BillShrink Giving Away $2,500 to Wise Bread Readers
Editor's Note: Contest has ended. Click here to see list of winners.
BillShrink, a free website that gives personalized money-saving recommendations on everyday bills, is giving away $2,500 to Wise Bread readers!
In addition to the contest, BillShrink CEO Peter Pham also shared some great savings tips later in this post. But first, the contest!
Blog Comment Contest: $2,000
Prize: 1 winner of $2,000. BillShrink representatives will pick their favorite response.
How to Enter
BillShrink wants to give you $2,000 to start your New Year with a money make over.
Simply leave a comment below and tell us in 2-3 sentences about what you’d do with $2,000? The best response takes the grand prize.
Would the responsible you pay down your credit card debt? Put the money in savings? Buy low in the stock market? Or start a college fund for your toddler? Or … would rowdy you blow it on a ticket to Antigua? Or buy 14 bottles of Dom Perignon? Or get a flat screen TV or a new computer? BillShrink CEO Peter Pham also talks about how he would spend $2,000. You might want to check out Peter's response get some inspiration.
Don't forget to enter your email address while leaving a comment. We can't contact you if you don't leave an email address!
Twitter Contest: $250
Prize: 1 winner of $250. Randomly selected.
How to Enter
Simply tweet one of these messages:
- RT this for chance to win $250 @WiseBread http://bit.ly/4t0sDu
- Win $2500 at @WiseBread courtesy of @BillShrink http://bit.ly/4t0sDu
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter. It makes it easier for us to message you when you win.
BillShrink Facebook Contest: $250
Prize: 1 winner of $250. BillShrink will randomly select one of their new fans following them on Facebook.
How to Enter
Visit BillShrink's Facebook fan page and add yourself as a fan. That's it!
(While you're in Facebook, don't forget to check out Wise Bread's fan page as well.)
Rules For All Three Contests
The Blog Comment, Twitter, and Facebook contests all end at midnight EST 1/08/10. Winners will be announced on this post on 1/13/10. You can enter all 3 contests, but you can only win once. US residents only, must be 18 or over, void where prohibited (see official contest rules).
Interview With Peter Pham
According to your website, BillShrink has identified more than $1 billion in savings for more than 1 million people this year. Why are so many people overpaying on their bills?
Wireless plan and credit cards are inherently complex. You have in- and out-network calling, overage fees, variable interest rates, annual fees – it’s really too much for a person to track. Each wireless plan, each credit card, markets their plans with different language, gives you options over different periods of time, and has different offerings, so it’s nearly impossible to make an apples-to-apples comparison. BillShrink will do all that homework for you using technology that analyzes all of the fine print and tracks the best options on the market so you don’t have to.
Another reason people are overpaying is that options are constantly changing. Credit cards, banks and wireless companies are competing for your business and continue to make new offers. That’s why we’ve also built into BillShrink the ability to get alerts when a better deal comes along. We’ll take into account all things like wireless termination fees, so you can see if you will really save more money in the long run.
What was the best piece of budgeting advice you got or gave in 2009?
The best piece of advice I gave was to ignore those seeming appealing in-store credit card offers. Salespeople entice you at the register with an additional 10-30% off your purchase and 0% APR promises. But that impulse decision could cost you in the long run because after introductory rates, store credit cards are have interest rates that are generally higher than standard credit cards. Not to mention that they are notoriously strict about late fees, which increase the rate dramatically. All this and that’s not all, when you apply for a new card, an inquiry is made to the credit bureau, which may slightly lower your credit score.
How do you think people can save money on the necessities like gas and cell phones? Is there a way to cut back without making sacrifices?
Absolutely! Most people don’t alter their plan to better fit their usage, but like most, you may have selected a wireless package a year ago that isn’t the right plan for you now. Most people are so afraid of overage charges so they buy tons of minutes or get the unlimited plans that they may not really need.
BillShrink assesses what you need and on average, we save people $300 on their phone bill, without them having to sacrifice any minutes or plan options. For gas, many people by habit go to the same gas station. But, if you can drive the same distance to a station that costs $0.50 less per gallon of gas, that could be a savings of $130 a year.
