Let's spend $10K!

About a month ago, in the NY Times, Elizabeth Dunn wrote about a study that found that giving gifted money to others made you feel better than just spending it. In the study, $20 in an envelope was handed out with either instructions to spend it on yourself, or instructions to spend it on someone else. The second group reported being happier with the result than the first group.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/opinion/sunday/dont-indulge-be-happy.html?pagewanted=all

I donate less than I would like to. I'd donate the $10K by spreading it around to some hard working single parents, one dedicated middle school teacher, the shelter for battered people, and a couple of food banks in my economically depressed community. It would help a lot of people, while making me feel good too. I'm a philanthropist, but only with two digit amounts of money.
 
heyyou said:
It would help a lot of people, while making me feel good too. I'm a philanthropist, but only with two digit amounts of money.
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I've found that it's far less satisfying than I expected.

If I'm not going to spend it, and if I haven't figured out a good way to give it away, then...
 
$10K would just about cover the cost to replace my 19 yo cedar fence, which has seen better days.
 
NW-Bound said:
Hmm... Cooking classes. Family and friends as company. Perhaps I should reconsider.

Still, people have different interests and that's a good thing. Life would be very boring if we are all alike. Even RV'ers do not all go to the same places.

Some people like to go on an African safari. No, not me. Good thing my wife does not like it either. I am still working on her about the Alaskan RV trip. Siberia is very far-fetched right now, and way, way down the list and not likely to happen. Just a pipe dream, but more to my liking than climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Yes, we are all different.
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Speaking of African safari, we are planning one for next year. Totally agree that each person has their own priorities and tastes and that is what makes an interesting world. Kilimamjaro definately not on our list. An associate did this a while back and the story did not encourage me. Mostly for those with something to prove, I think.
 
Like at least one other person here, I don't want things anymore for the most part. Face it, most if not all here could afford to part with $10K, yet we don't. As I recall, the OP sorta splurged on a new car when she retired. Why not?

And if $10K landed in my lap for no reason, I'd just save & invest it. If someone held a gun to my head, it would go toward an experience, and travel would probably be a big part of that (always curious to see Bali or New Zealand, but probably never will)...
 
Bestwifeever said:
I don't doubt that people here already give money to charities, but sometimes you can be charitable by spending money, too. For example (and personally, I hated office parties), think of all the company holiday parties that were cancelled after 9/11 and the money donated to charities. But that decision hurt all the people who worked at the hotels and restaurants and caterers and all the other stuff that go along with those parties (musicians, decorators, photographers, etc.).

In fact, having a blowout party with a great band would be a great way to spend $10,000. I nominate Sarah in SC, who has awesome parties down in Charleston, to host :).
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Hmmm - you know the inner child in me blows $200 plus every year on fireworks. Now add a band and amp up the pyro part. BYOB and Potluck dish(more $ for pyro and perhaps the band).

:D :dance: ;)

heh heh heh - this thread has convinced me. Yes I could blow 10k. :greetings10:
 
The issue with spending money to buy pleasures is that most of us have learned to ask if we would really enjoy it, or is it going to merely complicate life even further? And how much can we really appreciate or enjoy new things, either "stuff" or experiences?

Many posters like to spend a lot of money on photographic equipment. Imagine someone like Buffet or Gates. They can buy the very best that money can buy, and heck, they could even order custom equipment if they wanted to. I imagine Canon or Nikon would love to give them some free custom equipment just to get their endorsement. The problem is Buffet or Gates may not care to spend hours running Photoshop to tweak a photo like we do. To truly enjoy or appreciate something, it may take more time and devotion than just money. And time is limited.

Similarly, Gates and Buffet can buy the very best sport cars, the very best skiing equipment, the best surfboards (I know, I know, you cannot picture Buffet nor Gates competing with Nords, but work with me here). What the heck do they do with all that? Where do they get the time to really master all these toys, to really appreciate all that?

My point is that one can reach the diminishing return point fairly quickly. And whatever endeavor one decides to pursue, there is always a cost effective way to obtain some pleasures without having to spend as much as people with deeper pockets.
 
NW-Bound said:
The issue with spending money to buy pleasures is that most of us have learned to ask if we would really enjoy it, or is it going to merely complicate life even further? And how much can we really appreciate or enjoy new things, either "stuff" or experiences?

Many posters like to spend a lot of money on photographic equipment. Imagine someone like Buffet or Gates. They can buy the very best that money can buy, and heck, they could even order custom equipment if they wanted to. I imagine Canon or Nikon would love to give them some free custom equipment just to get their endorsement. The problem is Buffet or Gates may not care to spend hours running Photoshop to tweak a photo like we do. To truly enjoy or appreciate something, it may take more time and devotion than just money. And time is limited.

Similarly, Gates and Buffet can buy the very best sport cars, the very best skiing equipment, the best surfboards (I know, I know, you cannot picture Buffet nor Gates competing with Nords, but work with me here). What the heck do they do with all that? Where do they get the time to really master all these toys, to really appreciate all that?

My point is that one can reach the diminishing return point fairly quickly. And whatever endeavor one decides to pursue, there is always a cost effective way to obtain some pleasures without having to spend as much as people with deeper pockets.
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I think it depends on the nature of one's hobby or passion. Certain fields can use unlimited amounts of money (art anyone?) even in the one hobby I derive great pleasure from (music reproduction aka "stereo's) its not at all unusual to have systems in the hundred's of thousands of dollars and some people go to the extent of building special music rooms. I've listened to a quarter of a million dollar stereo - very nice. wouldn't mind having it :D But of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That system wouldn't merit a second look from most people that don't share that particular madness.
 
