Goooooood morning, y’all!
Nice and happy from all that Thanksgiving goodness over the weekend? Ready to get back to the real world now and start talking Turkey vs eating it? ;) Can anyone use an extra $100 bill these days??
Well good news my fiscal friends, Christmas Stimulus is back!! And this year we’re giving away $500 in cash just for being a reader of this blog :)
My old blogging friend Brad Chaffee and I used to do these every year before he left blogging (anyone around from the Enemy of Debt days?) and I guess life and kids and who knows what else got in my way from continuing it forward…
But not anymore, baby!! We’re re-inaugurating it! This is for you, Brad!
If you’re new to the blog here (and by “new” I mean started reading anytime after 2012 haha…) here are the rules to Christmas Stimulus – it’s super simple:
- Make sure you’re signed up to this blog’s newsletter (do so here if you’re not)
- Answer the following question in the comments below:
How would you use this $100 this holiday season?
There are no right or wrong answers here, I’m just nosey and fascinated by how people spend money :) Especially FREE money! Share your answers by December 3rd (this Sunday) at midnight, and I’ll randomly select 5 of you to win $100 each.
Good luck!! Thanks so much for reading this blog!!
UPDATE: Giveaway now over. Click here to see who won :)
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1. Already s subscriber
2. I would give it to my readers? Is that allowed? :-)
I’ve been reading for the past year, you are hilarious! I would put the money towards paying off my mortgage, which I’ve been working on for the past three years. I’m down to $28,000, so I will be completely debt free in less than three years.
I would give $10.00 to the Union Rescue Mission. Put $10.00 in my savings account. Use $10.00 to take myself to a matinee. And use the remaining $70.00 to reduce my $1300.00 Visa credit card debt.
Hello!! What I’d do – $70 towards my debt, $15 towards a nice lunch (I looooove ramen, it’s such a treat!), and $15 towards my remaining Xmas gifts (not much left to buy, thank GOD)!
My parents and I live in VA, but my sister and her family live in TX. Naturally, we don’t get to see them often. Since my sister and I both teach and have a good chunk of time off at the holidays, I want to take my parents on a road trip to go visit them after Christmas. (The cost of airfare for the 3 of us is definitely out of reach!) If I managed to score an extra $100, that would go straight into the travel fund.
Just joined:). I would use it to pay off my 3K credit card debt.
all Signed up!
I am in the middle of avalanching current debt (student loans, baby with a hospital bill and new home furniture) so I would use the $100 in addition to my monthly payment. Not much spending going on for the Fruggiero’s in December 2017. : (
I’m a teacher of four wonderful children. I will use some of the money to take my 4 kids to Chuck E Chesee. I hardly have any extra money during the month do spend it on them. I will use some of it to buy some groceries for my house. I will also buy a Christmas gift for my teammates at work and buy some gifts for my 18 Second graders. That’s what I would do with the $100.00 blessing from you two.
If I were a lucky one and won $100 buck-a-roos, I’d be very grateful. The first thing I’d do was donate $20 to may favorite charity, use another $20 for gas so I can drive around and go Christmas shopping for my loved ones, use another $20 for toiletries and such for family whom are coming to town for the holidays, use another $20 to buy ingredients to bake cookies for all my small business owners who I go to for hair, nails, yoga, etc., and finally I’d use the final $20 to go get some yummy snacks for myself and enjoy at home while I wrap Christmas presents while I listen to Christmas music. Merry Christmas, Jay! Thanks for your awesome financial wisdom. Regards, Fabiola
Been reading for ages. Just signed up :)..I have a non-profit. Will use it for some of our projects. Thank you
Just subscribed! I have been reading for less than a year so definitely a new reader.
Kind of boring but my husband and I are working really hard to pay off our credit card debt so I would use $100 towards that. We are so close!
Already a subscriber.
I will put the $100 towards a Careergasm course that hopefully will help me figure how to start working full-time for myself!
I’m subscribed but under a ninja email. I’m not expecting to win but for fun, I would buy lotto tickets to amuse myself. If I won anything from the tickets then I donate it to the Rockstar Finance fund and Grace’s dog rescue.
I am signed up!
I would put the money towards a trip I’m planning on taking next year.
A $100 bill saved is a $100 bill earned. That $100 would go straight into my savings account before eventually getting shuffled off into a 2018 Roth IRA contribution.
1. Subscribed.
2. I would deposit into my investment account. Every bit helps!
Fingers crossed!
I’d use it on Christmas gifts! This year I budgeted around $650 for my flight and gifts, but the flight alone was $450 (ugh). I don’t have a ton of gifts to buy, but a little wiggle room in the ol’ budget would definitely help.
I have followed you on FB, but signed up. I would give it to my 8 year old for her savings account.
I would invest half of it and buy a board game the hubby and I have been eyeing for a while! Any leftover money would get donated to the food bank near us!
out of curiosity, what board game is it? always looking for new ones!
The last board game I bought for my family was Splendor (found it on sale on Amazon) and we love it. Try it out, if you don’t have it already.
I’d use it to get my wife a gift, we tend to be pretty meager with each other and spend it on the kids.
I would add it our holiday fund. The hubbs and I are going to spend 10 nights in Mexico. Mostly from travel hacking.
I would most likely use it for Christmas presents. Or towards one of the 6 weddings I will be attending this year.
Hey,
I am already a subscriber. I would use the money to buy my niece and nephew Christmas presents. What is even more exciting is that my husband and I are going to Europe for the first time this year for FREE! He travels a lot for his job and accumulated enough points to pay for our flights, hotel, and travel. We are only responsible for taxes, so that is where the rest of the money would go or I might buy something special in Paris! ;-)
Buy Christmas gifts!
I’m hosting Christmas dinner for the first time ever. I’d use the cash toward feeding my family.
I would put it in my kids’ college savings!
Happy Holidays! I would put the money in my IRA. It’s boring, I know.
I’m already a subscriber and would pass the money forward to one or two people who need it more than I do. I can’t imagine a better use for it.
I’d use it to pay my son’s tuition bill.
Been reading for a while, but just signed up today. I’d give $100 to my 12 year old daughter – she’s saving up for enough to start investing with Vanguard index funds.
J,
I would use the money for taking the family out to dinner when we are all in Denver over Christmas.
I’d use $100 for our angel tree family and Christmas dinner.
Just subscribed. I would take that $100 and buy some more bitcoin! haha
Pay down debt like student loans.
Woo this is so cool!
1. I’m a subscriber.
2. I would put it towards our joint account for groceries :D
I’d use it to pay down my car loan.
Bribe my wife to proof read my posts
I’ve had a few unexpected expenses come up this year, so I lowered my contributions to my IRA for a few months. As of now, I will be about $250 short of the maximum by years end, so I would use the money to bring myself closer to maxing my IRA for the year.
I know I have until the tax deadline, but I always feel better if I have my contributions maxed out before January.
1. Been reading your stuff through an RSS feed, wasn’t aware you had a newsletter!
2. Price limit for presents this year between my fiancee and I is $100. So this would allow me to use the $100 I would spend on the present, instead on paying off my dang credit card.
Hopefully my email newsletter subscription went through. There was some kind of error when I tried to set my preferences.
I would put the money into a savings account. A close family member was just diagnosed with a serious illness and we will all be helping them with the medical expenses. We set up a savings account so everyone could contribute as they are able to help offset the cost.
1) I was subscribed with another email but now subscribed with my blogging one.
2) I would use the $100 to pay back my blog kickstarting expenses to the family budget (and maybe fund a frugal weekend trip for having fun together).
I would probably, divide it up between my 2 college kids. $50 goes a long way when you are in college!
I will donate to a favorite charity.
I’m already a subscriber.
If I were to win the $100 – I would pass it on to friends of mine that are having some difficult financial times right now. I’ve already gifted them some $$ so that they can get Christmas gifts for their boys and/or pay some bills and/or buy some extra food, whatever they need the most. I would like to do more for them, just waiting to see how my end of year budget works out so I can see if there’s moolah to offer and how much.
