payment on a new boat. Decision, decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/38 "2009-06-26T02:02:35Z")
I hear Sweetie Pie is a lock to win the fifth race at Churchill Downs. C’mon, baby! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/39 "2009-06-26T03:07:15Z")
$10,000 is a sort of odd amount of money. If you think it’s a significant amount you should probably just save it instead of blowing on some crap or a vacation or something. If you are wealthy enough that it isn’t really that significant, it doesn’t really matter what you do with it. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820/40 "2009-06-26T06:34:45Z")
**Two chicks at the same time.** /It took FORTY POSTS guys?!?!?! SERIOUSLY?!?!?! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-10-000/500820.md?page=3)