If you had money to spend this season, what would you buy?

[Hamlette]

I read a post on 538 urging people with money to spend it. He advised we go Christmas shopping and out to dinner. I remember how offended I was when Bush said we should go shopping after 9/11 but for reasons I'm not sure I understand, I'm not offended now.

We're not rich, but lucky. I'm fairly certain we will ride out this down turn. Our retirement accounts were cut in half but we are healthy and can work another 10 years and since we both love our jobs, that is not a problem. (I work at the state unemployment office, job security for sure. We are all working long hours to try and keep up with new claims but believe me, no one is complaining. We recognize more than most how lucky we are to have a job.)

Anyway, let's say you could throw some dough around, what would you buy that would help the economy without hurting the planet? I'm not that good of a consumer, I drive cars for 12-15 years, and spend next to nothing on clothes or trinkets. We also battle our weight so eating out often is probably dangerous to our health. I'm thinking art from a local artist would be a good thing. Any other ideas?

[DJ13]

1. A new roof for our house

[NMDemDist2]

2. I bought a new dishwasher

and spent big bux on it too on Black Friday

I also paid a guy who needed the work to paint the living room so I gave Sherwin Williams a couple hundred bux

I bought some drapes from Penny's and am eyeing a new rug at Home Depot too

Christmas at our house this year was for the house. we didn't get any people presents LOL

but we're pleased

[patrice]

3. Windows for my house. nt

[Muttocracy]

4. Surgery for my mom. A house for me and my dogs.

Smaller ticket, furniture and books.

[Hamlette]

10. furniture is a good idea, my couches are 20 years old and showing it

and I like the idea of hiring someone to finally strip the old wall paper and paint the bedroom! Great ideas. My mom knows a guy who can do it. I'll call her tomorrow.

[Muttocracy]

19. furniture and home improvements done right don't have to be too bad for the environment

I'd rather spend money on durable stuff myself. And sounds like you're about to create some local jobs! :)

[Hamlette]

27. we really need too

long story but we have a house with "odd" toilet and 2 of them are broken! (Luckily we have 3). Replacing them means remodeling the bathroom but I've been too busy (and uninterested) to go pick out tile etc. Maybe I'll splurge and hire a decorator to do all that for me! God knows, I have more money (not that much) than time right now. We're working 50 hour weeks. I don't need to tell people here how high unemployment is right now. We are just slammed. Phone lines backed up days at a time. (Hint, if you do, god forbid, have to file an unemployment claim, use the Internet if your state allows it. It's pretty automated and you'll get your claim processed faster than calling it in!)

[NMDemDist2]

74. check out these guys, I love their stuff and am getting a sofa to go with the chair

this year

http://www.homereserve.com/index-b.shtml

[flvegan]

5. Brand new Corvette ZR1.

Help the economy and GM, as well as the resulting benefit to UAW workers.

I rule!

Anyone got a spare $100k that I can use to put my plan into action?

*crickets*

Anyone?

[Blue_Tires]

25. +1

don't forget to get the museum delivery option!

[flvegan]

30. Nah, I'm going to opt for a new Saturn Astra for rainy days with my savings.

Plus, there's no way I'm fitting a great dane into a Vette.

[greguganus]

67. My son bought a used ZR1. I'm waiting for him to get tired of it so maybe I can get it cheap. n/t

[Skittles]

6. I buy clothes and shoes and toys for Iraqi and Aghani kids

I send them to soldiers who hand them out

[Hamlette]

13. that's a great idea, I have my own favorite charity

which reminds me, I need to send them a check next month (I did spend more on Christmas than I usually do)

[merh]

7. its the slow season for a friend of mine, he needs the work

so he put up a fence for the pups and will put up some new doors for me.

that works out for the both of us

[Mz Pip]

8. I wish I had

spent a lot of my money a few years ago by buying stuff and taking trips. Then I'd at least have some stuff and some memories instead of dwindling IRAs. :shrug:

I definitely agree with supporting your local artists. I've been selling my art for the past few years and this year sales are down. I'm sure local artisans would appreciate the business.

This Christmas I bought gifts from local small businesses and craftspeople. If I had the money I'd plan a trip to somewhere warm. I'd pay off my younger son's car payment and my older son's law school student loans. I'd by a hybrid.

[Mist]

9. I'd like to be energy-independent and get off the grid. nt

[merh]

35. I would like to do that too

I priced it when I was rebuilding and it is a very expensive task.

I've also written to Obama's campaign that they consider offering grants to homeowners to help them accomplish the task.

We have to start somewhere, grants to homeowners to help them become energy independent seems like a better use of money than corporate bailouts that go to pay the corporate salaries and bonuses.

[babylonsister]

11. A condo in the place of my dreams?

Only one problem. I haven't found that place. But I'll bet the price is right.