Do you think frugality will end when the economy starts to pick up?
I think frugality is here to stay, at least I hope so. While this economically turbulent year forced many to change their spending behaviors, I think people will choose to remain frugal as it feels good to be wise about your dollars. In particular, if people feel they are getting the same services for less money, the question simply is ‘why would I pay more than I need to?’ So maybe ‘Frugal is the new black!’
My weakness is food; I’m a culinary snob. I’d consider blowing it on a trip to NY and have dinner with my wife at Masa, where the pre-fix menu is $500/person.
Never mind all the bill shrinking -- what do you think is worth paying top dollar for?
Vacations. When I get the rare chance to go on holiday with my family, I love a fine hotel with great service, excellent restaurants, and a gorgeous pool. That comes with a price tag, but the rest and luxury is worth it!
Can the consumers be sure that your recommendations are objective?
BillShrink is independent and unbiased. This means that we present the best options to users and have no preferential display of any wireless, credit card, savings or gas recommendations. Our rankings are calculated by complex algorithms that match your unique spending habits with all the available plans in the marketplace, so in essence, we’re your personal financial matchmaker. We think our best value comes in continuing to alert you when a better deal comes along that could save you even more money.
So far your focus is on cell phones, credit cards, and gas prices. But couldn't you expand this to a lot more goods and services? What are your plans for the future?
We intend to keep saving people throughout 2010 and beyond. We’ll add services like TV and Internet services, as well as a host of other bills so that we’ll save Americans another $1 billion next year.
Update: Announcing the Winners!
Blog Comment $2,000 Winner
Winner: Joe Wilson
I would use the money to help pay off my wife's battle with breast cancer. I am on a fixed income (disabled) 64 years old. my wife has to work for health ins due to my sickness 20 years ago. she is a 62 year old pharmacy tech and works 40 hrs a week. we are staying even due to our good credit rating (796) but I have a wad of debt. paying off the hospital and certain other tests she has undergone will allow us to continue with her prescribed medical needs this coming year using Canada to buy certain drugs due to pricing . thank you for your consideration joe and kathy Wilson
Jenny from BillShrink explains why this was her favorite:
Whew! Wonderful to see 1053 respondents for the contest. We read some funny and some very heartbreaking stories about people who really could use the $2000 cash. We liked the below entry from Joe & Kathy Wilson. We appreciated that Kathy keeps a full-time job and that these are hard-working people who have tried to maintain good credit, but have medical expenses that are beyond their means. Again, this was a hard choice and... well, we had a few runner-ups that we really liked as well.
Twitter Contest $250 Winner:
Winner: MMC67. Thank you Michelle Carter for tweeting about our contest!
Facebook Winner:
Anna Labbe who wrote:
Just discovered billshrink! hope to put it to good use for a financially better 2010! Winning that $2000.00 would be great too! How about an article on how to get your spouse on the same "page"with savings and finance!! Thanks!
Thank you everyone for participating in the contest! We'll be contacting each winner directly via email, Twitter, and Facebook. If you don't respond within 3 business days we reserve the right to give the prizes to an alternate winner.
Tagged: Giveaways
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I would invest it in the highest return, lowest risk investment I know: myself. The money be used to begin a part-time MBA from a well regarded institution. This investment would not fund a money make over for just this coming new year, but every year for the rest of my life.
If I win, I won't use the money for myself. I would use it for my younger brother to finish school. He's completed two semesters, but do to a tax issue involving our parents, was unable to get a federal loan to finish. $2000 would easily pay for his last two semestes to get him his associates degree.
On Nov 12 2009 I received a letter from my credit card company that, effective Dec 29 2009, my APR is going to up to 20.99% !! I've had this card for 9+ years. My FICO, credit score, etc are all excellent and I only have one credit card. I've never paid this card late and I always pay more than the minimum. In Dec 2008 the APR on this card was 9.9%, then it went up to 16.9% in Jan 2009. They'll have more than doubled it in 1 year.
I would take that $2000 and get out from under the balance I've been lazily carrying. Then I'd go to BillShrink and find myself a new credit card with a better APR!
