Ideas for “frivolous” spending

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd buy everything on a teacher's Amazon wish list, or fund Go Fund Me's that I really believe in. I'd pay for dogs to be spayed and neutered. I'd buy tampons for women's domestic violence shelters.

OP said it can’t be used for donations.

[Anonymous]

Travel
Massages
Spa days
High quality hair cut
House cleaner if you don't already have one
Car payment if you need a new car
Experiences like horseback riding
1-2 nice pieces of jewelry if you don't have any
A few higher quality wardrobe pieces if you don't already have them. Not designer (that seems wasteful to me because everything goes out of style), but high quality items that make you feel good when you wear them. I would focus on a pair of jeans, one pair of pants, 1-2 pairs of shorts, a few dresses, a few tops, one sweater, one jacket, 1-2 pairs of shoes, 1 handbag, 1 bathing suit. All of these would be fun weekend clothes.
Furnishings for your home if you need any
A few pieces of artwork that I love

Could you use some of it towards a mortgage for an investment property? How much money and for how long do you get this $5K/month?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd buy everything on a teacher's Amazon wish list, or fund Go Fund Me's that I really believe in. I'd pay for dogs to be spayed and neutered. I'd buy tampons for women's domestic violence shelters.

OP said it can’t be used for donations.

I think the loophole here might be patronage. Collect/commission art. Be the owner of a semipro soccer team. It’s not a perfect workaround of course and I’m not saying you will be supporting the most worthy causes, but you could definitely support some worthwhile and fun enterprises while “employing” people rather than donating.

Like you could lease a saintly lesson horse and have it go in a therapeutic riding program as “training board” or something like that. Or have a great kid ride it as a pro (horses are weird and juniors can be pros). Or just a great young adult pro. I realize we’re stretching the bounds of “charity” here, but OP doesn’t have to just buy things is my point.

[Anonymous]

I'd focus on higher end services and consumable goods that pump money back into my local community.

Weekly 90-minute massage ($250)
Weekly fresh flowers ($50-$100 if delivered)
Weekly fruit/vegetable CSA ($50)
Personal trainer 2 x week ($300?)
Weekly music lesson ($100?)
Etc.

OP - enjoy!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd focus on higher end services and consumable goods that pump money back into my local community.

Weekly 90-minute massage ($250)
Weekly fresh flowers ($50-$100 if delivered)
Weekly fruit/vegetable CSA ($50)
Personal trainer 2 x week ($300?)
Weekly music lesson ($100?)
Etc.

OP - enjoy!!

Oh, and local theater! Tickets are about $100-$200/ticket and it's an industry that's really struggled post-pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Gold

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you please tell us why you are in this situation?!

I posed my question as a hypothetical because I didn’t want the specifics of my actual situation to derail the brainstorming, but have gotten enough ideas that I think it’s ok to share at this point. Cue accusations of trolling, but whatevs!

The poster who mentioned the movie Brewster’s Millions was on the right track, albeit I’m talking about far more modest dollar amounts - I am the beneficiary of an eccentric relative’s odd bequest to “spoil” myself more. I am very fortunate to have all my normal living expenses already covered, but have always been pretty frugal by nature, and I guess he wanted to throw a fun challenge my way with a bunch of specific stipulations prohibiting me from straight out saving, investing, or donating the 5K/month.

Thank you to everyone who’s contributed ideas thus far! Please keep them coming if you think of any more.

Fun!

1 90 min weekly massage (every week) (That's $1K/month)
1 very nice dinner monthly for you and your partner/spouse ($400-500)
Increase (add) a house cleaner (another $1K/month)
Personal trainer ($500-1K/month)
Sporting event/theater/live show another 1-2 times per month

[Anonymous]

Love everyone’s ideas! Just to be clear, I fully appreciate that folks are thinking about philanthropy - I actually happen to work in nonprofit and am also a donor (of my own funds) to various causes - but my relative did not wish for this particular inheritance to be used for such (he left a *lot* to his favorite philanthropies for those purposes). For the 5K/month to me (and yes, it’s indefinite), he truly just wanted me to spoil myself a little.

