Superman750

Hi all,

Let me first preface this with the fact that we are by no means well to do. We recently started our own business and money has been tight for as long as we have been together. Since I returned home from Iraq in early 09, we have been living month to month and life has thrown some major hurdles that required life changing decisions. I have never been one to ask for things because I have always known that we generally couldn't afford them. I have always supported my wife small animal hobbies which has cost us thousands of dollars, even when we really shouldn't be dealing with them.

Keeping all that in mind, my wife has said that she wants to get me something for Father's Day and our anniversary (Aug). She has said that she is ok with spending about $750. We are selling a bunch of stuff to be able to pay for that and a few things for her anniversary present. We really can't afford it, and every time I find something that I want, I have a very hard time not feeling guilty. I feel guilty because it is something I want, not something we need.

Do I just find stuff I want and get it? Do I set it aside in a piggy bank for the future? She has offered for me to take the money and take my son to go see my extended family who hasn't met him yet.

It is tough.

Just call me Sean

iTrader: (1)

Just because I'm poor doesn't mean I don't buy me things. You have to treat yourself every once in a while to remind you life doesn't suck that bad.

All Hat No Cattle

This is simply some information about another possible use for that $750. You sound like a younger guy (I'm not), and a lot of younger people are not aware of this.

If you had put $750 into a S&P 500 Fund, with no upfront costs, in 1982, you would have $20,075 in that account at the end of 2012. Your money would have increased 26+ times in 30 years.

Will you remember what you spent that money on 30 years from now?

http://www.moneychimp.com/features/market_cagr.htm

PHX 150

Let your conscience be your guide.
Go buy a far less expensive treat, and bank the rest.
Good luck, and thank you for your service.

alsatropine

iTrader: (2)

amen

canddmeyer

Go out to breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. There is NO reason anyone should be selling anything to celebrate an anniversary.

User-One

Not all stocks grow, and inflation must be counted too. Anyways I wouldn't be putting my money into the bs stock market. If you know what you are doing best to put it into a business of your choosing.

packplantpath

You don't know what an index fund is or how it works do you? There are no guarantees but market index funds are about as good a method possible to make sound, low risk investments with no research or special knowledge.

All Hat No Cattle

Exactly!

Investing in something like the S&P 500 is a bet that the USA will be a success in the long term. You would be saying that the leading companies in the US will be profitable in the long term.

If you don't think that, then the suggestion that you should invest in a small business might work. Just be aware that small business failure rates in their first year are between 25% and 40%.

http://blogs.dctc.edu/business-manag...s-by-bob-voss/

Triggerfx4

You should look into Dave Ramsey. He wrote a book about getting out of debt. I am a young man myself and am still in the early stages of the program he has but it has done worlds so far for my new wife and I. My mom had told me about him for years and years and i was like yeah whatever but after I finally bought the book on I tunes and listened to it I realized my mom was right all those years. Defiantly worth reading it will change your life.