Hang on to it till I get a job. If I still have any left over, the start of an Emergency Fund.
My husband just slid off the road and totaled his truck, no fault of his - just lots of ice here in Vermont, Merry Christmas! The truck had well over 200,000 miles on it and it was starting to cost a lot to keep it running, but my husband was very attached to it. Now we are forced to replace it with something, as public transportation in rural Vermont is almost non-existent. I would use the $2000 to help purchase some kind of affordable, super-efficient vehicle to replace the truck, perhaps a hybrid or smart diesel ... Ahhh, dreaming is fun!
I would use the money to help finance a new roof for my house. I bought an older home 2 years ago and the projects never end. Being a single home owner, it's not easy coming up with the money all on your own.
Frugality is a necessary science for my husband and I, and $2000 would definitely give us some breathing room! $1000 to bolster our paltry emergency fund, $450 for donations to 3 local nonprofits doing extraordinary work in healthcare, hunger, and business grants -- to help those who aren't as fortunate as us to have health insurance, full bellies, and jobs -- and $550 to have an extra lovely after-holiday party to share our good fortune with friends and family.
Thanks for the opportunity!
I would first be greatful.
Then I would take $400 to put into our savings account (which currently only has $5.00, Oops!)
Then I would take 200$ and donate it to the Miami Children's Hospital Foundation.
Then I would take $500 to create our emergency funds account, finally.
I would then use $200 to pay my cell phone company to get out of our ridiculous contract a year in advance, so I can switch to another MUCH cheaper company that will end up saving us more when you add up all the months left in the contract.
I would buy each of my twin two year old daughters a nice Elmo toy for Christmas.
I would then take $100 to pay for a babysitter so my husband and I could go out and see a movie for the first time in two and a half years!
With the rest I would pay all our monthly bills so they'd be up to date.
Thanks for the chance! Happy Holidays!!!
<3
Michelle
I'd sock $2,000 into my mortgage. My husband and I are making it a goal to aggressively pay down the mortgage on our house, which is our only real debt at the moment. I'd love to be able to pay the whole thing off before he's 35 (he's 29 right now).
I would use the money to more than double my wedding fund, which would mean that I would be able to invite more people that I actually care about and not just the relatives who insist on being invited. I'm all for a frugal wedding, but even picnic food costs a lot when you have a large family!
Buy $2000 worth of predetermined Xmas gifts at Buy.com's weekly deals, paid with Amazon.com payments using my passpharse to get 10% off, linked to my Discover card! You get super low prices, FREE SHIPPING,$200 discount,2% cashback for paying in full.
2500 would be spent as follows: 700 $1 dollar bills will be given to each of the students I work at Highland Heights Elem. $20 dollar bills will be given to each of the teachers I work with for a total of $1000, $500 will go towards my student loan and the remaining $300 I would spend on a new wardrobe.
Last year I got a boyfriend a passport for his birthday because he's never been out of the country. We promised each other we'd take a trip somewhere before it expires. I have a solid emergency fund and am totally out of debt, so I'd spend the $2000 on that promise--we'd take a trip to Italy.
I have this dream of starting a line of hilarious, fantastically-flavored geeky gummies and selling them. I've been doing a ton of research and I think I've got a solid idea, but I'll be the first to admit that it's start-up capital that's holding me back. I have solid financial habits, but I put my extra cash into my fully-funded Roth IRA and against student loans (that my advancement-frozen job barely lets me afford). $2000 would be more than enough to start me off on the right foot!!
If I got 2000 from billshrink,
Half would go in the bank just to hear it clink.
The rest of the dough,
I'd spend on photo-
Related gear. I'm obsessed, I think!
I would finally be able to go to vegas with my husband. We have said for years we wanted to go- but always had a hard time spending money to go there!
Because I am newly unemployed I would 1st tithe to my church and then pay my rent for 2months and stock my freezer for winter.
Because I am newly unemployed I would 1st tithe to my church and then pay my rent for 2months and stock my freezer for winter.
