Let's spend $10K!

[W2R]

In a recent post, Nords said (in part, taken out of context),

Spouse and I run a thought experiment all the time: "Let's spend $10K!" and the answer is usually "What the heck for?"

I thought that was a really cool thought experiment, don't you? Anyway, if you had an extra $10K, on the condition that you had to spend it, what would you buy?

HERE ARE THE RULES: No cars, boats, planes, motorcycles, RV's, or travel.

 

[jon-nyc]

I'd buy some iBonds.

 

[REWahoo]

HERE ARE THE RULES: No cars, boats, planes, motorcycles, or travel.

No fair. Why spend money if you can't buy something you really want?

 

[yakers]

Home improvements, investments, spoil the grandchildren; but the fun stuff is cars & travel.

 

[W2R]

No fair. Why spend money if you can't buy something you really want?

Oh, and I forgot to mention RV's. I'll go and add that now.

 

[LauAnn]

Landscaping.

 

[W2R]

Custom roll-down hurricane shutters, including two big roll-down ones to go over both sets of French doors looking out on the back yard.

I would have this done anyway, but it is one of those upgrades that probably wouldn't pay back on resale, so not a good investment. But hey, if the $10K is mine only on the condition that I spend it....

 

[Ally]

Update our second bathroom, install sprinklers, and if there is anything left, paint our living room.

 

[rodi]

Home improvements.
We're spending the money regardless - but if someone is giving me $10k, that's less of *my* money I have to spend.
Mama needs new upstairs windows.

 

[NW-Bound]

Well, $10K would not buy much of a motor home. Perhaps a small travel trailer, or maybe an ultra-light.

But $9500 would buy this:

Gosh, if someone gave me that bottle, I would be afraid to drink it, let alone buying with my own money. I guess once a peasant, always a peasant.

Well, maybe another European trip. That way, my wife can also enjoy it as she does not drink.

PS. Doggone it! Just saw "No travel". Forget it, I will just give it to charity.

 

[foxfirev5]

Given the rules I've got nothing. I'll just wait until the next major breakdown or required replacement purchase around the house.

 

[panacea]

How much chocolate could I get for $10,000?? I bet there is a lifetime membership in a chocolate of the month club somewhere... that might just work!

 

[plex]

I guess I'd use it for a good chunk of the cost of a solar panel system for my currently non-existent house.

 

[Nords]

HERE ARE THE RULES: No cars, boats, planes, motorcycles, RV's, or travel.

Well, hell, there goes Bangkok.

I'm going to have to favor LauAnn's "landscaping" answer.

Here's some other candidates:
1. More boat-based SCUBA diving (instead of shore dives on the North Shore). But then we'd still have about $9K left.
2. A 3mm neoprene rash guard jacket with high neck, long sleeves, and a zipper. But that's probably less than $250.
3. A new treadmill/elliptical, although the incumbents are more than challenging enough.
4. A new photovoltaic array, because the old one is not very efficient. But I'd still have about $3K left over after buying it, and the old one still makes as much power as we use.
5. A new solar water heater... and they're only a few hundred bucks.

All five of those items would probably still fit within $10K.

 

[traineeinvestor]

One of my favourtite books. The listed price is negotiable but even then is still a little bit outside the $10K budget: F. Scott Fitzgerald - Tender is the Night| Bauman Rare Books

If I have to come in under $10K, then a camera upgrade would be nice - my EOS5D mark 1 still works fine but the backward compatibility issue on the software is a pain. The EOS 5D iii would be nice: Product Catalog - [ Canon Hongkong Company Limited ] It's "only" about $3K but I can't think of any other consumer item I really want.

 

[W2R]

Great ideas so far, everyone!

It's OK if it is a little over $10K, like traineeinvestor's book. After all, you might be able to haggle and get the price down to $10K.

It's OK if it is a lot of smaller things that would add up to $10K, like Nords' list.

Also, it's OK if you don't know how much it costs. Personally, I do not have the slightest clue how much it would cost for hurricane shutters but I am guessing $10K.

 

[Katsmeow]

1. New flooring for the family room, hall and office

or

2. Hot tub

These are actually things we plan to do within the next year or so (we bought a new house -- well new to us -- about 6 months ago)

 

[Moemg]

I would break the rules and spend it on a trip with my SO, my daughter,SIL & two grandsons . The memories alone would be worth $10,000.

 

[NW-Bound]

Wow, I did not know that novel by Fitzgerald would fetch that much money. I have not read the book, nor seen the 1962 movie based on it, but know of the theme song in that movie. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Movie Song in 1962.

"Tender is the Night"

 

[JOHNNIE36]

Next month we will be married 40 years. My wife has a ton of jewelry but now is wanting diamond "inside out" earrings. I saw a beautiful pair for $4000. She would love them. The balance would go toward a new Caddy SRX. Black Cherry color with some awesome wheels.

 

[yakers]

Oh, oh,oh, I forgot......another kayak of course!!!

 

[Greg V]

Home improvement time...inside and out. The Kitchen, Master Bath and new upstairs flooring get first claim on the money with Landscaping taking any leftovers.

 

[FIREd]

Home improvement would have been my first choice if we still lived in a house we owned. Since we are renters now, that's off the table. I am happy with the furnishings we currently have and we have no room for new pieces, so that's out too.

So that leaves things that are small and expensive. Like a watch maybe. But I'd never wear such an expensive watch so it would be a waste.

Really, what I would want is a $10K Amazon gift card.

 

[Gumby]

Microduct air conditioning.

 

[traineeinvestor]

Wow, I did not know that novel by Fitzgerald would fetch that much money. I have not read the book, nor seen the 1962 movie based on it, but know of the theme song in that movie. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Movie Song in 1962.

"Tender is the Night"

It's actually the second printing of the first edition. A first printing (with a good condition dust jacket) would be a lot more.

I haven't seen the movie either.