What would you do with $20,000?

[platedlizard]

This isn't a 'what would you do if you won the lottery' type question. I actually deposited the money in my account this morning. Twenty Thousand US Dollars. Part of my share of Grandma's estate. There's going to be a similar check at the end of this year, and a couple more Big Checks next year as well. More money then I have ever had. I would prefer to have my grandma, of course, but the money is suuure nice.

I have no fucking clue what to do with it.

I'm going to pay off my credit card, of course, but unlike a lot of people my credit card bill isn't spiraling out of control (at least, not anymore). I'm going to move out to a nice appartment that allows pets (a necessity, I have nine birds, a hamster, two lizards, a 55 gallon planted freshwater fishtank, with an iquana possibly on the way. Also, I want a dog). I want a new wardrobe and computer, iPod, etc, but all of that won't cost me more then five or six thousand, and that's if I go all out. I have a fairly good car that's paid off. I just bought a nice cage for the cockatiels.

That's all, though.

One option is go back to school. Or get certified as a dog trainer with a nationally recognized program (which costs a couple thousand dollars). I kinda want to go to Moorpark Animal Training College but the housing prices there are incredible (seriously, $700/month for a studio!) and I think I would blow through even that amount of cash there pretty quick.

Any ideas?

Comments

[oyster-district.livejournal.com]

Again, ask your financial advisor about it (because I've certainly never had 20K to play with) but I do know that real estate is one of the more sound investments. Getting a good mortgage can depend a lot on your credit rating and so on, and it does mean getting locked into a certain residential area for a while. With your pets, maybe a house would be a good idea for you. (The house v. condo debate continues to rage, in some circles.) I would look into real estate properties nearby wherever you would like to spend more time--if it's near a school programme or whatever. Keep in mind that you may be moving out in the next four years, so buying a "fixer-upper" probably isn't a good idea unless you have the time and money to put in the work. You can also try to move into a building which allows people to buy their apartments after a time, or a co-op. I just think that with this kind of money, you could put a nice down payment on a property, and really establish some good credit and home equity for yourself. The investment will last longer than a car, boat, electronic device, or what have you. However, I still concur with Misora that you should put together an investment portfolio, or at the very least a high-yield savings account. This is the chance to make your "rainy day" stash, so go for it.