As a VERY recent newlywed, I would take 10% and donate it to the American Diabetes Association (my new husband is Type I). I would then take 40% and apply it toward our debt snowball (it needs all the momentum it can get!). The next 40% would be put in our savings account to go toward our future house and we'd blow the last 10% on a nice dinner date. My hubby tends to get hungry every once in a while. :o)
I would pay off the last of our credit card debt, then go out for a fancy dinner with my husband!
$2000 is a lot of money. I would use it in the way the name "BillShrink" implies: shrinking my student debt and car debt.
Ok, that's the boring part. I would also treat myself to a few "wants," like a fancy salon visit and cupcakes from Williams-Sonoma. So, most of the money would go to BillShriking, and some of it to WantShrinking.
Thanks and good luck to all!
Jamie G
Three weeks ago my wife and I just moved into the house that I've spent 4 1/2 years building by hand, and $2000 would be incredibly useful in getting us a loveseat so that we don't have to sit on barstools and office chairs anymore. In addition, I'd pay down my credit card (I would have liked to have that done already, but I had to pay for our wedding back in April on my own). And finally, I'd take the remainder and get my wife a Kitchenaid Mixer, as she's a professional cook, and I don't have much money for Christmas this year, unfortunately.
My immediate family is very blessed, so my plan for $2000 would be to help my parents pay off medical bills. Health-wise, my dad has been on quite a roller coaster for the past few years, and it's taken a toll on their finances. I would really like to be able to lighten the burden for them. And, I know that our entire family would be ever so appreciative if part of the money went toward a hearing aid!
On our wedding day, my husband and I promised that every 5 years we're married, we would go on another honeymoon. We called it the Marriage Incentive Plan (MIP for short). We're doing well with our retirement savings, 15 year mortgage and other monetary plans, but as small business owners in this economy, our upcoming MIP will be scaled back to a local, driveable destination. I'd use the $2000 to surprise him with a tropical resort honeymoon in the Dominican Republic.
I would use $2000 to put into a CD account at the bank, which would earn interest. I'm am currently a student who is studying music and landscape architecture.
I would save this money for when I begin graduate school, which I will have to attend out of state. I am in a five year program in my current undergraduate degree, and also a double major. I have remained debt free during my time in college, thankfully due to scholarships, grants, and working. I however will soon take on debt when I will enter graduate school, because of out of state tuition costs and the cost of living. Remaining debt free is important to me as a student so I can spend my time studying instead of working too many hours or worrying about paying my bills.
Hmmm, seeing as how I just paid off my credit card, I guess I'd take a few hundred of that and install new brakes on my (soon to be) 14 y/o Saturn. I'd put a $1000 down on one of my student loans, spend $250 on Toys for Tots, and anything leftover I'd put in my "new digital camera" fund. Here's to wishing and hoping. :) Happy Holidays everybody!
Well, first I'd stimulate the economy a bit ;) by purchasing an LCD TV for my new living room (just bought a new house and the living room is woefully empty). After that, I'd apply the rest towards paying off my student loans.
With $2000 I would finish paying off my home equity loan (6 years early!) and put the remainder in my emergency fund.
I would spend 1/3 of the money on home repair items I need that could be obtained at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore for about 20% of original cost. I'd spend the next third purchasing items at estate sales that I could re-sell for at least dbl what I paid-ensuring future income. And of the remaining third- I would put $400 aside for emergencies and spend $300 on my bills. If I use the money wisely-it's not inconceivable that I could double the spending value of the amount I was originally given.
my finace and i want to elope, so i think i would use the money for a small elopement package and a couple of nice meals. i would want to get him a box of cigars to celebrate, and a piece of jewelry for myself. our budget is 2K anyway... we just haven't saved it up yet!
If I won $2k, I would use it to pay off my credit cards, thereby bettering my credit score so I could achieve my ultimate goal of buying a house for my husband, 15 month old son and I. :) After a nice dinner out first of course. ;)
If I had $2,000 I would pay off my last semester of school. I would also pay off my 2 maxed out credit cards so I can start the new year with a clean slate. Then I would start saving and spending my money a lot better than I do now.
I would use the money to help pay for my wedding. After 2 and half years of engagement and 12 years of knowing each other, we are finally getting married this summer.
