Ok Moms, my darling hubby made a great sale and will be getting a nice little commission. We are very careful with our money, but whenever he makes an awesome sale, we take a portion of it and get something we need for the house, the kids, do something as a family, you know blow a bit basically, but mostly save it or pay some bills. Anyway, this time my hubby said it has been too long since I did anything nice for myself and he is giving me the moola, woohoo! BUT I literally can think of nothing I want! Well, not true really, I want tons of stuff. But it's all little stuff, like I told him I want to get my wedding ring fixed and sized, I know lame, but I really want it! But he said that didn't count bc that is something we will just do, not use any 'special' funds for. SO I don't know.... One thing I really want is the other band to my wedding ring. I have the engagement ring and wedding band on one side, but you can also put a wedding band on the other side, but should I do that? I mean, maybe he should do that when he wants to? I just can't think of ANYTHING!!!! What would you do with a sudden $500?
Great ideas mamas! Well we are debt free!!!! So yeah!! And this commission is going to fully fund our emergency fund, double yeah!!! So so far I am thinking of going to see a great comedian, like Sinbad, and maybe a great dinner and hotel, I have always wanted to go to a great comedy show and my husband loves that too, I definitely want to spend the money for he and I to bond, with three kids these opportunities don't come around much!!!! Keep the ideas coming!
i'd book a hotel and babysitter and enjoy the night with my husband if I were you. oh and use part of that money for either something fun for the bedroom or a nice dress and go out to eat when you're at the hotel.
Maybe, if you can't think of anything right now, you should tuck it away until later. I always have a hard time thinking of something I want, when I HAVE to come up with something. As soon as I pick something at random and spend the money though, something that I REALLY want rears its head a few weeks later.
So maybe sit tight for a few weeks and just wait and see...
I would go on a weekend away with my husband. In the woods...far away form anything including cell service :D
No strings attached?
I would book a babysitter and go to NYC with my husband for the night. We would go out for a really fancy dinner and see a show. Before we had kids, we did this a couple time a year. Now? Well, not in the last 5 years!
Train Tickets: $50
Dinner in NYC: $200
Tickets: $250
There- Damn. That wouldn't cover the sitter! That would be an extra $100, so maybe we'd go to a cheaper restaurant! :)
Just M has the right idea, IMO. Plan something special for you and your hubs. Sort of a way to thank him too. Keep the spark alive!
The responsible thing to do would be to pay off or down a debt. yeah - "fun money" is fun - but if that money can be used to pay something off or down - I would do that. Takes a burden off me and my family.
If we had no debt? I would see if $500 could cover the cost of the band.
maybe do more than just one thing with it - like a day at the spa - massage, facial, manicure, pedicure...something for me...yeah...
Have fun!!
I might spend a little on myself as in a day spa, get hair and nails done, etc OR have a great night out with hubby at a great restaurant but I would save some of it for a rainy day.
When we have a record month of sales, etc I process an extra paycheck and we put it in our savings. We do date night regularly, eat at great restaurants, I get my hair done regularly, ets. We sock it away for later... delayed gratification.
If you have debt... pay off your debt. We believe in being debt free.
Last year I won $500 the week before Christmas from the local grocery store where I shop all the time. I used the gift cards to load up my pantry and freezer since I had no option to do anything else with it except spend it at the store.
What about spending half on you and half on hubby as a surprise?
I bought my husband a beautiful guitar once, it was his favorite gift ever. Now he sings me songs on it (0:
Emergency fund. Not as fun as blowing it but imagine the less stress you'll have when you encounter a rough patch.
I wouldn't know where to begin! I'd probably get a lot of new little things that I think about (I try to keep a list, so when I think of something i want, I write it down so that I don't forget):
- new kitchen supplies (one of those Kitchenaid mixers that mix the ingredients w/o me having to hold the darn mixer)
- a couple of new CDs I've been wanting to try
- a massage
- a pair of NICE jeans that actually fit me right
I think if you want the ring, then you should get the ring!
Other ideas below I like are the night out with hubby. Perhaps you can do dinner out, movie, etc (hotel?) and use the rest to pay off some debt.
Sometimes, instead of more stuff, I opt for more experiences. Some ideas:
- get tickets to a play or performance you've wanted to see. Take a great friend, your mom, a sister -- or even your husband! Go to dinner, too.
- book a weekend away for the two of you or for you and a friend.
- Any out of town friends you haven't seen in a while? $500 covers a lot of airfare.
- Sign up for a class or learn more about a new hobby.
- Have fun!
