It’s “Help Others Spend Their Money” Day!

By Mir
April 11, 2006

It’s all the fun of spending money without actually, you know, spending any of your money. What more could you want?

Two items for your consideration:

1) Although I’m still bitter that Grace didn’t make it past semi-finalist, you should go vote for the Swiffer Amazing Woman of the Year from amongst the finalists. The winner gets $5,000 for the charity of her choice, as well as fame, fortune, and a lot of Swiffer products. Go read about those ten amazing women and if you are not moved by their stories, check to see if you have a pulse.

2) The IRS has decided I am impoverished and should therefore get a pity refund. Naturally I am trying to act all tough and indifferent and “hey, dude, I totally wanted to eat all those ramen noodles” but on the inside I am doing a small watusi of glee. Necessity dictates that I shall be using the money for bills and groceries, mostly, but if I were to, say, set aside perhaps $100 of it for something unnecessary, what do you think I should spend it on?

35 Comments

  1. DebR

    Shoes!

  2. Susan

    I am partial to the windfall jewelery purchase myself.

  3. Sandee

    Boots!

  4. Patricia

    Well, if it were me, I’d buy yarn — but I’m insane that way.
    I’d suggest shoes, but I’m not sure if that is oh, truly enough. My final choices would be:
    1. A massage (or some other spa-type item)
    2. A vacuuming/floor scrubbing robot (I know this is more than $100 — but I’m just saying)

    Enjoy the winfall. Mine is on its way too and the yarn shop might want to lay in the second shift ;)

  5. big bad

    buy something nice for whomever does your taxes :-P

  6. Contrary

    On one the nights that the kids are with their Dad, take a friend (or a boy!) out for a really good dinner. With wine and stuff. Do lots of giggling.

  7. crazyjane

    i’m getting a new swingset with mine, but if i could spend it on me, it would be something in the spa/massage category. sadly, i shall have to make do with some ben & jerry’s half baked instead.

  8. Shelley

    Whatever you want – just make sure it’s for YOU.

  9. Cele

    Something whimsical that makes your heart sing – have you thought about really good, deep, tonal windchimes? just sayin’

  10. Niki Vogler

    I’m with Patricia on this one – yarn for me. But since I know shoes are really your thing, I’d go for some shoes. And wine. And then a massage, if anything is left. Call me if you need help spending it – I’m really good at this!

  11. Monica

    Shelly and Cele have it right, do something special for just you. If you can’t decide between several equally appealing options, toss a few slips of paper into a hat and let the universe decide.

    For me it would be a half day of pampering at a spa. Manicure, facial etc, but the important thing is it has to speak to you. Something that will make you either hold it (if it’s an item) or look back on it (if it’s an experience) and smile again weeks later.

    Enjoy it!

  12. Cathy

    One night in a hotel with a pool. or shoes.

  13. marymuses

    Shoes and brownies!

  14. Kris

    Spend half on a babysitter (one that will take them overnight, or a few nights, or a week… ::daydreaming::)

    Spend the other half by waving it in the air and attacking the first man that perks up. Hey, it’s been awhile here. (And no, you don’t give him the money. It’s merely an attention getter. If they can string us along, so can we they.)

  15. Greg

    For me the answer would be a maid. I know that there is no better feeling in the world than to leave a messy house and come back to a clean one. $100 is enough to have someone clean your house for about 5 hours. Some people would say that this is frivolity, I ask these people how much they would ask to paid for cleaning.

  16. laura

    Duh! Shoes and liquor! It’s the breakfast of champions, dontcha know.

  17. Lesley

    Squirrel it away and enjoy the knowledge that you have it! Then when you see something and think…”if only I had the money…” you’ll have it! (That’s what I’m doing with the “Easter dress” money that my mom sent me!)

  18. Em

    Ok, all in one day (so that its extra special)

    1 hour Massage at the aesthetic school: $30

    Mani/pedi: $30

    Lunch: $20

    Movie: $10

    Can’t think of what to do with the extra $10 – iTunes gift certificate? New fuzzy socks? Payless spree? Smooth new pen with a cushy bump to rest your finger? 6 hours at the Christmas Tree Shop? A nice paperback? Get your bangs cut? A Mrs. Fields cookie to not share? A World’s Greatest Lover mug? Tulips ($6 at Stop and Shop this week)? Put it in your winter coat so you can find it next year and surprise Future Mir!

    Have fun!

  19. ferd

    You know it’s gonna be shoes.

  20. Karen

    Is this a trick question, or is there some reason why it doesn’t automatically go toward new shoes?

  21. Jean

    I would totally spend it on some spa services, you deserve it :)

  22. Aimee

    I vote for whatever luxury item you’ve gone the longest without having. Shoes, perfume, spa time…whatever. Just do what everybody else said and make sure you spend it all on you, glorious you!

  23. Mir

    Not a trick question, Karen, no! It doesn’t automatically go to shoes because I often can (and do) find fabulous shoes for cheap, and if I’m being completely truthful, that’s part of the thrill. I’m talking about something I NEVER buy myself. I already buy shoes. ;)

  24. Summer

    Part of me says “spend it on a facial!” but the problem with that is that later you will desperately want another facial and the government doesn’t hand out free money all that often.

    Patricia’s idea of the vacuuming robot is a good one, though it’s far more useful than unnecessary. I bought my mom a Roomba Red for Christmas (it wound up being about $125, free shipping) and we’ve discovered that it’s both useful and entertaining. There are few things that currently please me more than drinking a glass of wine while watching Rosie (of course she’s called Rosie, she’s red and she’s a robot who cleans) spin around sucking up dirt. THAT’S the way to clean.

    Or you could just buy yourself something that exists only to be beautiful, like a piece of art or a flowering tree. But who are we kidding, you know you’re going to get five pairs of fabulous shoes and then you’re going to post here to make us all jealous of your shoe wardobe and bargain-finding ability.

  25. Melisa

    How about that fancy mushroom shampoo and conditioner. With a hundred bucks you could get the SET!

  26. Alicia

    A makeup counter makeover and all new nice department store makeup!

  27. Cori

    Extra money always goes to art around here. Every vacation, every special life moment, just for fun,it all gets memorialized in art for my walls. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just make me smile when I look at it.

  28. Brenda

    A beautiful Coach handbag, that will last you for years. Score it on eBay. Then you will always have a wonderful handbag to go with your fantastic shoes.

  29. Niihaus

    One of those butterflies you mentioned and a babysitter. ;-))

  30. Alice

    I don’t know what you never buy for yourself, but here are my top choices:

    – massage
    – art
    – fancy-pants dinner
    – less fany-pants dinner and a show

  31. Zee

    One word: FACIAL!

    Because you will look years younger and walk out oft here feeling beautiful.

    At least, that’s what they tell me facials do. I haven’t yet gotten one and I’m dying to!!

  32. mswainey

    I would totally go for a day at the spa!! You are lucky that you are getting a return…. I have to pay in. :( Maybe next year I will get a day at the spa!

  33. barbie2be

    100 song downloads from iTunes! :)

  34. Nothing But Bonfires

    Excellent jeans. They’ll last you AGES and your butt will look SO GOOD. I recommend Sevens. I cringed when I handed over my credit card two years ago, but hello? TWO YEARS AGO. And I am still wearing them. Several times a week. Which means, really, that they’ve paid for themselves probably four times over, so now they might as well have been FREE.

  35. kelly

    Oh, thank Maude it was just the filter, and not a total replacement. Sorry you didn’t get to splurge on something completely frivolous.

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