I'd use the $2000 for career & personal development - a bit towards a good Spanish program to work towards becoming Bilingual in Southern California, and split the rest towards attending industry conferences that a broke student like me can't normally afford.
I was going to use it to pay off my car, but I just got that done, hooray!
If I won $2000, I would create a Lending Club account and then use the funds to help someone else come out of debt and keep on reinvesting in Lending Club.
$250 of the money would be used to make 10 microloans on Kiva.org and reinvest that as the money is paid back. The remaining money would be used to send my wife on a much needed getaway since she puts up with me and works hard to keep my house in order.
I'd use $1100 to finish paying off my car; I bought it five years ago and thanks to WiseBread and snowballs, I am about five months ahead of the end of bills! The next $700 would go toward a new Blu-Ray player and HDTV since we have been holding off on buying them, and $200 would go to a night at a nice B&B!
I would use the $2000 for 2 very different things. $1000 of it would go to paying down the credit card for the plane ticket to fly home for Christmas. The 2nd $1000 I would use to put towards buying a grill I want to buy. = )
I would probably first pay off the taxes that are still hanging over our heads. But we moved to the Orlando area over 2 years ago and haven't been able to save for Disney yet. My 3 little boys have been dying to go so I would use what I could to bring them. At least we don't have to pay for a hotel room!
I have been unemployed for six months so, first I would use $800 for a roth Ira, that would bring me to $2000 for the year, That will give me a Gov't tax match of $1000 for the year!
The rest would go to help with bills and health care costs.
Thanks!
Don
When leaving for work this morning, I noticed a river of oil accumulating in the gutter by my car. For some reason, overnight, my car had lost all of its' oil and I have no idea why.
If I were to win the money, I'd put it towards fixing my car as car repairs are never cheap, and it sucks right around the holidays.
Thank you!
Rikki
My wife stays home to care for our 2 year old (her teacher's salary couldn't cover the high cost of day care in the SF bay area) so I'd take $2000 and put it all in our "if I ever get laid off" fund.
I'd leave my credit card debt and auto-loan right where it is - fixed interest rate slowly being paid off by an automatic payment plan set up with direct deposit from my paycheck.
In the unfortunate event I was laid off I'd much rather have $2K in the bank with a hefty debt on the side than $2K less debt and nothing to cover the rent and bills.
With the two thousand dollars, I would buy plane tickets so that my kids can visit with their grandparents and great-grandparents in Tennessee. I not sure if my two-month old son will ever get to meet his great-grandparents, because the car ride is so long (14 hours) and the plane tickets are way out of our budget. It would bring so much happiness (especially to their great-grandma) if we could visit them!
I'm not going to be all noble about this. I like, our good friend, love food. There is this nice 5 star Seafood joint not far from my apartment. Last time I went it cost me 400. There is also this fine Russian restaurant, serving 5 course meals. I didn't know there could be five courses......at 250 a pop I've never talked myself into going.
The rest I might have to take to the gun show Bam! -strike pose-
I'd use the $2000 to help my fiance, Lauren, get caught up on her medical bills and student loans. About a year ago, she was put into the ER by her ex-roommate which cost her a lot in the long run, leaving her without work to pay for her medical expenses and loans—she's been playing catch up ever since.
If I had $2000 I would buy a passport and a plane ticket and take a solo vacation to Europe. I'm 30 years old and i've never left the continental United States!
That money would be a big blessing, as I've been unemployed for almost a year. I would be put $1500 toward our credit card debt (fresh out of college when I got laid off so had to use credit cards to live off of because I had very little in emergency savings, not to mention a very poor choice of roommate) and the rest would be put toward my fiance and I's wedding and a savings account. We downsized our wedding multiple times so that we could afford it.
With $2000, I would definitely use it to pay off credit card debt! I want to buy a house in the next year or two, so I need to raise my credit score.
Thanks!
My husband and I got married in June 2009 and went to the Dominican Republic for our honeymoon. It was AWFUL (we got Montezuma's revenge the second day we were there and were sick for the remainder of the week) so I'd use some of the money to have an early second honeymoon! The rest I'd put in our emergency fund.