[Hamlette]

15. lol problem is, the place of my dreams is in Europe

and I can't see living there

[Lorien]

21. I can see living there very well

I always hated coming home from France or Switzerland, back in the days when I had a decent income! Most or Europe has a far higher standard of living (quality of life) than we do.

[Hamlette]

22. the problem is health insurance

for us at least. We are pushing 60 and thought about retiring there but we need medicare or we'd be uninsured.

Also, our family is here and we'd miss our son and grandson. They are the best. I mean that. Really. The best.

[Lorien]

41. But most EU nations have universal health care

they don't take insurance over there. :shrug:

[Hamlette]

47. but you can't get it if you are not in the country legally

emergency care for sure, but not forever. My family loved the medical system when they lived there but you'd have to immigrate and they are not likely to take old people with medical needs just so they can pay for them. I read a statistic once that of all the medical costs you incur in your life, 90-95% of them will be in the last 2 years of your life. No wonder Medicare is so costly (and why we need it so much.)

[Lorien]

79. I think I read somewhere that many EU nations would take older immigrants

if they had a certain net worth, though I can't remember what that figure was!

These days one visit to the ER can bankrupt a person for life here in the US of A. if I had a way to immigrate to a "civilized" country I would in a heartbeat! I'm already neck deep in medical debt. :-(

[babylonsister]

24. I could easily if it was affordable to us.

My husband has often thought he'd like to move to SE Asia. I want to at least visit some European places I haven't been to before we do anything, if it's ever affordable.

[Hamlette]

34. some places are cheaper than others

we swore off presents to each other 30 years ago and put money in the bank each holiday for travel. My sister and parents lived in Europe for years so we were lucky to get to visit them and got the bug.

I'm as cheap about travel as I am about clothes (wear it out who cares if its in style!) We just got back from Portugal and were surprised by how interesting it is and so much cheaper than the rest of Europe and everyone speaks English. We went on frequent flyer miles. The car rental was less than $300 for 2 weeks. We stayed in great small hotels and paid less than $100 per night for both of us including breakfast. You can do it even cheaper. The breakfasts are huge and we would only eat dinner out. We had some killer meals, the food was outstanding and some very interesting sites. Turkey is also very cheap.

[Lorien]

12. Some organic groceries, cat food, vet services for my pets, a tarp for

the holes in the roof and a haircut. the last one sounds a bit silly, but I haven't had a haircut since June and I look pretty shaggy! Unemployment truly, truly sucks.

Oh, and by the way, I'm a local artist! ;-)

[DesertFlower]

28. your art is beautiful. i especially

like the first one.

[marybourg]

29. Wow!! Those are great. I especially love the sheep. nt

[Lorien]

39. Thanks! That one was for the cover of a children's book

but I won't say which ones because the Freeps would rate it down on Amazon.

[Hamlette]

45. the sheep are my favorite too

now I'm going to go nuts trying to figure out which book. . . looks like I'll be going to the bookstore this weekend!

[Hamlette]

37. LOL you ARE a local artist! And a great one too

my tastes run to abstracts.
We just bought a Lee Deffebach, she died recently and I've always wanted one of her paintings. Wish I could figure out how to post pictures here. I have it in an email.

[Lorien]

38. She did do amazing work:

http://www.backtobrads.com/Backtobradsartists.html

I love abstracts too, and would love to do some sometime. I always thought that I'd spend my old age doing that sort of thing, especially as my eyesight is so poor! But for now I've got to stick with illustration, even though the market for that is drying up too!

[Hamlette]

44. wow, I'm impressed you've heard of her

I love "Orange Crush" (upper left). I don't like all of her work. She was a friend of my mom's and I grew up in a house with a big Deffebach in the dining room. I have a couple of small ones but the one we bought last week is huge. It's hard to buy "big" art because you don't know what you'll think of it over time.

Anyway, her death was a big blow to all of us here. She wasn't really ill, went in for a minor problem and she basically died on the operating table as she had an undiagnosed enlarged heart. She was an unassuming woman, quiet and seemingly shy, but very smart and engaging.

[InvisibleTouch]

60. Ooooh! I love the snow leopard, especially! n/t

[earth mom]

71. I love the sheep too!

I think that it would make an adorable greeting card-perhaps on etsy?

Lots of wool people-spinners, felters and knitters etc-there. :hi:

[Lorien]

78. Aw thanks! It would be nice if I owned the rights to it

but alas, Scholastic does. :-(

:hi:

[bdamomma]

80. very nice I noticed that we have alot of untapped talent on DU.

[RoyGBiv]

14. A plane ticket to see my mom and daughter n/t

[Lisa0825]

16. All the furniture and appliances to replace what my friends lost in Ike

that the insurance racket won't pay for and neither will the joke we call FEMA.