1. I’m a subscriber (sung to the tune of Beyonce’s “Survivor”)
2. I would put it in my “Harry Potter World” fund for next November.
Christmas is already paid for since I have a Christmas club account at my credit union that I make automatic deposits to every payday. This year I’m making brunch for my parents and I would like to make sure that everyone else has food on the table. (Small condo or else I would feed a lot more people.) My $100 is going to be donated to the local food bank.
$100 would go to paying off our debt! Merry Christmas to all :)
I would put it towards a Christmas gift for my husband and any leftover for our families! Our budget is super tight this year.
VTSAX
…then 5 years down the road when it’s worth $150 I’ll run a “Vets Day Stimulus” contest and give it to a deserving military veteran, with an extra $100 kicked in. Because I’ll be a famous blogger by then.
Or so I hope :)
Yeah you will be ;)
I will use it to pay debt!
I would put it in retirement because every penny counts and as Ben Franklin says ” Compound interest is the 8th greatest wonder in the world”
There is family drama on both my fiance and my side for this Christmas. Its pretty expensive to fly to Buffalo for the holidays so $100 would help get me away from the drama and able to spend the holiday with the most important person in my life.
I’d use it for holiday shopping. $100 less I’d need to use from my income and I could divert that towards savings.
I am only $200 away from my goal of a $1000 emergency fund, so that’s where I would send the $100.
I would donate it to a local 501c3 who’s promoting and hosting youth events, including financial literacy events.
I would use it to take my kids in the polar Express while we’re in Colorado.
I’d add it to the holiday fund. After all, the evidence shows that it’s best to spend money on things not experiences!
$100 this holiday season would go towards purchasing an outdoor Christmas decoration, we are looking for a “pre-used” lit Manger for our front yard. My kids are almost as excited to celebrate Jesus’ birthday as to see Santa! I am trying to hold on to that pride for as long as possible!
Subscribed! And I would invest it!
I’d use the $100 to pay down my debt!
I’m currently studying abroad in Frankfurt, Germany (BSc in fianance), I’d put it toward my tuition expense for the next semester :)
Put it toward flights from the USA to South Africa, for my kids to see their grampa who just had surgery.
I would split it between the two grandkids and put it in their savings accounts! Of course With a money lesson they had to listen to in order to get the deposit.
I’d reinvest the $100 into my blog via taking a course or buying some software that I can’t pay for today with my non-existent blog income.
Subscribed! I’d use the $100 to make an extra payment on my loans!
I’d take my wife out for a nice dinner because she deserves it.
Just signed up, not sure why I never did that before.
Money would be used to take the kids out for a nice dinner when they’re home over the holidays.
Since I’m not using my debit card this holiday season, I’d pay on my credit card!
I would split it in half and put 50.00 each in both my kids savings accounts.
Great blog!
I would apply it to my mortgage as I’m trying to get it paid off by end of year—appreciate your help with that lofty goal! :)
I’m going to do something nice for myself since I tend to put everyone else first. I’ll get a SPA for myself.
I just accepted a new job (I start next week!) and could really use a wardrobe update for this new position. Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
Congrats!!
1. I have been a reader for a few years and love it!
2. I am currently working on a project to help the local homeless shelter. We as a group are
trying to work on doing something that is lasting…not just giving for the holiday. (Would welcome any thoughts from readers!)
Feeling blessed this season and just want to pass on the feeling of peace, joy & understanding.
I’d use it toward putting in a BIG vegetable garden this spring.
Would love a Benjamin to get a leaf blower! This is my first fall/winter as a homeowner and man, just leave EVERYWHERE! :)
I would save it for travel expenses this summer as I hope to go overseas for a month or two on husband’s generous paternity leave as a new family of 5.
I would use it towards that pesky roof bill or towards all those Christmas presents for our 6 yo, 4 yo, and 2 yo daughters! :-)
1. Subscribed!
2. I would take my family to the movies- tickets add up fast and it’s cheaper to rent a DVD, but it’s such a fun experience to see a movie in theaters, all together :)
Been subscribed! Would use it to pay down credit card debt! yay!
I would blow it on something for me.
Already subscribed! I would take that money and dump it right into VTSAX…and cash it out in 30 years when it has grown to way more than 100$! Thanks J-Money-Claus!
(Ho Ho HO!)
I would save $50 and spend $50 on my student loans – Super exciting!
I would give it to my cousin who has hit a rough patch and would really appreciate it come Christmas time.
I’ve always tried to avoid family loans but this could be a no strings attached gift that would bend the rules just this one time :)
1. Already subscribed.
2. Cards. I suck at getting cards for people. This year’s gifts are all travel trips, but a nice card to the recipients would be lovely.
Always, Jenna
I’d use the $100 for books for me, Legos for the kids.
I’d donate it to my favorite charity. My employer matches charitable donations of up to $250, so I can stretch the money from $100 to $200 that way, and feel good about giving back.
Hey J$!
1. I’m signed up!
2. My wife is a teacher and her room adopts a kid for Christmas gifts. I would donate $25 for that cause. Then I would place $25 in my kid’s piggy bank (he’s only 2) to help teach him about money later, and then I would spend the last $50 on a family dinner out since we don’t do that too often.
Thanks J$!
I would invest it in my brokerage account (already maxed everything else for this year).
1. Subscribed.
2. $100 would just about cover a costco-sized prime rib for Christmas :)
We’d use it to start rebuilding our emergency fund. Cutting up the credit cards this month after a yucky season of backsliding into debt (dental emergencies, car trouble, house repairs). We’re welcoming baby number 5 in a few weeks and need to get back on track.
Just subscribed, I have been reading the blog for a couple years.
I would use the $ to pay down student loan.
Already a subscriber! And I would put that money into our daughter’s saving account!
Add it to my son’s tuition fund so we can pay in cash to avoid the 10% interest financing.
I’d invest it.
I would use it for gas money to bring my daughter home for Christmas break. She is 5 hours away. Go Badgers! On Wisconsin!
New subscriber but long-time reader.
I would keep it in checking. I just opened a rewards checking account that pays 3% for balances up to $20,000. Gradually adding to that account until I get to that number.
My wife is going to be going to Northwestern University to to participate in their Stem Cell Treatment program to hopefully treat her Multiple Sclerosis. This $100 will cover bills that will come along as she is in treatment.
I hope it goes okay!!!
I’d put the money towards buying my wife’s van new tires. Winter is coming and bald tires don’t do well in Utah snow.
Straight into the HSA account. Have a little more left to go to max that baby out this year :)
I already subscribe. If I was the lucky winner, I’d use the $100 to pay down debt.
Pay extra on my mortgage!
I’d probably buy a bottle of whiskey. :^)
I owe $196,000 in student loans, so I would pay off a little more of that debt mountain!
I would give it away and spend it on presents for my family.
I’d take it to the bank and ask for all quarters and then take the quarters and glue them to the sidewalk and sit on my porch with my phone filming all the kids so excited to see 400 quarters on the ground and then me laughing at them because they can’t pick them up. Then I’d start a YouTube channel with my daily videos and take my millions of dollars from my massive subscriber growth and buy a cabin up in the mountains and buy all the turtles from pet stores start training them to fight terrorism and then set them free all around the world.
or
I’d climb on top of my house with my $100 bill at midnight and yell out “I’m making it rain” and watch it float down from the second floor. After four glorious seconds of watching flutter in the air I’d climb back down and pick up my $100 bill from off the ground and go back in to the house and put it in my wallet and say to myself, “Tomorrow I’m going to the bank and getting 400 quarters to glue on the sidewalk.”
OMG haha…. BEST. ANSWER(S). EVER.
It would go right to paying off the last $1,300 of debt!
Oh my gosh! I have an awesome standing desk at work no but I’d really like to upgrade my shoes. It takes good shoes to stand all day without pain! $100 investment in my lower back
Give it to my don to put towards his student loans.
Very generous of you. I would donate it to a needy family in my community where it would be put to good use for Christmas.
Give it to my son, Brian, to put towards his student loans.