Student Loan Reduction - $1000
Emergency Fund Savings - $500
4-day Road Trip with the fam to New Mexico - $400
Donation to Heifer International - $100
Being able to do all of it - Priceless
Thanks and Happy Holidays!
I have been paying off my debt for a while now. I've made a lot of progress, but still, my lowest bill is a bank loan, around $2,000. I have several other credit cards, a car payment, a mortgage and a student loan. Just as my debt accumulation has snowballed, I would like to snowball my debt payments. If I had $2,000, I would use that to pay off this bank loan, on which I pay $257 each month. Then I would use that $257 a month to pay off other bills, one at a time, until I can keep adding the current monthly payments from the bills I've paid off to my other bills.
Once I get them all paid off (except for my mortgage, which hopefully I'll be able to refinance and pay off sooner than the current 24 years), I would like to put some money aside for a vacation, which I feel I will really deserve after paying off all this debt. I dream of not having to live paycheck to paycheck but instead, making positive, helpful decisions about my money, not only for my benefit but for the benefit of others. I would like to make significant contributions to causes I believe in without feeling like I'm squeezing blood from a stone. I would like to set a reasonable budget for items that seem frivolous right now, like clothes, which I have skimped on for the past few years. I'm making great progress on my debt, and I'm proud of that, but I would use the $2000 as an injection, to speed up the process and improve my quality of life.
$2000 would let me survive unemployed for a few months so I can finish the pitch I've been working on for a cartoon TV series.
After setting aside 15% to pay the income taxes on the winnings, I would use the rest to pay down on my bill with my oncologist. I owe the dear doctor a lot more than that thanks to the huge deductible on my health insurance plan.
Pay for my next semester's tuition!
If I won the $2000, $200 would go to charity (my local SPCA or the vet school, or $100 each), $1000 would go in my emergency fund, and the last $800 would go in my honeymoon savings fund (just got married last month). Here's hoping!
If I won $2000 the responsible, patient person inside of me would pay down some credit card debt. Since I have yet to find that girl who sits on one of my shoulders, I would take a lovely cruise to someplace warm year round with beaches, water, and drinks aplenty.
I am self employed and there are times that things are slim, other times the cash flow is good. I would love to pay off the credit card so I can save more money each month toward those slimmer times. So the answer is pretty simple, A given....10% to the church and the rest to pay off the credit card balance.
Even if I don't win... this is still my goal. It will just take a little bit longer.
Well, I worked hard and saved up $1500 to throw myself a party for my 30th birthday which ended up being a bit of a bust, as only half of those that were confirmed ended up showing up. So, if I were to win, I would put most of it back into my business (I could use a new laptop), which is what I would've done with my hard-earned money if I didn't end up throwing the party. With the rest, I would pay off a credit card and take my girlfriend out to a nice dinner.
If I won the $2,000 I'd get to go on my goddaughter's 15th birthday cruise in Europe. I would love nothing more than to be able to celebrate with her and experience something I most likely would never be able to do otherwise (single mom of 3 doesn't leave much money for such things LOL).
First, I would download one mp3 from ITUNES with the most magnificent dance music I could find and dance for a few hours in pure excitement. Then, I would call a few creditors and get out of debt.. then.. back to dancing. The money wouldnt be in my hands for long, but the dancing could go on for days.
p.s one mp3 99 cents. Freedom from debt... priceless
For years I have been the designated photographer at all the parties thrown by my friends, relatives, colleagues. I really love doing it. I have a Canon DSLR, software, tripod etc. And have been thinking of taking it to the next level for some time. If I unexpectedly got the 2000$, I would replace the kit lens with a 17-40 f/4L lens. On amazon its 700$. I will buy some lighting equipment from Adorama costing 300$. Need to spend about 150$ on a graphic designer at elance.com for my wedding photography website.
10% of the money will go to the local Goodwill.
Spending about 200$ (also tax deductible) to weatherize my town home will go a long way in saving on heating/cooling costs. You know what, I will still be left with 350$ to spend on a romantic getaway across the Hudson in NYC for a broadway show and dinner with my girlfriend. Cheers!