Isn't that how it goes, when you don't have money it is easy to find things you want, and then when you do have money then it gets confusing!
Me, personally,I would probably go get new clothes since it has been a really long time since I bought any. I would also love to get a piece of furniture...have been wanting a table for the entryway, a desk (using the coffee table at this point!) or a nice big chair for our front room that currently has no furniture except a bookcase. Those are the things I would want. I hope you figure out something fun!
I have the two rings, so I have my wedding band, engagement band, and anniversary band. I LOVE my set. However, a lot of rings cost more than $500...I guess depending on what you get. Mine are diamond. My original one was diamond also, but much more affordable. I think that one was maybe $500 or so from Kay's.
Other than that, I'd treat myself to a NICE spa day. I can't think of anything more relaxing!
Wardrobe update!! Fun, fresh little pieces to liven up what I have AND a GREAT pair of jeans. Whenever I find a random $150 in my budget, I go get an uh-mahzing pair of jeans. Sadly, I think it was three years ago that I did that:)
Have a blast!!
If I had any debt, I would pay that down before spending ANY of it.
(This isn't monthly bills--I mean credit cards bills, car loans, etc)
If I had NO debt to pay off, I would get the ring fixed up, then the balance on experience--tickets to something, trip to see someone/something, etc.
Stash it!!!
Because if I come up with something, a week later Ill remember what Ice been wanting for Years!!! Headsmack!!!
I couldn't blow $500 on myself. Maybe you could put 1/2 away in a rainy day fund and take the other 1/2 to the spa (massage, facial, mani/pedi).
Hee hee... a trip to the dermatologist for Juvederm or Botox (and some skin tone evening products), New Hairstyle (cut and color), New Favorite pair of boots that you'll wear everyday (or watch/ sunglasses/purse), set up a free makeup application and buy some new makeup, new lingerie for sharing with your husband :~), hotel night out for the two of you, Cooking classes... or a class that will teach you something you've been wanting to learn more about (new skill or hobby), new piece of furniture on Craigs List to replace something you dislike. What a fun gift that your amazing husband is giving you. He sounds like a keeper!!!!
If I had $500, I'd go rescue a puppy or 2 from a shelter. I'm currently looking for a 2nd dog.
Because we already have an iPad I would buy clothes. I would get those 200.00 boots I want and maybe a new jacket or sweaters.
It is doubtful that you would have enough to cover the ring. With the current price of gold at $1700-1800 an ounce, I can't imagine you'd have it covered.
I also like the idea of some kind of "experience" - tickets to something like a show, concert, etc. sound like a GREAT idea! Do something FUN!!!
Dinner or lunch with hubby. Mani / Pedi. Movies. Chocolate. Scrapbooking supplies. A new book on my Kindle. New undies and pajamas. New workout outfit - shoes included. Maybe new gloves and hat/scarf (Depends on where you are 'lacking' in your clothing) Some candles or melts to make our house smell good. A bottle of wine and rent a movie and that should take care of it. As you can see - not all of it would be blown on 'me' stuff either. However...I do want my tattoo fixed. So maybe I could blow half of it on that alone!!!! That is awesome so enjoy it!!
shopping! shopping! shopping!
I would blow it on a night out with my husband. Buy tickets for a show, hire a babysitter and use the rest for a nice dinner. If there is some leftover I would probably buy some clothes or shoes. Or maybe I would buy a brand new snowboard instead.
Take some and go have a spa day - massage, nails, time in the jacuzzi, etc. Also treat yourself and your best friend to a nice lunch - you will love the time spent catching up with no kids around!
Over the summer, I spent a weekend at a hotel by myself. SO NICE! It was great to just get away from everything and everyone, relax, do what I wanted, when I wanted, etc. Such a relaxing weekend.
You sound like me! I am practical to the core. I save up Christmas money!
This time for my birthday I blew it all, even the Christmas money for the last 3 Christmas. I framed art that was my recently departed fils. I commissioned a table base for a dining room table top I had gotten for a song. I have to really be in love with the idea of something before I can turn loose. I want it to be something I will love forever. How about family pictures? Framed and all! They are pretty pricy sometimes. Good luck at finding that "something"!
If there was nothing "BIG" that I wanted to do, I would put it away and pinch off it for the little incidental things that come up along the way that I would like to do for myself to make me feel better at times...(i.e. a pedicure or a manicure; maybe a spa day). Things that make you feel so special but you'd never spend your hard-earned money to do because it is considered frivolous. Enjoy.
Spa day and buy a thick beautiful bath robe. Full day of treatment and lunch at the spa. Ahhhh.