[willing dwarf]

17. Dental Insurance

I feel like my mouth's a ticking time bomb. Every now and then the twinges on the upper left side feel serious. I know I need to go get things looked at, but pain and expense are two big deterrents!

[Historic NY]

18. Pay my bills & taxes off & finish some outdoor projects...could use a

new truck.

[Donnachaidh]

20. I'd fly to see my family in Canada

And I'd shop there, so we could all have a wonderful dinner at home. Might be convinced to buy some ice skates.

[cliffordu]

23. A new knee

[DesertFlower]

26. we've got money, but my health is poor.

can't really enjoy it.

we do eat out several times a week so that's helping the economy.


we give a lot of money to charity, especially the food banks.

[Pastiche423]

31. Move home

[Doremus]

32. New roof and dental work. Oh, and new glasses.

The roof is barely hanging on with DH's continued patches. We keep hoping a big wind storm will blow it off so that insurance will replace it, lol.

About a month ago the cap on a 30-year-old root canal disintegrated. With the cost of dental work and our lousy (exorbitant) insurance, I'm sure it will be months if not years before I can have it replaced. It doesn't hurt so for that I'm very thankful.

The glasses I'll probably get the soonest, from that site someone posted in the living frugally thread. I've got to find out how much an eye exam costs first though in order to get a prescription.

Life in the Bush economy certainly keeps us on our toes!

Your idea to buy some art from a local artist is great. I think you would be doing a service buying from just about any locally-owned company. Have fun spending, OP! :hi:

[DesertFlower]

36. if you're a member of costco

they have optometrists and the glasses are reasonably priced. my doc charges $39 for the eye exam.

[TygrBright]

33. Food for the food bank. Building materials for Habitat for Humanity.

Toys for the Empty Stocking Project. Eye surgery for children whose parents can't afford it. Equipment for non-profit clinics and water processing machinery for rural Indian nations.

I have a long, LONG list.

But no cash, alas.

sadly,
Bright

[TripleKatPad]

40. I have been spending

I've been using the last year-end bonus I'm likely to receive (so says my boss) on my favorite charities. Only this year, for those charities that offer the opportunity, I have dedicated the donation to my parents.

Tonight my folks called to thank me for all the surprises they have received...Email acknowledgments, ecards, written notes, and today a tree ornament from the Humane Society.

What they don't know is that there are six more to come.

[Hamlette]

46. awww, you are so sweet

I give to legal aid and legal services for the disabled and planned parenthood and the food bank.

[McCamy Taylor]

42. I would pay down my debts and mortgage. Don't need stuff. Just pay the medical bills.

[ZombieHorde]

43. A pack of smokes and a Cherry Coke.

[specimenfred1984]

48. Yeh sure, it's just a "downturn", worldwide corruption can just be ignored

It'll easily turn around when the entire culture of crime that has infested the U.S. just magically disappears. I'd buy a book on international crime syndicates and give it to someone who could understand it.

[Rowdyboy]

49. If I had the money I'd buy a honeymoon in Japan for my best friends who are marrying next April....

They're young (33 and 28) and desperately want to go during cherry blossom season. Maybe they will someday but they can't possibly afford it now and are trying to pick a 2nd choice. They're in love though so it really doesn't matter that much....

[Hamlette]

51. Hello? Cherry blossoms in DC are beautiful n/t

[Rowdyboy]

53. That a great idea but don't they bloom later?

The kids are stuck with an early April wedding but if DC is a serious option they might go for it. I'll look into it-thanks for the idea!

[MiniMe]

70. April is about right for the bloom

http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/cms/index.php?id=390

The exact date changes every year.

[earth mom]

50. After Christmas we are sending money to help wild animals.

Our house needs many things and we all have wants for more fun but frivolous stuff. But we really don't "need" anything more so we've decided that on my husbands next payday (which comes after Christmas), we are going to send money to help Wild Animals this year. We are huge animal lovers and are greatly concerned that the economic downturn will hurt wild life around the world. :cry:

So we will be donating to 3 places:

The David Sheldrick Wild Life Trust

A lifetime dedicated to the protection and reservation of Africa's Wilderness and it's denizens, particularly endangered species such as Elephants and Black Rhinos.

http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/index.asp

Awesome 60 Minutes Story from this past Sunday here:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/19/60minutes/main4677338.shtml


Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin) Wildlife Warriors

Wildlife Warriors Worldwide's Objectives

To protect and enhance the natural environment
To provide information and education to the public and raise awareness of wildlife issues
To undertake biological research
To research, recommend and act in the protection of threatened or endangered species.
To enter into cooperative arrangements with like-minded organisations

http://www.wildlifewarriors.org.au/

AND

Our Local Zoo :loveya:

[leftofthedial]

52. I need a car

and some home remodeling/repair (assuming I don't lose my house).

I'd also pay for mastering and manufacture of a couple of CD projects and perhaps the recording of two more.