I let my 3 boys purchase some gifts for Operation Shoebox, and purchase a few extra things for them :).
1. New subscriber (about a month ago)
2. I would buy some tools and lawn care items for my 21-year-old son – he recently bought a house. I’ve been very impressed and proud of how thoughtful and responsible he is being with his money, but he’s been borrowing basic tools from me and not returning them very promptly. :D
Thank you!
Haha… sons are like that ;)
I would use it to pay down a credit card, Or maybe on myself lol
Subscribed and would place the 100 in my emergency fund!
I would use it to pay off my credit card debt.
I would fund next year’s Christmas gift account. (Already finished buying gifts for this year!) Never hurts to start early and with 1.25% at Ally, the $100 would be worth $101.25. ;)
I would put it towards paying off the last of my debt!
I’ve been subscribed and reading for a couple of years now!
I would put it towards bills. Super fun. My sister was unemployed for like 3 months so I have been supporting her in addition to my 7 year old. We are just now moving on from that financial grossness and that $100 would help put us in a good spot to start 2018. By next December, I will have my car, two credit cards, two of my student loans, and my personal loan paid off. So one more year and I can breathe.
What a blessing to be able to help your sister like that!!
I would make a donation for Giving Tuesday to The Snyder-Robinson Foundation: https://givingtuesday.razoo.com/story/Curesrs
I would use it to hire a babysitter during the week between Christmas and New Years so my husband and I can go out to dinner. Yep, selfish I know! haha.
Subscribed for some time. :)
I would book a cabin with my girl to escape the commercial pressure that keeps it hard to stay on track towards FIRE. Latvia is not very expensive so I’d stock up on some mulled wine as well. Chin chin!
I’d use it to buy a Kindle to use in a free KingSumo giveaway package for my blog followers!
I would drop that hundo onto our debt for sure! It would be such a good omen to receive it from J Money
It’s going to the dogs. Literally. My wife and I volunteer at a Dog Rescue, and they’re getting every cent. Woof woof.
1. Been a subscriber for most of this year, loving it!
2. My younger sibling is a December birthday, and is turning 18 this year, when I visit the family I’m planning on getting her started with TFSA/RRSP set up and start her off with her first $100 invested.
I’d put it in my nieces college funds
1) Long time reader/subscriber! Woot!
2) I would use it towards our travel fund! We recently made a list of all of our friends who live around the world and we are trying to go and visit everyone (slowly…very very slowly)…so $100 would get us about 50 miles closer! ha!
1. already subscribed
2. make a donation to the organization where my husband’s autistic cousin lives.
$75 to student loans, $25 towards a Xmas gift to myself.
Roth IRA! Thanks very much. I really enjoy your site!
Thank you! :)
Well I just found out that I’ll need to replace both of my furnaces, so I’d probably use that $100 to help offset those costs.
Just subscribed but I have been reading for a few months. Love your stuff! I would use $100 towards paying off our student loan. Only have a little less than 3k left!!
Thank you so much! And congrats!
I would put it in my emergency stash which I save for the summer when I don’t get a paycheck. Teachers are paid 10 months in my county.
Would use it to pay off debt $100 quicker!!! Been making good progress the past couple months :)
We are going to Japan to go skiing in Feb for our honeymoon and I would use it towards lift tickets and a nice meal
I’m in the process of going debt free too, but I would not put this money towards that. I would put it on a Starbucks card and that would be my coffee budget for 2018. Every time I’d use it, I’d think of you and say a silent ‘thank you’.
I would buy Christmas gifts…. obviously! :)
I am already a subscriber. I would use the money toward our spring break trip in March to Phoenix. It’s our last year with our son home before he goes to college so it will be a bittersweet spring break for us.
I would pay for myself a class. Teach that skill to my kids. Start a family business.
Subscriber here! I would use the money for a self-care day. I take care of everyone in my immediate family and my elderly mother, and I work full time. I usually spend all my money toward bills/debt/mortgage/food and it would be so very nice to finally treat myself.
I’m already a subscriber! I’d use the $100 to pay off a bill. :)
I’d use the $100 either to pick up more angel tree donations… or for my emergency fund.
1. Already a subscriber :)
2. Donate to a local women and children’s shelter
I would use it to pay for my dog’s upcoming dental work. Poor guy needs a deep cleaning and maybe two teeth pulled. I will owe him so much steak to make up for the trauma.
Probably put $50 toward student loans, and spend $50 on myself :)
We’ve been eating at home really simple, cheap meals to payoff debt… so the $100 would totally go to a splurge… mouth-watering steak dinner!!!
1. I’m already a subscriber.
2. My husband has Multiple Sclerosis, and his mobility has deteriorated significantly in the last six months. Even though he continues to insist on walking mostly unaided, I’ve been secretly putting money aside to pay for a “mobility scooter” for him, so that when he is ready to accept assistance, we will have the money to buy it.
That is super cool of you Mollie! Good luck!
I’m so sorry to hear :(
I would put $100 toward my savings :) Every cent counts!
1) I’ve been a subscriber for a few months now, I enjoy your work!
2) It would most likely go straight into my savings (which will be drawn from in January for my Roth IRA contribution for 2018.
I became a subscriber this year.
I’d use $100 to purchase a bike for a little boy – there’s a giving tree at my local wellness center with tags listing gift wishes from local children in need. This particular tag has been languishing as it’s a request for a larger gift. I’ve purchased a few gifts to match other requests, and saw this tag when I delivered the gifts. It’s been weighing on me since – I’d hate for this little one to go without and will find a way to get a bike to him (and this would definitely help).
LOVE this idea.
Man, I need a new axe handle and new sledge handle, so the 100 would go there. My axe handle has been on it’s way out for 2 months now, and finally became unusable (as in almost breaking in 2 pieces and flying through the air towards whatever was in its’ path) while chopping winter heat yesterday and I’ve sadly been using a 12lb sledge with about 12″ of handle left on it to drive my wood splitting wedges. My forearms feel it with every use.
I needed to buy a new computer (thankfully I was able to take advantage of Black Friday week deals) but it crimps my Christmas budget, so I would put it towards Christmas gifts for family.
“New” reader since 2014 and always appreciate the new posts.
$100, could go to little guy’s 529, or into a brokerage account… but in all honesty, it would accompany me on a work trip I have to take to Las Vegas late this year. Figure if I have to be away from the family during the holidays, might as well take a free Mr. Franklin with me!
I’m a subscriber :)
I would use the $100 to buy our family’s Christmas Eve snacks and our Christmas Day dinner. Thank you for this chance :)
Currently a newsletter reader ;) I would use the $100 to buy a yearly membership to the local aquarium so I can take my 16 month old regularly in 2018.
Put towards my greenhouse fund.. (getting close :) )
A gift for a new great grandbaby…a girl due in early March
Been subscribed for a few months! I’d use it to treat my parents and sister to a nice holiday meal :)
$100? thats easy, my sister had expensive medical complications this year. I’d give the money to my brother in law to handle the bills.
Love the blog, keep it up
Thank you! And positive thoughts out to your sister!
1. Already subscribed
2. We fill backpacks each Friday with food to children in need at a local school. I would use the money to fIll Christmas boxes for the same children for the Christmas break.
Hello!
(Already a subscriber.)
I would use it for transport on Christmas day.
Where I live there is no public transport on the 25th so we need to pay for an Uber to visit anyone farther than walking distance! And I suspect the surge charging will be at maximum!
Merry Christmas! xx
1. I’m subscribed. :)
2. I would spend it on my house rebuild… hoping to be back in for Christmas this year!
Just started reading about a month ago – I would take it to Vegas when we go to celebrate the “boys” 21st birthday in December! It is always best to play in Vegas on other people’s money!
Agreed :)
Subscribed. I would use $100 toward new bedding and decor for our bedroom. It’s currently outdated but utilitarian, so it would be nice to upgrade some items just for fun.
Have been reading and subscribing for over a year. I’d put it straight into savings for a long-awaited vacation next year!
A bit of a nibble off the student loan.
