# What would you do with 20K? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 18, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663 "2011-12-18T19:46:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663/21 "2011-12-20T23:10:20Z")
20000 lottery tickets! Whoo! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663/22 "2011-12-20T23:22:57Z")
$20,000 when your income exceeds your expenses is a lot different from $20,000 with no income or income that does not meet your expenses. I had $20,000 from no longer paying tuition for my kids, and we spent it on fixing up the house the way we’ve wanted to for years, which is kind of a real estate investment. And then we got a new sewer when we found ours had collapsed. Where I live $20K might buy you a driveway, and won’t make a dent in the average mortgage. As for you, you have so many diverse options that you need to think where you want to be. Education is great if you want to be a principal some day. But I can see you wanting to make music (or videos) instead and feeling unfulfilled by spending time in a school. Whatever you do, monitor your expenses so you’ll know how far $20K will take you, which you can extend if your choice also makes you some money. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663/23 "2011-12-21T00:27:32Z")
Thanks everyone, Am I crazy to want to go back to school and do a four year computer engineering degree? I get excited thinking about it, as education has been a real up and down career so far. Seems not many people in this thread thinks its a good plan. I would like to hear from some engineers if there are any reading this. Thanks so much all! ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663/24 "2011-12-21T01:35:19Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Realistically, I’d stash it away. > > But, with good planning, that’s a two year trip around the world. I could finally get to Ethiopia, Cambodia, go back to India, maybe make it to South America…Pretty tempting. Or a weekend in Vegas! ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663/25 "2011-12-21T23:37:44Z")
First of all, good to see you again, **Q-Bro**! You don’t come around enough (that I’ve seen, anyway), so don’t be such a strangler! 😉 What would I do with 20K? 1. Pay off all debts, natch 2. Take a trip home 3. Hang on to the rest. No investments, no bonds, no nothing. Just save it. Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663/26 "2011-12-22T02:25:45Z")
> [@Quasimodal](#): > > Thanks everyone, > > Am I crazy to want to go back to school and do a four year computer engineering degree? I get excited thinking about it, as education has been a real up and down career so far. Seems not many people in this thread thinks its a good plan. I would like to hear from some engineers if there are any reading this. > > Thanks so much all! We’re hiring like crazy in Silicon Valley - at least this week. But you need to enjoy it. What do they teach? More importantly, what do they teach that sounds interesting? ---
**Author:** ![Purple\_Scottie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a698b9/32.png) [@Purple\_Scottie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purple_Scottie)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663/27 "2011-12-22T03:08:27Z")
If getting a master’s or other additional training will help to significantly advance your career, I would recommend investing in that. In my personal situation, I’d likely put $15000 or so into savings and budget the remainder to cover re-landscaping my yard (investment in the home) and then maybe put any remainder towards a new bike… ---
**Author:** ![StuffLikeThatThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@StuffLikeThatThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StuffLikeThatThere)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663/28 "2011-12-22T04:03:46Z")
Of your options, I’d do #2. If it were me? I’d use it to pay for another adoption. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663/29 "2011-12-22T10:21:42Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > I really wish I had started at 30 (or 20)… The power of compound interest is amazing. Truly the best investment advice ever given to me (approx age 21) was by a boss who told me “MAX OUT! MAX OUT!” ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663/30 "2011-12-22T14:09:03Z")
I’d start a thread on here asking what to do with it. Then I’d give two, maybe three grand to the first person that suggested that I give them two, maybe three grand. Because I’m a really nice guy and I think they would really appreciate the gesture. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663/31 "2011-12-22T14:35:13Z")
I’d invest in energy saving measures in my home. Insulation, double or triple glazing, efficient heating; all stuff that pays for itself back AND it adds comfort, improves the worth of your home, and you do something for the environment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-do-with-20k/606663.md?page=1)