# Yup, I've spent all my inheritance **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 13, 2002, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142 "2002-10-13T22:47:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2002, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/1 "2002-10-13T22:47:14Z")
My dad died in January and left me about 55K. Here’s where it went: new car - 18,000 paid studen loan - 11,000 paid credit card debt - 6,000 furniture - 7,000 home electronics - 2,000 art - 3,000 loan to coworker - 2,000 don’t have a clue - 6,000 Total - 55K I don’t think I’ve “wasted” it. I’m very please to be living in the most comfortable circumstances of my life, which I can sustain on my own salary, and I have no dependents to worry about. The 6k that I don’t have a clue about is a little worrisome, but OTOH I’ve also been smoke free for about 5 months so I save that just in cigs in not too long. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/2 "2002-10-13T23:00:57Z")
I still have most of mine. A year ago I was told I’ll be laid off, so it’s resting for a while. I want to buy a house in Washington so I can move up there when I’m jobless. It’s tough, though. I _really_ want a Sony PD-150. I can get one on the interest I’ve accrued, but I can’t bring myself to spend that much yet. (And I _need_ a new camera because my pro hi-8 camera has an unfixable problem. I can record, but I can’t play back.) And recently I’ve been missing my 1966 MGB roadster. But there are enough of those around that they’ll still be affordable after I move. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2002, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/3 "2002-10-13T23:17:29Z")
I thought you wanted a helicopter? Which would you get, the home or the whirligig? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2002, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/4 "2002-10-13T23:24:53Z")
If I had to choose (and I do), I’d have to get the house. (Besides, I only have about half of what I need for a new helicopter. ☹ ) ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/5 "2002-10-14T00:56:04Z")
:: scratches plans to marry **yojimboguy** off “to do list” :: ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/6 "2002-10-14T00:57:22Z")
:: adds plans to marry **Johnny L.A.** on “to do list” :: ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/7 "2002-10-14T02:09:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimboguy \* > \*\*don’t have a clue - 6,000 > The 6k that I don’t have a clue about is a little worrisome, \*\* How the hell can you not know where $6000 went??!!! That astounds me. It’s not like you’re Bill Gates, who probably wouldn’t notice if $500,000,000 disappeared. $6000 is actual money these days. Was it in the bank? In cash under your mattress? In the stock market? I want answers dammit!!! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/8 "2002-10-14T03:10:45Z")
That’s 6 thousand over 9 months. A little here, a little there. A bunch of DVDs, some CDs. Lots of books. A fair amount of traveling and hotel expenses back and forth to Chicago to deal with my dad’s estate. Quite a lot of clothing, since I was traveling on the weekends, and buying new clothes rather than doing laundry for about 6 weeks. I probably spent 200-300 on Chidope. I visited DC in May to see old friends, that was probably something between 500 and 1k. I bought a few presents for some friends, but nothing over $100. But to tell you the truth, I don’t know where half my money goes anytime anyhow. After the rent and utilities, I don’t keep track. I do know my checking account balance is now going up again, so I’m not spending more than my income. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/9 "2002-10-14T03:24:13Z")
What about the taxes that will be due next year? Did you pay those upfront or is April going to be a bad month for you? StG ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/10 "2002-10-14T04:08:13Z")
I agree with you: Bah, no worries. You spent it on living. My husband got a software buyout and after we bought furniture and the condo, he spent a good chunk of what was left to outfit himself in his new hobby, woodworking. He loves it, it was totally worth it. It’d be nice to have a bigger cushion in the bank, but I love having a happy husband. And we’re not starving. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/11 "2002-10-14T04:40:50Z")
Why am I suddenly reminded of the joke about the guy who inherited $1 million dollars and a year later was broke. When a friend asked him what had happened to all the money, he replied, “Well, I spent about $950,000 on women and drinking. The rest I just wasted.” Paying off debts, buying things you need and treating yourself to a few things you’ve always wanted would hardly qualify as wasting money. When my mom died my share of the estate was used to pay off my credit card debt and provide a down payment for a house, with a little left over for a belated honeymoon and a few things for the new house. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/12 "2002-10-14T10:58:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by StGermain \* > \*\*What about the taxes that will be due next year? Did you pay those upfront or is April going to be a bad month for you? > > StG \*\* No taxes on me for inheritance. The estate pays any taxes due before before distributing the proceeds. Hard to believe, I know, but true. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/13 "2002-10-14T11:41:26Z")
The 6k dissapearence almost seems like a given but 3k on art?! You’re the type of guy that needed a new car, had a fairly large student loan balance, needed furniture, and was 6k in the hole to a credit card company and you spent **three thousand dollars** on art? Reminds me of this joke I heard… ---
**Author:** ![Humble\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/47e85d/32.png) [@Humble\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Humble_Servant)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/14 "2002-10-14T17:07:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cisco \* > \*\*The 6k dissapearence almost seems like a given but 3k on art?! You’re the type of guy that needed a new car, had a fairly large student loan balance, needed furniture, and was 6k in the hole to a credit card company and you spent **three thousand dollars** on art? \*\* “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” –John Keats “Art is not a luxury, but a necessity.” –Rebecca West ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/15 "2002-10-14T20:14:16Z")
The slight concern is that to spend $6k over nine months menas that you have got used to a certain standard of living that your wage income cannot support. If you take home around $2k a month and then add that $6k divide by 9, it does add up to a continuing overspend. I’m sure that any parent would hope that anything they passed on would be appreciated, and it seems to me that you have done pretty reasonably. Sure you could have salted it away, investing in the current climate might have been wasteful and stressful, but you made your choice and as long as you are happy with it then I think you did the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/16 "2002-10-14T23:06:39Z")
Sounds like you’re happy. What’s more important than that? And your second post covers where most of the $6,000 went. Carry on, yojim. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2002, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/17 "2002-10-14T23:26:59Z")
yojimbo, you did the patriotic thing and kept the economy going. your list looks good to me. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/18 "2002-10-15T21:33:08Z")
Well, I had to do my bit for the country in these trying economic times. 🙂 Isn’t a good chunk of Mazda American owned? Almost all that art money went to [this fabric wall art. In the foreground you can see some spotlights I strung to light it.](http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/yojimboguy/vwp?.dir=/My+Art&.src=ph&.dnm=art+from+above.jpg&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/bc/yojimboguy/lst%3f%26.dir=/My%2bArt%26.src=ph%26.view=t)[Here](http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/yojimboguy/vwp?.dir=/My+Art&.src=ph&.dnm=fabric+closeup.jpg&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/bc/yojimboguy/lst%3f%26.dir=/My%2bArt%26.src=ph%26.view=t) is a closeup of the material. I completely shocked myself by buying it, but I couldn’t walk away from it when I saw it at an art fair. And I’ve had it 3 or 4 months now, and still see new things in it when I study it, which I do pretty often. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/19 "2002-10-15T21:39:13Z")
If I recall correctly, Ford owns Mazda. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142/20 "2002-10-15T21:49:14Z")
There ya go! Buy American! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yup-ive-spent-all-my-inheritance/132142.md?page=2)