1. Already a subscriber
2. I would put that money towards kids clothes. I have a 7 month old and at this point you buy new stuff every couple months. 0-12 months is expensive and i hear it doesnt get any cheaper lol.
Hi! I’m not going to lie I’d probably blow the $100 on food and drink for Christmas day…….probably why I’m in debt and reading this blog….
(At least you’re being honest with yourself!! :))
1-Subscribed
2-I would use it toward next summer’s project- outdoor stairs.
I would just pay it on a credit card. Christmas was already bbudgeted for!
I would donate the $100 to my friend Antonio’s nonprofit. It is building blocks to success in Portland, Oregon. He brings stem education to kids who aren’t getting enough of it in their Public School.
my wife and I are planning to take a two-night vacation and leave our two-year-old with the grandparents. We’re going to do it on the cheap. Currently we’ve budgeted $100 for the whole vacation. To make that happen, we’re going camping. If I got an extra $100, I’d use it to make our getaway more special. We’d still go camping, but I would get more creative with the location and the menu.
I’m already a subscriber too :). I was torn between using it to teach my son a lesson about money (he’s 5) and using it to help a family my women’s motorcycle club has “adopted” for the holidays that has just come out of a domestic violence shelter.
So, now I’m thinking I’d tell my 5 year old he has $100 to spend on the family’s two kids for Christmas…and work through with him how best to spend it. So it’s a lesson and an opportunity to pass on blessings at the same time.
Awesome idea! Love reading what everyone would do with $100.
Right?? Everyone’s so clever! Including yourself! :)
I’d use it to buy an extra gift for my parents and my two siblings. My budget for each of them is $100, so an extra $25 each would go a long way. Thanks for the chance to win!
How would you use this $100 this holiday season?
I would use this towards a yoga training to teach kids.
I am already signed up :)
I would use it to pay down the Tires Plus bill I currently have because of unexpected car issues my poor, one semester away from graduating, college son encountered. (The ole girl has served him well the past 5 years – we’re just squeezing the life out of her until he has a real job with his degree!!! :) )
In the past when we’ve had extra cash, we would anonomously buy a Christmas tree gift card for a family in need and include a box of ornaments and hot chocolate mix. That was fun and I’d love to do something like that again!
I am subscribed!
I would use the money to buy books. Real paper books, not one of those e-books. I love buying new books but usually my frugal self checks them out of the library!
My husband and I have been paying off debt for over a year now, accumulated from building a house with a 203k loan that sucked! We can use every dollar we get.
Hi –
I just subscribed to the newsletter (maybe I already was … not sure if this is different than being subscribed to the blog! I’ve been reading for several years)
How would I use $100 … buy gifts for others/give it away. Or maybe use it to start a self-hosted blog to earn more **money** to pay down debt/give away/enjoy life!
Long time subscriber! You helped me get through getting fired from a job in 2010, for what it is worth!
I would use the can to buy my husband 10 movie tickets so he could get out of the house, take a break from the kids, and treat himself to a movie about once a month!
Awww such a great idea! And so glad you’re enjoying the blog – thanks for reading for so long, wow. 7 years!!
I would use $500 to pay for our daughters treatments for MS. We have been using our retirement money for the last year to provide treatment that is not covered by insurance. This would not cover the costs for a month but would be a help. Congrats to whoever wins this!
Ugh, I’m so sorry to hear :( I will keep your beautiful daughter in our thoughts and prayers. So sad that we have to deal with insane medical costs in this country on top of the pain and suffering of the medical problem itself!
Vegas, baby, Vegas!
I would use $100 towards paying my spring 2018 tuition. It’s my final year of college, and I’m on my own for this one! It would be nice not to have to dip into savings too deeply.
Hello J Money! Happy Holidays! I would put $50 towards bills and $50 towards a great night with my family.
Hey J-$$$
I’d spend it on gifts for my siblings and family – I like being generous but it’s difficult when you’ve budgeted x amount of money for gifts and it’s not enough to cover what’s on people’s lists.
I’m a new subscriber this year and have been enjoying your blog. Extra money always going into liquid savings for me as that seems to be the hardest type of savings in my budget so that’s where the $100 would go.
If I had an extra $100 I’d give it as an extra gift to my mother-in-law who doesn’t have much.
I would put it toward the $1200 in car repairs I just discovered I need–gotta have a safe way to get to work and make $$ to pay the rest of the bills
I’ve been reading for a while but just signed up for the emails! I would put $100 back into savings. I had twins in the spring so we are doing a “world tour” of traveling for the holidays so all of the family members can get their lovin’ in. We budgeted well for it, but $100 into the savings account would be a real gem this time of year!
TWINS WOW! Double congrats! ;)
A donation to Students Today Leaders Forever and the rest towards investing.
I’d buy an IKEA Poang chair for my sister. She has a back injury and yet she refuses to buy the one chair that doesn’t hurt her back…
I’d put it towards a vacation I’m taking next year to Greece, a special vacation at that!
I’ve been enjoying my subscription for the past month or so.
I’m pretty new to the idea of FI and would love to get started with some more aggressive investing. At the same time, I’d like for my kids to learn about investing and saving much earlier than I did, so I’d split the $100 between us (maybe $80 for my investment, $10 each for them to start learning about theirs).
I’d take the family to the movies
1) long time subscriber
2) I would use the money to take the kids to buy one of those fancy Christmas trees you cut at the tree farm instead of one from Home Depot and put the money left in my spousal IRA that I’m trying to max out before the end of the year
Haha… i wanna do that one day with my kids too :) The fake trees are just SO convenient!
I’d definitely use the extra $100 to take on my Christmas trip to New York. BTW I love your blog which I have only been reading for a short while. Thanks for all the tips.
Rock on! Thank you for telling me!
I’d put it towards my daughter’s spring college tuition. The more I’m able to pay the less she has to borrow :)
I’d add it to our 529 account.
I would use it to donate to our local beagle rescue!
Nothing too fun unfortunately I would put it on two big medical bills I just received. Drowning in debt is all I seem to do these days.
I’d put it into a purely speculative cryptocurrency investment (Ethereum). Take a chance and see what happens!
I’d either stick it in my Vanguard brokerage fund or blow it on a nice dinner with my family for Christmas!
Already a subscriber
I’d put it towards paying off credit card debt which I am so close to being rid of.
I’d use the money to pay down some credit card debt.
SWEET!
1. already a subscriber
2. I’d use it to pay for Christmas gifts for the kids. Getting expensive now with more little cousins.
I will put our $100 towards our debt snowball. We are on track to pay off $104,000 in 3 years.
Incredible! Where your $$$ blog so you can share all your secrets?? :)
Honestly, I’d probably buy a christmas gift for my kids… One share of a good company (each) ought to do it.
Hey Budgetsaresexy folks,
This is my first ever comment so I wanna say that it’s great to be amongst you all.
1. I am already signed up for the newsletter which is why I’m participating lol.
2. I am very tech focused so I would spend $100 like this:
$50 in Bitcoin
$30 in Ethereum
$20 in Litecoin
Happy holidays to you all and keep being financially responsible!!!!
Thanks for letting us know you exist :)
With the $100, I’d buy 49 copies of my book, Success: For Minority Teens (& Their Friends) at $4.99/copy, defraying the cost of taxes, and I’d give these to 49 of my most needy 8th grade students at school. So many need a book like mine but can’t afford to buy on Amazon.
This isn’t sexy or fun, but I’d add it to my monthly “pay off old credit card debt” budget. A couple years ago I was laid off for a year and a half and it’s been a slow climb back to where I was. The sooner I’m free, the better!
How would you use this $100 this holiday season? Well J. Money let me tell you how I would spend that extra $100. I would use it to pay off the Christmas gifts I put on my credit card (which is thankfully pretty much paid off save for $321.33) I have a few side hustles, thanks to you, that will help, but your $100 would be an epic chunk of change to help toward that goal!!
Way to go!!
I am a subscriber. I would love to add $100 to my daughter’s college account. Thank you!
