If I had a million dollars...

[magid]

Actually, I was thinking about what I'd do if I suddenly came into money, but not a totally life-changing amount like a million plus. Rather, something more life-ameliorating, say, something in the five-digit range. It's enough to do some very nice things with, but not enough so that you'd retire and give all your friends Porsches.

What would you do with $50,000 (after taxes)?


definites

• fund the IRA for this year and last
  
• pay down the mortgage a chunk
  (depending on what was left after doing other things, but a decent chunk of the total; it makes me happy to be closer to freedom from debt)
  
• give extra to favorite charities
  (though this leads to a dilemma: if I give more this year, then they'll expect that level next year, which I won't (necessarily) have. What I'd really like is some kind of middleman to make the donations anonymous to the recipients, yet still get a tax receipt.)

strong possibles (ie, the things I'd juggle to make the numbers work, so probably some of all of these would happen, but not all of everything)

• condo upgrading things
  (built-in bookshelves, redo the floors (including movers to deal with the stuff currently on the floors :-), replace the futon, replace the fridge, redo the porch, rewire as necessary, etc.)
  
• travel
  (somewhere new to explore, perhaps take that trip to Gibraltar I'd thought about last fall, and/or a trip to Israel)
  
• art
  (treat myself to a new painting or other artwork. Also, buy more supplies for doing my own creative things, such as camera accessories, yarn, fancy paper, a sewing machine, fabric, and so on. Perhaps classes as well.)
  
• food
  (I'd definitely have to have some kind of awesome dinner party to celebrate, trying out trendy ingredients and such. If I found more room in the kitchen, perhaps buy some new kitchen gadgets.)

Comments

[magid.livejournal.com]

That'd have to be some makeover, to fit a pony stall in your kitchen!