This past summer, I took 20 American teens to work at a nutrition center for AIDS-orphans in Malawi. If I won the $2000, I would give it to the center; they opened their doors a year ago, and although they are feeding 100 children four times a week, they are still in dire need of resources. That money would go a long way to helping them fulfill their vision...no, I'm not a saint, but the experience made me realize just how much we have in the US.
I would use $1500.00 to pay off medical bills that were not covered by my insurance. It's terrible that you can think you have great coverage, but the HMO can decide at will what they don't want to cover, even for "urgent" care. I'm left holding the bag.
I'd use the $2000 to pay off one of my credit cards. Then I'll freeze that thing in a block of ice so I don't ever use it carelessly again!
$2000 would help with purchase of basic equipment and supplies for handcrafting items (such as etched glassware) to be sold online. I already have a decent contact base to work with. The right equipment would give more freedom in designing for those contacts, freeing me from costly pre-cut templates.
Our family budget is currently focused on eliminating our credit card debt which which we accumulated during our move after I lost my job early this year.
But, I have a senior in high school looking forward to starting college next fall, and it would be great to shift the budget away from our debt to helping pay for his college. $2,000 would be a great way to hasten that shift.
I would pay off the emergency room bill my dog racked up this summer after ingesting a poison! She survived, but it wasn't cheap at all.
With $2000 I would invest in peer-2-peer lending sites. I've dabbled a little bit but I'm looking to get more involved.
I would first pay the taxes due on the $2,000.00, I would then pay my tithes to my church (10%), and I would then apply the rest to my debt. Not very exciting, but staying focused is the name of the game.
...paying off the small CC balance I currently have, then the majority would go to bulking up my emergency fund saving account, and I would like to take a little vacation in the spring: my husband, our dog, and I want to road trip to some fun U.S. city!
Oh man, $2000! This is more money than I've had in my bank account for nearly three years. I'd put $1000 in a high-yield CD (for student loan payback), upgrade my OS with $130, upgrade my cell phone with about $150, get a WiFi router with $60, get a netbook with $600 and spend $60 on a nice dinner for my Mum and I!
You may be able to tell I spend a lot of time thinking about what I'd do with various sums of money.
I have three daughter each will get 500 dollars into a money market account. 500 dollars will go to pay a school bill. The rest of the 500 my wife and I will take a trip to Cancun, since we have not had a vaction for a while . . .
I would shrink my bills! My gosh it would create such peace of mind to reduce my debt in a big chunk!
I'm unemployed, but I've been carefully paying down my last credit card; if I had an extra $2000, that would just about take of it. I don't use the card any more, and I could say goodbye to that last connection to my less than brilliant decisions about credit.
Of course, there are always bills to be paid - but what my husband & I REALLY NEED is someone to help us de-clutter our little urban apartment - & bring back its bijou qualities - We are always working, and it's hard to keep UP. DITTO some deep CLEANING - kitchen & bathroom, especially. Perhaps we would buy a steam cleaning machine - or even some of those sweeping robots! The last time we rehabbed the apartment - it was about $2,000 - & we should even have a bit left OVER!! (Oh, I would like a pants pressing machine for hubby, too - another labor-saving device!)Better living through human help and automation!
I would use the money to pay down my wedding debt. Our goal was to keep the wedding within our means and we were not going to have a hall until my grandmother who raised me threw a temper tantrum with crying and slamming doors and sitting in the dark sobbing. I broke down and got the hall, which I knew I could not afford, to try to mend our relationship. I could use this money to pay down the remaining balance.
I would use the $2,000 toward opening my own business.
$2000
Would go a long way toward
Paying off the car
$2000
Emergency fund funded
Financial freedom
$2000
Responsibility first
Then a vacation
If I won $2,000 I would pay off one of my credit cards. Then I would use the money I was paying on that card towards another card to get paid off. Slow and steady wins the race!
What would I do with $2,000?
Well, I'm planning a move to Oklahoma to get away from my current situation (living with a con man who refuses to get a real job and pay any bills, forcing me and my other 20 year old friend who lives here to pay EVERYTHING and support a 44 year old man.)