I would hang on to the $100 for a few weeks after the holidays to use on our honeymoon. We got married in August and decided to wait a few months to go on our honeymoon so we could A) Save up some money again B) Get out of Denver during the middle of the winter and C) Spread out some of the first year of marriage fun. $100 would cover our cost for Cave Tubing in Belize!
And I’ve been subscribed for about a year to the blog!
I would give it as an additional donation to the ACLU to help them continue to stand up for our Constitution and Bill of Rights in these difficult times.
I would use the $100 to pay down debt.
It would go to my savings account–I’m saving up to do a trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro next year!
Put it towards the kids college funds :) Turn the $100 into $120 after state tax credit!
One pair of maternity pants is no longer cutting it, so I’d get another pair (or two), and put the rest toward paying down debt!
I’d pack up my family and hit the road for a weekend camping trip (with plenty of firewood!).
I would use the $100 to buy 5 gifts for the small children in my family since I’m temporarily unemployed.
Your newsletters are probably my favorite weekly reads.
I would use the money towards my grad school fund. Saving for grad school and investing at the same time gets tough. So any extra money towards it is always nice!
hey, thanks!
I’d probably increase my Christmas spending a little bit. That, or do the financially savvy thing and just put it towards the mortgage. About to pass one of those ‘fun’ numbers with bunches of 0’s paying it down.
Thank you! Such an exciting thread! With the 100$, I would honestly give a guided reading book set (Level A) to a low level reader I know, and the right finance book to a high school student from a low income background who, according to his parents, is very into money. Recommendations for the right book to give this kid are welcomed! The rest I will save towards further giving and donating as inspired. :-) Thank you!
Here’s a list of some of my favorites :)
https://budgetsaresexy.com/recommend/
I would use an extra $100 to make some kid’s Christmas special, through Angel Tree or something like it.
Lucky us! We don’t need a thing! For us, the holidays are about giving. June & Dec. we donate to local charities so the $150 I’m donating in Dec., I would add $100 more to them if I won. The 3 charities we donate to are The Big Fix in Fayetteville, NC who helps pay for low cost altering of dogs/cats, FIX’Moore in Moore County, NC also low cost altering for colonies of neighborhood cats & Farley’s Foundation, a non profit animal rescue in Pinehurst, NC. Happy Holidays to everyone & thank you J$$ for a great blog!
Long time reader/subscriber.
I bought an instant pot so I could eat healthier. There are so many accessories that I want to use with it the entire $100 would go to Amazon.
Already a subscriber! I just launched my own side hustle business- StylebyEmilyJ.com- so the $100 would go towards operating costs!
Hello! Already a subscriber….I would use the $100 to buy a Christmas tree for the little one….and maybe some tamales and tequila for dad. :)
Yesterday I explained the magic of compound interest to my 12-year-old daughter. Her response? “Cool!”. I would use the $100 to put in a savings or investment account for her, so she can see the magic herself.
Love. That.
I’d use it toward gifts for my family! Or even an experience for us all.
It might be not-so-sexy, but I’d put it toward refilling the emergency fund. The transmission in my mom-mobile minivan went out with a huge THUNK, and the best bid to fix it was $2500. We have it, but it’s going to wipe our emergency fund to $100. (Thankfully the Christmas fund is still there.) When we file our taxes the e-fund will get back to a beefier state, but I’m so nervous about being without a cash cushion. Meanwhile the kids and I bike everywhere until the repair is done! :)
Since I love food I was gonna say is take that crisp $100 bill to wholefoods. But since I just joined thrive market and placed a $380 order I would probably pay off that bill.
With $100, I would split it 3 ways with my teens and we would have to come up with 33 ways we could use the money to become more financially aware. Then, we would spend our money on each other or save.
My husband and I just settled on our first house/investment property this month! I would put it towards our mortgage!
I would buy Christmas gifts
I’d use $100 to pay down a little more of our car loan.
I’d take the family to the PX for hot coco then to the local Christmas market here in Germany for some fun family time!
I’m so boring, I would put it straight in savings. Yawn.
1. I’m subscribed. :)
2. I would spend it on a family in need. I know a lot of people that need the help during these trying times. So, it would be awesome to get a bit of help to be able to further help the ones in need.
Thanks for all you do!!
1. Subscribed!
2. It would go to my saving account.
1) I’m already subscribed! Woohoo!
2) I would use $100 to put toward our wedding budget :)
Save some, spend the rest at the Christmas market here in Germany.
I would add an extra payment on my personal loan at the credit union!!
1. Already Subscriber
2, Buy kids presents .
Hey J. Money! First comment ever! been reading you for quite a while now :)
I’d use this money for the new blog I’m starting next year! (Made up my mind on stop planning and start writing :P )
Thanks for finally saying hello! :)
(And good plan, as without the writing part the blog doesn’t exist ;) Once it’s out make sure to submit it over to our Blog Directory so others can find it easily: http://directory.rockstarfinance.com/submit-blog )
I would use it towards completing a course in legal transcription, which I’m having a hard time coming up with the money for right now. The sooner I complete it, the sooner I can start making more money.
I’ve been a subscriber for awhile! I would use to towards Christmas presents for family. My wife and I both have big families, but we like to get everyone a small gift so $100 would go a long way!
Subscribed and I would use it on our December Disneyland trip.
What up J Money!? I realized I wasn’t signed up for the newsletter so I am now!
I would probably use it to offset my Xmas spending, which will all be spent locally to support small businesses. Since long ago I lost my battle with my family over Xmas gifts, I decided instead to at least support local businesses.
Thank you!
I’d definitely put it towards debt repayment!
Hey J –
I’m a subscriber. I would use half toward christmas gifts for my boys and half toward retirement fund! Thanks!
1. Already a subscriber!
2. I would use the $100 to buy a great gift for my dad, who is always working really hard and doesn’t treat himself enough!
I’ve been subscribed to the newsletter for a while now, but I had to figure out how to get to the actual blog post to comment (my brain is not fully functioning yet after 5 days off work for the holiday).
We have had a few minor emergencies this year that have hit our stash of funds pretty hard. I would put the $100 back in the fund to wait for the next emergency. :-)
Adopting a senior dog is a goal I have. The money would go towards any vet bills that occur.
I just want the dog to be comfortable during those last years.
Already subscribed!
$25 savings.
$25 spending money in Reykjavik after Christmas.
$50 to The Homeless Period.
(“Periods are not a great time of the month for any woman, but lack of affordable sanitary items amongst homeless and disadvantaged women can make the burden of menstruation more like a nightmare.”)
Thanks for the heads up on this organization.
Ditto.
Put it in Emergency fund. Already budgeted for seasonal gifts but the ‘just in case’ funds could use a little bolstering.
Babies are expensive! I would use the $100 for Christmas presents for my one-year-old. He’s going to be very excited to get diapers! (Actually he will be excited, he likes the wrapping paper the best!)
I read the blog every day so I had unsubscribed a while ago, but I’m back!
I’d use the money to buy myself recovery gifts. I’ll be out of work for 8 weeks due to surgery and I’ll be super bored! Gonna load up on crossword puzzle books and other things to pass the time!
We missed you :)
I’ve been reading for years but you finally got me to comment and join in on your newsletter.
If I had a 100.00 for the holiday i would put it into a college fund for my little girl. Long story short — in 2014 we were filing out adoption papers with the understanding that we may never be parents and if so it could take a long time. Then in four days-wham! we were instant parents with nothing (all the money for the adoption, no diapers, no crib -NADA). So here we are in 2017 happy little family trying to get our financial story back on track.
Wowwww!!! How beautiful though, congrats!!
I’d use $100 on the three new kiddos in my life I get to buy gifts for this year.
1. Already subscribed
2. I would put the $100 toward our savings for a much needed new bed.
Already a subscriber. Buy a tire for the van.
I’d give it away. Last year I wanted to gift a friend $100 and kept waiting for the “right moment”. When I finally did, someone gave me $100 and then I gave that away too. From then on money just kept popping up! There’s so much going on around me right now and I feel that I’m in a good place financially, so I’d help someone else.
