If you won £25k

[Maryofscots]

What would you do if you won a relatively large sum of money? Not enough to stop working or pack up your life and relocate to a sunny island but still a nice sum. Say £25k.

Inspired by spending the day watching TV game shows with my Nan on a rainy Sunday. We can't go out but we can sure fantasise

Pay off debt
Buy car for DD16 and pay for driving lessons (desperate to drive)
New bathroom
New sofa/curtains/rug for living room

Money for the other 2.

Buy Premium Bonds for a year, just in case I win the big one, and so I had time to think of what best to do with it.

New kitchen & bathrooms, we bought a 'doer upper' and any left overs save for holidays.

Home improvements, holiday, new(er) car

Buy new windows, probably.

It would be a deposit for a house, so in that sense it would be life-changing for us.

Either save it for a very rainy day or towards house purchase.

Pay off the credit card and get a new kitchen.

Pay into my state pension so I can have the option to retire at 64 without reductions.

I'd get driving lessons and a small family car. Pay for my son to take lessons and put away the cash for my daughter to do the same. I'd take my daughter on a girls adventure and really treat her as we've never had a night away together.

New kitchen for me, please!

House deposit

Book some really good holidays for next year.

Oh and maybe I’d treat myself to a little Nissan Figaro! Always wanted one. Could never justify it.

£25k would actually be small life changing for me. Pay off my debt which would mean I would have just under £400 extra money a month.

I’d still have just under £16k left so I’d spend up to £4K on a better car for me. I don’t know what I’d do with the remaining £12k. £2k into savings ideally and then I think I’d buy a small property as an escape plan and rent it out. I would like to think I’d rent it out ethically though, so perhaps offer it to my local women’s refuge to see if there’s anyone that would want it that needs it. I’d rent it out at cost to me.

With the £400 extra I’d have monthly, I would be able to stay working part time in a job I quite enjoy. I’d invest in a private pension (Up to £80 per month if possible) as I don’t currently have a pension at all and then I’d set up a stocks and shares portfolio - one for me and one for my son - with £50 in each. The remaining £220... id put £60 per month aside for sinking funds like Christmas/birthdays/car And keep the rest for fun money, with the proviso that any leftover goes towards long term savings!

Newer car
New Sofa
New Bed
Keep rest for Florida

Just stick it in my Premium Bonds and add it to the deposit for my house purchase

I'd get a personal shopper to help me choose a new wardrobe, I feel like I need a new look but hopeless at that sort of thing myself.
Redecorate spare room.
Hair and makeup lessons so I can make myself look fabulous.
Go on holiday somewhere warm and sunny.
Upgrade my car. There's nothing actually wrong with the one I've got but it would be nice to be able to use Spotify while driving without using a cable!

£20k on the mortgage as my contribution (most the deposit was mine but I'm unwaged so it seems fair and right to me) and £5k on two or more holidays, one with and one without the kids.

I'd pay £20k off my mortgage which would make it quite small and I'd put £5k towards home improvements.

Probably wouldn't bother with booking a holiday for a while...

New carpets and sofas, and a new oven.

Move house

Take a sabbatical, once restrictions have lifted.

Book a great holiday. Retire 6 months earlier.

Home improvements and cars are topping the charts! I would really like decking for the garden, decorating the spare room and a lovely holiday somewhere sunny! Not sure if the holiday dream can be realised in the near future even if I had the money though sigh😩