Again, I’m not looking for loopholes; however, I do think treating friends and family to some nice gifts/experiences is totally within the spirit of the bequest and so I have and will continue to do so.

[Anonymous]

Art
Really good seats at the theater
Private tours of places

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Love everyone’s ideas! Just to be clear, I fully appreciate that folks are thinking about philanthropy - I actually happen to work in nonprofit and am also a donor (of my own funds) to various causes - but my relative did not wish for this particular inheritance to be used for such (he left a *lot* to his favorite philanthropies for those purposes). For the 5K/month to me (and yes, it’s indefinite), he truly just wanted me to spoil myself a little.

Again, I’m not looking for loopholes; however, I do think treating friends and family to some nice gifts/experiences is totally within the spirit of the bequest and so I have and will continue to do so.

I’m sure it was a well meaning sentiment but this is so wasteful and unrealistic. Sure the first few months would be fun but wasting 60K a year on things and stuff you neither really desire nor need is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

My answers are similar to what has already been said (massages, trainer, chef, extra house cleaning, restaurant splurges, travel…).

But I would add a DRIVER or even just an Uber for things like nights out. A fancy night out always had an added layer of the stress of driving and parking - I’m out in the Maryland burbs. A splurge restaurant and theatre and driver to get me there is my ultimate night out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Love everyone’s ideas! Just to be clear, I fully appreciate that folks are thinking about philanthropy - I actually happen to work in nonprofit and am also a donor (of my own funds) to various causes - but my relative did not wish for this particular inheritance to be used for such (he left a *lot* to his favorite philanthropies for those purposes). For the 5K/month to me (and yes, it’s indefinite), he truly just wanted me to spoil myself a little.

Again, I’m not looking for loopholes; however, I do think treating friends and family to some nice gifts/experiences is totally within the spirit of the bequest and so I have and will continue to do so.

I’m sure it was a well meaning sentiment but this is so wasteful and unrealistic. Sure the first few months would be fun but wasting 60K a year on things and stuff you neither really desire nor need is ridiculous.

I agree about unwanted and unnecessary stuff, but the other ideas in this thread are great!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you please tell us why you are in this situation?!

I posed my question as a hypothetical because I didn’t want the specifics of my actual situation to derail the brainstorming, but have gotten enough ideas that I think it’s ok to share at this point. Cue accusations of trolling, but whatevs!

The poster who mentioned the movie Brewster’s Millions was on the right track, albeit I’m talking about far more modest dollar amounts - I am the beneficiary of an eccentric relative’s odd bequest to “spoil” myself more. I am very fortunate to have all my normal living expenses already covered, but have always been pretty frugal by nature, and I guess he wanted to throw a fun challenge my way with a bunch of specific stipulations prohibiting me from straight out saving, investing, or donating the 5K/month.

Thank you to everyone who’s contributed ideas thus far! Please keep them coming if you think of any more.

Please feel free to buy concert tickets and send them to me if you run out of ways to spend your money.

[Anonymous]

Follow-up question: I’ve been keeping mum about my unorthodox inheritance which I only began receiving a few months ago, but my friends have begun noticing my upgraded bags and such and also that I’m offering to treat more often when we go out. How do I discreetly sidestep questions of whether I’ve found myself a sugar daddy/mommy?? Should I be totally candid or is it ok to just say I got a raise (perhaps hard to believe in my nonprofit world, but better than nothing)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Love everyone’s ideas! Just to be clear, I fully appreciate that folks are thinking about philanthropy - I actually happen to work in nonprofit and am also a donor (of my own funds) to various causes - but my relative did not wish for this particular inheritance to be used for such (he left a *lot* to his favorite philanthropies for those purposes). For the 5K/month to me (and yes, it’s indefinite), he truly just wanted me to spoil myself a little.

Again, I’m not looking for loopholes; however, I do think treating friends and family to some nice gifts/experiences is totally within the spirit of the bequest and so I have and will continue to do so.

I’m sure it was a well meaning sentiment but this is so wasteful and unrealistic. Sure the first few months would be fun but wasting 60K a year on things and stuff you neither really desire nor need is ridiculous.

OP is looking for ideas to enjoy herself. Since when is enjoying your life when you can afford it and it isn't hurting anyone ridiculous?