With $100 this holiday season, I would put $10 toward giving, and the rest would be used to pay for a creative writing class that I have been eyeing that starts in January.
I would put this $100 in my current “savings” account, a.k.a. the Vanguard S&P500 Index ETF. I like saving pieces here and there, and I could start the ETF with a small amount of money, unlike the Vanguard S&P500 mutual fund, that requires $3000 minimum to start. My total gains are ~$144 since June, and I haven’t quite gotten to that $3000 threshhold required for the mutual fund yet.
Open my first Roth IRA with it .. Retirement on my mind.
Thank you for being so generous.
I fully fund my r-IRA in December. It’s going to be tight (no emergencies, no emergencies…), but I think I’ll make it through the holiday season on my planned budget. An extra $100 would add a little extra margin of safety.
I would use the $100 to enjoy a nice dinner this holiday season with my family. I will be heading home for the holidays and haven’t sat down with my Father, Mother, and brother in a long time. Would be nice to treat them all to a nice meal without the worry of dishes, menu, etc.
Hi JMoney! I would use the $100 for expenses on my coming road trip across the southern USA in my camper van!
I have been doing the 2 job hustle for the last year and 1 is retail. I would take the 100 and break it up into Gift cards to go out to eat, to give this Mama some down time in the evenings after working all day. Kids Happy, Mama Happy with her feet up and the kitchen stays clean!!
Merry Christmas to the Money Family
Jaemi Bean
1. Already subscribed.
2. I would put it towards my wife’s student loans. Still have 43K to go!
I would add it to my new solo-401k account. Keep up the great work!
Our goal for the end of this year is to come up with some extra money to start 529 plans. We don’t have kids yet, but we want to grow it as long as possible.
Love the Christmas Stimulus!
I would love to give the $100 to my spanish teacher Miguel here in Ecuador. His wife is sick and they’ve been going to the hospital, doing tests, and more. I pay him $10/hour, which is more than the going rate of $5-7/hour, and he makes $500/month at his regular elementary school teaching job. So, not a bunch of money floating around in his life.
$100 would be a BIG deal for Miguel and his family. I’d love to help him out for Christmas, and I’ll add my own $100 on top if it to make it a $200 gift.
Cheers!
I hope you do that whether you win or not – would be such a blessing :)
There’s a chance I’d spend it on extra Christmas gifts for the kids, but in reality I’d probably apply it to debt. Watching those numbers come down is more exciting than Christmas any day!
My wife started a side business this year, would use to open her solo 401k. Thanks j
Free money I would actually blow it! Not just blow it on myself I would take my wife ice skating downtown and to a nice dinner. I guess you could say I would be investing it in my relationship with my wife.
Jimmy G.
I am a subscriber…
I would throw a 100$ party. It would consist of me and my girlfriend maybe a brother or cousin in there randomly sitting on the couch at my place drinking crown royal (750ml) $22.97. I would eventually get off the couch, and cook up some ribs (3 racks $38) that had been marinating in the fridge over night (spices and various ingredients $10). After the food is consumed we would partake in a intense game of drunkin-go-kart on the Nintendo 64 (24 pack of Bud Light of Coors Light $20). With the remaining $9.03 we would donate it to a random homeless person.
Drunkin-go-kart, that was good, haha…
Already a subscriber (get the emails) and we would send it to student loan debt payoff!
I would put it towards holiday gift buying for sure.
Date night with my Husband. We have a toddler and with all the craziness, we need some time together.
Been a reader & subscriber for a while now. I would use the money to help pay off some debt before our new baby arrives in April.
I would rent my dad an accordion for his Birthday. He is in very poor health and this will definitely brighten his day. He used to play but he sold his accordion years ago and now regrets it.
Thanks.
I will invest the money into my grandkids’ 529 college savings accounts. Thanks!
Kia ora (hello) from New Zealand :) My wife and I are going camping this Christmas (it’s summer here) and we love the challenge of seeing how far we can stretch $100 when we budget and get outdoors!
I would use it for Christmas presents. We’ve been throwing everything toward our loans for so long it would be fun to do some guilt-free present shopping! Love reading everyone else’s ideas too!
I would invest the money into my grandkids’ 529 college savings accounts. Thank-you!
Unfortunately, my sister was fired from her job end of October and here it is, another month has gone by. So all my extra cash is going towards her to pay for her. Every little bit helps.
I found you through Pinterest a few months ago, and your FIRE spreadsheet got me hooked! I always enjoy getting a new blog post in my email. I am working to have 3 months of emergency savings in the next 3 years, so the $100 would go towards that goal.
GOOD!!! Way to take action on it all! :)
Love reading your blog. I would use it to do something special with the family for Christmas.
1 – Already signed up
2 – Would donate it to the Rockstar Community Fund
HEYO! :)
Buy something from our family’s waiting list. Since we started heading towards FI, each thing that we want to buy goes to the waiting list first. And stays there, until we change our minds and delete it :). So it would be some kitchen stuff or a level for my DIY works.
I’d like to think I’d use it all for altruistic, wonderful purposes – and I would definitely try to do good with it! We could send some to the child we sponsor in The Gambia, he would benefit from $20 more than we would, for sure. :) Some would have to go to my two teen boys’ Christmas lists, although nothing they “want” is under $100 each – but that would get some stocking stuffers. And then I’d get my long-suffering husband some more credit at the Chriropractor’s office. He said to his co-workers the other day that was his favorite gift from last year. Took me by surprise! I didn’t think it had made that much difference, but he felt so free, knowing he could go without worrying about the budget! :) Thank you, J$, for helping me get a handle on my finances this year. I’m still working on it, but progress is being made – slowly but surely!
Would use part of the $100 to buy:
The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse
…because what point is there in working so hard to build a retirement portfolio, when it’s all going to get wiped out in an economic collapse? What happened in Argentina could happen here too.
Description on amazon.com:
“The Modern Survival Manual is based on first hand experience of the 2001 Economic Collapse in Argentina. In it you will find a variety of subjects that the author considers essential if a person wants to be prepared for tougher times: -How to prepare your family, yourself, your home and your vehicle -How to prepare your finances so that you don’t suffer what millions in my country went through -How to prepare your supplies for food shortages and power failures -How to correctly fight with a chair, gun, knife, pen or choke with your bare hands if required -Most important, how to reach a good awareness level so that you can avoid having to do all that These are just a few examples of what you will find in this book. It’s about Attitude, and being a more capable person and get the politically correct wimp out of your system completely.”
Buy my hubby a Google home for Christmas (so that I can use it when I cook dinner at home)
I would take that $100 and turn around to donate it to my brother-in-law’s nonprofit, The I’ll Be There Project, whose mission is intentional acts of kindness. During the holidays and winter season, this often includes handing out warm things to people experiencing homelessness in New York City.
http://illbethere.org/
https://www.facebook.com/illbethereproject/
Beautiful!
I would buy three pairs of shoes for work as I really go through them. The rest of on a relaodavle gas card that I use to budget my expenses for commuting. Very practical I know!
Holy Crap and Amazeballs that is a lot of responses dude!!
I would help a friend get his Kickstarter going further with $50 to help him publish his book
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1774188562/wanted-army-of-wizards
I would help another friend with $50 to do her Amazon Christmas wish list
https://www.amazon.ca/registry/wishlist/1RB58XIHRLZ2U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_ws_EBEfAbHDJ416R
I guess people really like money :)
I would put it toward my student loans. Not exciting, but I finally got my act together last year and decided to eradicate them. I’m nearly halfway toward paying them all off and finally got out of six-figure debt this past June. So I’m really pushing hard to continue knocking them out. Every little bit helps!
I will use it for new pillows for the new bed we just bought.
Hey J$, long time reader here. I would use a bill to go snowboarding this winter!
I would pay back those nasty student loans.
I love reading the blog and you’ve inspired me to start a blog. I would use this to help with the start up costs for the new blog.
Don’t let the costs stop you! You can blog FOR FREE these days!!
https://wordpress.com/
I would send it directly to our car loan to get rid of that debt even faster!