I have not listened to a $250K stereo to see if I could tell the difference. But even if I could, I would not buy it unless I were super rich.

See, I believe in diversification, even in hedonic pursuits. I like to sample different things, and with my limited means, I cannot afford to go first class in anything. A bit here, a bit there, that's how I spread my meager 3.5% WR.
 
NW-Bound said:
I have not listened to a $250K stereo to see if I could tell the difference. But even if I could, I would not buy it unless I were super rich.

See, I believe in diversification, even in hedonic pursuits. I like to sample different things, and with my limited means, I cannot afford to go first class in anything. A bit here, a bit there, that's how I spread my meager 3.5% WR.
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I know. Suffer we must...
 
Ignorance is bliss. I do not suffer because I have not taken a listening test to that quarter-million system like you have. See how I protect myself?
 
On the other hand, I do not know what brilliance is, I do not know how wonderful something can be. I have surrounded myself with mediocrity. Life of a brute animal, I have led.

I think I will go eat some bacon now. That should cheer me up.
 
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NW-Bound said:
The issue with spending money to buy pleasures is that most of us have learned to ask if we would really enjoy it, or is it going to merely complicate life even further? And how much can we really appreciate or enjoy new things, either "stuff" or experiences?
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I think what really changed my perspective was having to clean out my Dad's file cabinets and his apartment. Then I look around our house at all the crap we have-- "but I might need that someday!" And then I decide that I don't really want to burden my daughter with the same janitorial inheritance.

NW-Bound said:
Similarly, Gates and Buffet can buy the very best sport cars, the very best skiing equipment, the best surfboards (I know, I know, you cannot picture Buffet nor Gates competing with Nords, but work with me here). What the heck do they do with all that? Where do they get the time to really master all these toys, to really appreciate all that?
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I think one of the reasons that those two guys are so rich is because they don't surf. I know we surfers claim that the surf forecast forces us to be good time managers and stay focused to get things done so that we can go surfing, but I also resent having activities (like meetings) scheduled for times of the day when I'd rather be surfing.

Have you seen the Gizmodo article on Steve Wozniak's backpack?
The Amazing Contents of Steve Wozniak's Travel Backpack

I almost called "urban legend" on the article because I can't believe that the guy carries his own luggage, let alone flies on public aviation-- or even travels that much. But yet here's one of the world's top engineers who can't get beyond the end of his block without enough hardware to power practically any of his electronics no matter what the source of the electricity.

I'd hate to see what would happen if he had to go camping for a week and be alone without bandwidth. Talk about being hostage to a bad case of George Carlin's "stuff".
 
iPad with data plan
travel pocket camera
HD video camera
new mattress (king)
42 inch hd lcd tv
new golf clubs
hardwood floor
new furniture

Did I hit 10k yet?
 
Wow W2R! This thread sure was a bit hit! Posted my entry which was a sunroom addition but haven't read the many other posts since then. Just so darn busy with stuff associated with selling our house.

Just now thought why not give an unexpected windfall like this to charity? Bet others have thought of this so I apologize if I missed it. You know, doctors without borders, local animal shelter, or many other great causes.

Purrs and headbumps,

Purron
 
What $10K sir? I paid for my bacon with my own dimes, out of my alloted 3.5% WR.

PS. Still, you scared me, so I just stepped on the bathroom scale. Wow! BMI going down to 24.2 from 25 a few months ago. I am getting leaner and meaner. See what having to live within 3.5% WR once you stop working does to you?
 
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Nords said:
I

Have you seen the Gizmodo article on Steve Wozniak's backpack?
The Amazing Contents of Steve Wozniak's Travel Backpack

I almost called "urban legend" on the article because I can't believe that the guy carries his own luggage, let alone flies on public aviation-- or even travels that much. But yet here's one of the world's top engineers who can't get beyond the end of his block without enough hardware to power practically any of his electronics no matter what the source of the electricity.

I'd hate to see what would happen if he had to go camping for a week and be alone without bandwidth. Talk about being hostage to a bad case of George Carlin's "stuff".
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Just getting it through security has to be a nightmare. He says that sometimes they ask him to take electronic stuff out? I'm really surprised it isn't "always". I'm going to stay more alert and make sure I never get behind him in the security line.
 
I surely did not notice the "bit" typo. As usual, the mind sees what it wants to see, not what the eye tells it.

Anyway, about charity donations, some people like to give close to home, and I understand that. We have often donated to the Red Cross's general fund. But to really ease human sufferings, I like to help people in 3rd world countries, where the money goes much farther. The problem with that is we do not really know how much reaches the people we intend to help. My sister-in-law found a religious charity organization in Australia, who has been helping people in Burma. The poverty in the remote regions there is at the same level as what we usually see in Africa. As she has vetted this organization, I have been sending money through her to donate. This organization has no presence in the US, hence I get no tax deduction, but that does not really matter.

PS. I hope people here donate to Wikipedia. I use it a lot, and it deserves my support.
 
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If given $10k today, I would buy more medicines and medical supplies for women and children in third world countries. I will bring $1k of meds already during my next trip to Central America next month to run clinics.

We are planning to start an orphanage for abandoned children in Ecuador in 2013, and $10k there would go a long way also.
 
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