[Telly Savalas]

54. If I had a lot of money, I wouldn't buy anything.

Instead, I'd put every penny of it in a loosely regulated investment fund which is so lacking in transparency that the manager kicks people out for asking too many questions about what's being done with their money. There's no way that could possibly go wrong.

[babylonsister]

56. Ha! No way. nt

[Selatius]

55. A $300 bottle of Dom Perignon for an acquaintance. I have a favor that needs paying back badly.

This person in question is a cocktail girl at a club I frequent. She directed a bottle of Dom at me some weeks back, and that night, I only tipped her out 2 bucks per glass. Thinking back, I felt wrong that she only got back that much from me. She deserves more. I know firsthand what it is like to be working in such settings; it's not fun.

[babylonsister]

57. Wow.

Sounds like mutual attraction, and champagne won't cure it. Do you chat? If you don't, you should.

[Selatius]

64. Heh, be nice if it were true. In reality, there is no attraction, just a conscientious person.

I explained what happened to a friend, and he said I should've tipped her out better. That was about a couple weeks ago. Since then, his comments have made me feel an internal insistence I do something to rectify the situation. I have a fairly strong conscience, and if I don't do the right thing, my conscience gnaws at me to no end.

Regardless, I don't have to bother with the notion if there is mutual attraction there; she's already dating the DJ at the club. I know I can't afford a bottle of Dom, but maybe a bottle of something more standard-fare. I've always had a taste for Italian Lambrusco, which is a soft, velvety red wine that goes down smooth, but that's one suggestion out of many.

[Vickers]

58. Two cheeseburgers and world peace.

:thumbsup:

[InvisibleTouch]

59. Gardening supplies to grow my own food...

...in particular a good length of chainlink fence to section off part of the yard from the dogs, so I can plant veggies next year, and maybe have some extra space to try out a solar oven. That's the main thing I need, and can't afford. :( With that in place, I could be creative and frugal about obtaining most other things. I already have compost bins, which were a gift, and I've filled them up fast.

If I were going for more luxury, I'd add rain barrels to catch the rainwater. Organic/heirloom seeds. A backyard pond so I can raise some fish and invertebrates during the Summer. A new manual reel mower (as opposed to the old rusty one I have), so I don't have to use the loud, gas-guzzling, fume-belching gas mower ever again. And if I really were able to splurge, a small greenhouse - again fenced away from the dogs so there are no accidents. Just some basic supplies that would set me on the road to more self-sufficiency.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

61. A new frig and dishwasher

And then a bundle to Doctors Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, and the ASPCA.

Oh yes, to a local food bank.

[proud patriot]

62. I want a Driveway and Garage

:(

[FloridaJudy]

63. A new car

My 1993 Chrysler won't last much longer. I'd like to get some zippy little thing that just sips gas, like a Volt. If I manage to find work soon - before I run out of my savings - I'm considering a scooter.

[taterguy]

65. Freedom

[Monk06]

66. A couple hundred bucks for a local liquor store employee who was electrocuted

using an electric hoist when the floor was wet.

I asked his coworkers if he died but apparently
he is in critical condition but still alive.

I found out about this because we were without
power for four hours today because of the incident.

Two days before Christmas. Life is shite and then
you die. I hope it wasn't anyone I know.

[TWiley]

68. I would catch up on my membership / charity donations.

I have been satisfied, and really need nothing, but it has come at the expense of some charitable giving. NPR is about the only one I have contributed to this year.

edit .... oh some homeless shelters and food banks too

[B Calm]

69. I would bury the money in my backyard!

[Fumesucker]

72. Major insulation upgrade for the attic, insulated siding and a Geothermal heat pump..

Along with energy efficient windows and storm windows. Given that we live in the deep South and our home is in the direct sun all day until late afternoon cooling is really more of an issue for us than heating.

At the moment that would be our most practical use for a substantial investment, save money over the long run, help the US economy and the environment at the same time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_heat_pump

Our car is already fairly fuel efficient, we don't really drive all *that* much and upgrading to something substantially better would probably cost at least as much as upgrading our home and wouldn't save as much energy.

[lumberjack_jeff]

73. A house for symbolman. n/t

[LWolf]

75. A new modular home

since the old mobile home I live in needs to be condemned. Flooring, plumbing, wiring...you name it, it's bad.

There has been no water for 5 days now with the pipes frozen. Usually doesn't last longer than a day, but this has been a long, cold storm.

[blue neen]

76. New windows and really good thermal drapes and blinds for all of the windows.

It really saves on the energy bills and helps the planet.

[crispini]

77. A Wii, a new roof, and fixing my car.

I don't know about "not hurting the planet," but those three things are in the category of "want," "need" and "really need."

And, if the sky's the limit, a VW camper van. :evilgrin:

[Marrah_G]

81. Components for a new computer at home.