Thanks for offering this giveaway. :)
1. Already subscribed and I’m a huge fan! :)
2. I’m leaving for my honeymoon to Thailand and Philippines in 2 weeks and as part of our honeymoon, my husband and I want to give back so we are buying school supplies for kids in Philippines. I grew up there and education is expensive and there are tons of kids who can’t afford basic supplies. So this $100 can probably a crap load more pencils and notebooks!!!
I would probably use it to buy Christmas presents or towards our bills…boring but probably what would end up happening.
1. Already signed up
2. I would divide it up among my kids’ teachers so they have a little extra this holiday season. They do so much for their students and want them to know how appreciated they truly are!
The easy/simple answer is to use it towards Christmas/paying down debt, but I will instead invest in myself and apply the $100 towards a class to further my career
It would go toward my sabbatical fund so that my husband and I can live it up without working for a year.
1. Signed up
2. Buy baby gear for our March arrival
I would use the $100 to help pay for Christmas presents for my family.
I’d buy a ring brand doorbell! It’ll stop waking the baby when a delivery comes!!
I’d use the money for books that I want to read. Then I’d donate the books to my local library so everyone else will have a chance to read them too.
Not a big choice for money management, retirement, investment, or financial books available and I’d like to change that.
I’d turn $100USD into $145 NZD ! Yess! – throw it into S&P500 index.
I have been reading your blog since 2009. I would use the $100 to pay off the last of my medical debt.
Oh $hit – 8 years now!! WOW!
I would use it to pay off debt, of course!
1. Just subscribed!
2. Would spend $50 on Christmas gifts and invest the other $50!
If I had an extra $100 dollars I would like to take someone who is down on their luck out to dinner. I would find someone in my community who could use a good hot meal. Any money left over from the meal I would give it to him or her. I think sometimes just letting some one know that you care about them goes a long way.
Now that I’m typing this I am realizing I have the means do this right now and I shouldn’t wait to get $100 donation. Thanks J Money for helping me see that.
Indeed. We all do :)
Buy an anime bluray set! (Sailor moon or ranma 1/2)
I’m in a mood where I love stuff from my childhood and do what I can to relive it.
I’d put it towards a family getaway to a snowy cabin in the woods for New Year’s. We’re starting a new tradition this year of playing in the snow, cozying up by the fire with good books, and generally getting away from the hustle and bustle over New Year’s to enjoy what we truly value in life: family.
I would use the $100 to buy Christmas gifts for a child in need. We have a Christmas Tree in our local mall with tags on them that list what a child in need would like for Christmas. I’ve never been able to do this and it would finally give me the chance to pay it forward.
already a subscriber
I would use it towards our emergency fund
Thanks-PS-love the blog, keep up the great work
1. I am signed up.
2. I would save $20 in my savings account, pay $50 towards my debt and purchase a toy to be donated to a child in need.
Remodeling my kitchen, so any $ thrown my way helps!
New reader of your blog over the past 4 months. I would put the $ towards car repairs.
8 pints of Vodka and/or Rum in Jamaica this December. $12 a piece and I will spend the other $4 on water… Because I’m a responsible adult.
Hey J!
I started following you in August 2015 when I emailed you looking for advice for saving money for a down payment and homeownership. You emailed me back REALLY good advice:
•Make sure you really REALLY want to buy a home! (there’s nothing wrong with renting)
•Make sure you’re going to live in it at least for 5-7 years
•Don’t buy anywhere close to the amount you’re approved for (banks always want you to spend more and they don’t know your budget/lifestyle)
•Be ready/okay with making repairs/upgrades
•And realize a home isn’t an investment, but rather a place where you live.
Fast Forward 2 years and 3 months:
We are in the process of selling the home we bought! Today version of me wishes the me from 2015 had really read and understood your advice! Instead we got sucked into the idea that home ownership was the next right step for us and it would be a good investment in our future! We hated the extra responsibility, the extra work and have vowed to be Renters forever!
If I won the $100:
1 – I live in Canada so $100 US is like $1,000 CAD!
2 – I would put the money towards continuing our journey to getting out of debt and right sizing out life!
3 – I promise to ALWAYS listen to your AWESOME advice and not learn the hard way! :)
ACKK!!! haha… We all do things like this in our lives though, don’t beat yourself up too much over it :) Now you know (really know!) what you like and what you don’t, and most importantly you’re *making moves* to adapt again… Many would never admit they made a mistake and just keep going with their lives as if they were happy! So way to be honest with yourselves!
If I won, I would pay off a higher amount toward my student loan. :)
Dinner date with my wife. With a two-year old and four-month old those are few and far between these days!
I’ve been reading via the newsletter for a while now, so I’m subscribed!
I don’t know for sure what I would use it on. There are so many options. I would take 10% off the top for sure. I think if it wasn’t Christmastime I would put the other $90 as an extra principal payment on our van (trying to get it paid off before hubby finally graduates next spring!)
Since it’s Christmastime, I might use it for gifts for our four kids, though!
I would buy something photography-related for my husband. He has taught school for 25 years to pay the bills, but is rekindling a lifelong interest in scenery photography as a possible side hustle and retirement gig. I would love to surprise him with some random piece of equipment or maybe the latest editing software.
I’d love to say I’d spend it on Christmas cheer but no – I’d pay off debt!
Already subscribed!
I would deposit into the boring joint checking account and add $100 to the “Income” tab of my monstrous money-tracking spreadsheet. I’d probably group it into my credit card churning income (over $2000 this year!). So the $ would get absorbed into my cash flow, but it would eventually make its way to Vanguard!
Love your site! We just bought a house and I would use it towards things that need to be fixed.
I’d donate it all man, I’m walking past a lot of homeless people and I’m challenged daily by how lucky I am – even when I’m freaking out about our wedding in February and our first home we just purchased – those are good problems to have in the bigger context, often solvable by spending less on coffee and meals out.
#TrueFacts
I would probably invest it in my blog :)
I’m a subscriber. If I won $100, I’d put it towards adopt-a-family gifts!
I’d make a donation to the food bank or a pet shelter. I don’t need the money and since it is Christmas, I might as well do some good with it. (actually not trying to be noble here, just realistic).
I will give the money to the refugees that I work with.
1. Already a subscriber
2. Buy new workout clothes for motivation to keep moving through the holidays
Think if I win I’ll give it to a relative who is in need. Thanks!
I love reading your emails! This was the cherry on top. This year we cut out Christmas expenses to pay down debt. With the $100 I would buy something small for my two daughters (1 and 4) and my husband. However, thanks for your generosity during the season!
Thanks for the giveaway, J. Money! If I won $100, I would use it for my husband’s upcoming 40th birthday trip. He wanted to rent a cabin by the Guadalupe Mountains so we could spend a couple of days living off grid, enjoying the solitude, stars, and sunsets. Our beagle is coming along for the ride too!
Thanks! I’m trying to pay off a debt by the end of the calendar year. It was a real stretch goal, but I was able to pay off thousands. I’m down to my last $800 to pay, so this would allow me to enter the new year without this hanging around by neck.
Awesome giveaway! I would use it as extra principal on our mortgage (boring I know!)
It would go straight into my “move out of this tiny apartment and buy a house” fund like every spare penny I can get. Lol. Not creative or festive but if you saw the potted shrub we use as a Christmas tree because of the lack of space it might make it more festive of an idea
I would buy H&M stocks here in Sweden for my 4-year old daughter.
I am already a subscriber! I would use the $100 to fund a one night getaway with my husband, so we can make another baby. Life is busy with two littles in the house, so going away, even locally, is a treat!
Put it towards my daughter’s future fund, of course!
$100 would pay my fantasy football league entry fee after I went down in flames to Antonio Brown last night.
HAH!
I’ve been subscribing through Feedly for about 6 months or so, but just subscribed to the newsletter! I would use the $100 either to pay down a bill, or to buy something extra nice for my husband – he works about 70+ hours/week right now to work toward paying down our debt, so he deserves a treat! :)
Any extra $100 this month will help my fiance and I finish off our 6-month emergency fund!
