# You've just inherited $15,000...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [January 9, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546 "2003-01-09T17:20:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Skijumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skijumper)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/1 "2003-01-09T17:20:20Z")
What would you do with the money?
No, seriously. Because I have absolutely no clue…
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### Author:  [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/2 "2003-01-09T17:23:01Z")
After taxes, I’d pay my bills. After that, I’d put the rest of it towards student loans.
Now if I got 50K after taxes I’d do the above then buy myself a 2003 Honda Accord V6 EX
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### Author:  [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/3 "2003-01-09T17:48:01Z")
Decide what your financial situation is: Do you have a lot of bills piling up? If not, is there something you need to make your life easier or more efficient (i.e., washer/dryer, car, central air, something like that)? If you’re covered in those areas, you might consider having fun with $4k and investing the rest.
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### Author:  [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/4 "2003-01-09T17:48:13Z")
Donate it to dopers whose user names are that of 14th century Italian poets…😃
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### Author:  [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/5 "2003-01-09T17:55:11Z")
Pay off the bulk of my student loans. 15k would pay off most of what I have left, tho I don’t know how much there would be after taxes. But even so, I’d throw it at my student loans. It would be so refreshing to be out from under that debt!
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### Author:  [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/6 "2003-01-09T18:10:07Z")
Whoo hoo, travel money! Heck, you could probably get all the way around the world on that, if you’re frugal.
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### Author:  [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/7 "2003-01-09T18:15:45Z")
It’s always nice to put a down payment on a house.
-lv
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### Author:  [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/8 "2003-01-09T18:20:40Z")
Another vote for throwing it at my student loans. That would be a real windfall in the saving game. It wouldn’t pay them off but at least it would pay off a pretty big chunk of it.
Assuming I inherited 15k after my student loans were paid off and actually got all 15k (ie, 15k after taxes), I would invest 5k, buy a paraglider and do the lesson thing (roughly 5k), and then take a Hawaiian(sp?) vacation.
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### Author:  [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/9 "2003-01-09T18:39:10Z")
Back Taxes, Student Loans. And I’d probably set aside a couple hundred to stock up on cheap wine, and go out for a real nice steak dinner at Ruth’s Chris or something.
[Homer]
Mmmm. Steak Dinner…
[/Homer]
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### Author:  [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/10 "2003-01-09T18:50:51Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dorkusmalorkusmafia \*
> \*\*I would invest 5k, buy a paraglider and do the lesson thing (roughly 5k), and then take a Hawaiian(sp?) vacation. \*\*
I’d take the Hawaiian vacation first, just in case the paraglider lessons ended badly.
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### Author:  [@Fibonacci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibonacci)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/11 "2003-01-09T18:55:27Z")
May I suggest reading Marketplace host, David Brancaccio’s book [Squandering Aimlessly](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684864983/marketplaceradio/002-0340485-1560825)?
In it he explores various ways one could spend an unexpected windfall. An very enjoyable read.
Just waiting for my windfall now.
[Disclaimer: Dave is a good friend of mine, but even if he wasn’t, I’d highly recommend this book.]
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/12 "2003-01-09T18:57:51Z")
Fortunately, in Ontario, there’s no tax on inheritance. So that’s $15,000 of loans gone.
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### Author:  [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/13 "2003-01-09T19:04:07Z")
Pay bills. Or maybe some on bills and some in savings - a little cushion is nice.
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### Author:  [@Penumbra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penumbra)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/14 "2003-01-09T19:21:09Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Motorgirl \*
> \*\*Pay off the bulk of my student loans. 15k would pay off most of what I have left, tho I don’t know how much there would be after taxes. But even so, I’d throw it at my student loans. It would be so refreshing to be out from under that debt! \*\*
You know those student loan letters that you get every month? I am the person who prints them. If you pay off your loan, I won’t have a job anymore. You selfish bastard!
😛
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/15 "2003-01-09T19:35:28Z")
I inherited some money about a year ago. I paid off my credit card with it. I figured he would have wanted me to use it where it was most needed, and that was it.
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### Author:  [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/16 "2003-01-09T19:42:51Z")
Wouldn’t want to put **Penumbra** out of a job, so I’d have to head back to South America. I hope you’ve got plenty of stamps, **Penumbra**.
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### Author:  [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/17 "2003-01-09T19:46:07Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Penumbra \*
> \*\*You know those student loan letters that you get every month? I am the person who prints them. If you pay off your loan, I won’t have a job anymore. You selfish bastard!
>
> 😛 \*\*
Uh oh - I think I’ve already contributed to your ultimate unemplyment… I’ve opted to receive only electronic communication from the owner of my loans. I even pay by direct debit. Profuse apologies!
Well, if you get laid off you can always go back to school, right? 😛
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### Author:  [@Penumbra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penumbra)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/18 "2003-01-09T20:08:30Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Motorgirl \*
> Well, if you get laid off you can always go back to school, right? 😛 \*\*
If I lose my job, I lose the provided company tuition reinbursment where they pay for my college.
☹
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### Author:  [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/19 "2003-01-09T20:15:16Z")
That would definitely suck.
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### Author:  [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-just-inherited-15-000/147546/20 "2003-01-09T20:15:28Z")
$15,000 is very nearly exactly what I owe in student loans. So I’d kiss them good bye.
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