I would use this money for the move and then use the remainder to support myself until I could find a job. Whatever is left over would be saved so I could eventually get a new computer.
I would save it up for *crosses fingers* semester abroad in Spain so I could see some of the rest of Europe! I've always wanted to "cross the pond" and check out the other side.
I was out of cc debt but then Christmas + an upcoming trip to Mexico just got put on cards. I would love a get out of debt free card. The left over money will build up my emergency / rainy day fund so that I can finally rid myself of the cards forever.
Thanks
Stacy
BillShrink says could it be
food or drink.
Giving away two thousand dollars
would buy a lot of new collars,
but, buying a new website in 2010
would be worth a lot more in the end!
I would put the $2,000.00 towards the law school loans I'll be taking out this fall.
Well, I was just laid off, so I'd probably use the $2000 to keep myself afloat until I find a new job. If I manage to find one before the $2000 is gone, I would use some of it to buy a mattress that doesn't hurt my back. After that, I'd pay down some debt and put what I could into savings.
There are so many ways to answer this question it's hard to choose one! Practically, I'd put myself $2K closer to our goal of having a year's worth of expenses in our emergency fund. On the other hand, I love to cook and have been looking at taking some courses at the local culinary school. I'd be able to improve my "chef wannabe" status and pick up a few new skills! Then I'd have even less excuse to eat out and ultimately save even more money! Thanks for the chance to win!
With about $95,000 worth of student loan debt, growing credit card bills, one income due to the economy, and getting married last year, my husband I haven't been able to afford a decent mattress or to print out any of our wedding photos. We would print and frame a few wedding photos for us and to share with our families, buy a new mattress to stave off our developing back problems (and to save more expenses in the long run) and put the rest towards paying down some of our high interest loans.
Thanks!
I would slit this money into 4 and add $500 to each of our savings accounts (2 college funds and 2 retirement funds). We have no debt and rent, but at the same time, we are just making ends meet on the furloughed salary, so adding a little into these savings would feel really great again.
I will use it to help pay for my tuition.
I would put it into a savings account. As I live paycheck to paycheck... it would be nice to have something in savings for once.
If we were to win the 2,000 we would use it to pay off that last of me and my fiance's debt. Half would go to help with medical bills that we have from the birth of our now 5 week old daughter and the other half to his last student loan. Due to the recession my fiance lost his job in February and I am about to be returning from maternity leave in January. The 2,000 would allow us to rebuild the emergency fund with taxes that has been depleted while being home and allow us to fund our Roth IRA.
Sincerely,
Working mom and stay at home dad
I would use one thousand dollars of the money to pay off collection agency debt. Five hundred dollars to add to my emergency fund. Finally, five hundred dollars for a weekend getaway with my family.
If I won $2000 I put it towards helping my in-laws re-roof their house. They don't have much money, but they need a new roof on their house.
While it'd be quite tempting to 1) pay down my car loan, 2) pay down my student loan, or 3) VEGAS BABY! ;-), I'd probably use it to start a retirement fund.
I've been neglecting that wayyy too long while setting up my "Get The #*%$ Out Of My Parents' House" fund (I'm 24 now), and now that that's almost in place, it's time to start having the power of 40+ years of compound interest working in MY favor.
Sorry to not be very creative, but I would put the $2000 towards paying off my student loan debt, which I have been working on steadily.
I would pay off credit card bills from a home improvement project.
We have an 8 year old with ADHD and Asperger syndrome; in a last ditch effort to reduce his behaviors we are implementing a gluten free diet. If you've ever been to Whole Foods for special-diet groceries, you'll know why it's affectionately nicknamed "Whole Paycheck".
We are also mentoring a fledgling Youth group tsyc.org and I'm sure they would love a new computer or laptop for starters. Read the story on their site and you'll know why we got involved.
I would use $500 to take a week off work and decide what to do with the remaining $1500. It would probably result in $1000 in our wedding fund, and $500 in CFA study software.
I would invest the $2000 into Vanguard's index funds, particularly the Small-Cap index fund and S&P 500.