I would use it for my quarterly business trip so I could get a nicer rental vehicle (not separately reimbursed for those).
Donate it to the non-profit my dad has been volunteering at for the past 20 years which gives poor K-12 students hot meals for lunch so that they can focus on school.
I’m subscribed. I would use the $100 for an after-Christmas massage.
1. Been with you for about a year now
2. Pay off the last bit of my credit card debt ($600 to go!)
$100? Fruit rollups and pickles. Lots of them. Yay pregnancy…
I would give $10 to my church, and the other $90 would go to my barber who recently had a house fire right before Thanksgiving and could use some financial assistance.
First I would ask to be paid in $2 bills! Then I would stack those Jefferson’s as high as they would go and just admire them a bit. Then I would hop on my electric bike and head downtown handing them out to anyone in need ending up at my favorite watering hole with just three of them left. I would then order my favorite IPA and drop my last three Jefferson’s on the unsuspecting waitress and call it a day!
Sounds about perfect to me :)
I’ll admit. I’m tempted to sped it on my kids getting gifts for Christmas. luckily, they have family who will treat them nice, and even though i want to buy them nice presents, they feel loved all year and we do our best.
However, I know them well, and they’d love to take a tag or two off of those Christmas trees non profits put up and buy another kid some stuff they need and would love.
I’d use the $100 to buy some Litecoin.
I believe im already subscribed. I would use the $100 to help pay for gas to get me to and from school. Give 10% to my church offering.
I would put it towards a medical bill I have had for almost 2 years. It is not a large amount but I do a “slow roll” payment plan as my personal protest to the insanity of our healthcare system. Any medical bills I incur, I wait until collections is threatened then I start paying the absolute minimum they will allow. I know its ridiculous but it makes me feel like I’m somehow “sticking it to them…”
Half towards CC’s and Half towards Christmas.
Thanks for the content I get great motivation.
100 would go into our first 1000 into our IRA
I would use half to help my family to pay Christmas supper. We always celebrate at their house and this year was tight for everyone. And the other half towards debts.
Happy Christmas time xo
I’d take my husband on a movie date and get the haircut and color I’ve been putting off!
I enjoy reading your blog. So happy that I came across it earlier this year. I would put half of it in Savings and the other half I would use it to perform Random Acts of Kindness. I think that could help bring a little joy around this time.
My husband and I have been saving for a trip to Australia and New Zealand from December to January. I would use the money to go whitewater rafting in one of the towns we will be in .
Melissa
$100 is almost exactly what I’d need roundtrip for gas to visit family and friends back in my home state. I’d put the money towards a trip back home for the holidays. I moved away a little over 3 years ago and it gets lonely at this time of the year away from everyone.
I would use the $100 to buy an annual family membership to an organization called the Urban Farm. It’s a non-profit that provides exposure to and education about gardening, animal care, and practical work experience in a farm setting…even though it’s in the heart of the city! Plus, my kiddos would get a chance to be a part of the 4-h club they offer :)
Sounds magical :)
I would definitely use it to buy Christmas gifts! Thanks for this fun contest!
With $100 I would buy kitchen gadgets to help make cooking at home a little easier- maybe an immersion blender and a dutch oven.
I really want to sponser a child this year that is in need. I found a site that will sponser a child for 50.00 a month. https://mcfus.org/ This will be my gift to give back.
It would go straight towards my student loans. I want nothing more than to have my loans paid off so I can have more freedom and an extra $100 would be very helpful!
Already subscribed :-)
I’d use half for RAOK(s) and the other half extra principal payment on van.
Thanks!
Long-time subscriber, first-time commenter. ;)
I’d convert the $100 all into pennies and leave noticeable and various pennies around the house to drive my brother crazy.
I would LOVE that if I were your brother!! I pick up free pennies all day long on my walks! :)
I’d use the $100 to buy a couple of gifts for my GF.
$100! WOOT!!!…………I’d probably pass it on to my son (10yrs) who is learning how to save/give & spend! Trying to instill that ALL $ passing thru his hands needs to be divided up!
Relatives that send him gift cards as presents are really messing up that for me tho……lol….bless their generous hearts! :)
–s
Thanks for the opportunity!
I would use it towards a FitBit for my dad. He’s currently wearing my old one that is falling apart and uses it to monitor his heart rate and sleep. Given that he’s using it for health reasons and I want him to continue to do so, I am planning on getting him a new one soon for the holidays so that he’s not walking around with a busted up old one!
Subscriber that would use the $100 on hookers and blow. Just kidding. Something boring like saving for my kids education.
Almost got me to spit out my coffee on that one ;)
Pay down the credit card. Neither fun nor glamorous but we’re close and I’m excited. Thanks much for the generous giveaway!
I would save it to buy a shotgun.
Holiday Presents or my hubs Roth.
I’d put it in my Daughter’s Roth IRA, but only if she put $100 of her own money!
I would put $50 in each of my kid’s stock accounts.
I would use it on my trip to Thailand in January!
Huh, turns out maybe I wasn’t subscribed on my blog email? Must’ve been one of my personal emails I’m already subscribed on!
I’m currently paying off credit card debt, so that $100 would go to that/help offset me buying gifts for my family!
I would give $50 each in a stockpile gift cards to my Grandson & Granddaughter.
I’d give to the ASPCA. Those pics are always haunting me. So, for my adorable grandchildren, I’ve decided to give them a bank and a couple rolls of coins. Then, I’d give them the bigger gift of feeling the joy of giving. (These guys are the greatest, but they don’t need a thing, and I’m sure Santa will make sure they still get plenty of stuff.) A picture of a dog in a warm home and a personal letter from the shelter thanking them for the gift will be priceless.
going into the 401k!
Yay! I’ve been reading for a long time now! We would probably split it between our investment account and an extra holiday gift or two for our family! Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays :)
With $100 bonus cash this holiday season, I would use $50 to donate to a family of 8 whose mother just died of cancer, without life insurance, to help them pay funeral expenses. The rest I would use to take a first date out for dinner, hopefully the future Mrs. Wirth! :D Happy holidays J Money.
Stop making me cry :(
1. all ready subscriber.
2. Buy more shares of Aurora Co (marajuana) going up in Canada.
I’ve been reading for a couple of years, thanks for the chance to win some money!
With $100, I’d pay off some fun medical bills from having my first born son :)
With an extra $100, I’d add it to our emergency fund or perhaps one of our investment accounts that’s primarily invested in index funds. Simple and passive is all I have time for right now.
I would spend $100 on CC debt!! Not so exciting but true lol
I’d either save it to use on my next splurge item (an item that is $100 or more) or use it on my trip to Mexico next year.
Happy Holidays!
I would give $50 toward an Angel Tree Gift at church and save the other $50.
I would give the money to my neighbor so they could get their sewer snaked out as they spent thanksgiving weekend with a basement full of unmentionable things.
I would use it for gas to go visit my family in NorCal
Hi J$! I am a new subscriber, about a year? We just moved to a new neighborhood so I would use $100 to buy some small gifts for our kids’ new friends and get some yummy home baked goodness into our neighbor’s tummies. No one can ever have enough cookies or candy during Christmas, right? I love your newsletters, they are the first I open on the days you send them!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying them!!
I would definitely make an extra payment on my student loans. My mind is set on crushing my student loan debt and any extra payments I get goes towards that.
Also, I’m a subscriber
Swim with the manatees in Crystal River, Florida. Thank you!
I would probably just put it towards xmas gift shopping so that in a way it’s like i saved $100!
Reader from ages, will use it to save and meet my annual goal, I hate missing them and am short by couple of grands.
I would give/start a savings account with my two grandchildren, making it a fun game to watch earn and learn early.
How would I use $100? We bought our first house this summer after 10 years of renting apartments. This past weekend, all our neighbors started putting up their outdoor Christmas decorations, and I realized we don’t have any! So I’d use the $100 to ‘keep up with the Joneses’, and get some lights for outside!
I’d use it to apply for my LLC. Time to take the final step toward making my business real!