Let us just say for conversation sake that I will be getting some extra money due to a tax refund and performance sharing at work, would you:
a. Do the sensible thing because our economy is in the tank and place the money in savings?
b. Buy the new bedroom furniture you have been eying for over a year now so that your house will finally be almost furnished?
c. Buy the Canon Rebel and accessories kit because the camera you currently own is a sorry excuse for a contraption that is supposed to take pictures?
d. Buy yourself a completely frivolous, luxury item known as diamond earrings that you know you do not need but have wanted for a long time?
Hmmmmmmmmmmm…
{ 88 comments… read them below or add one }
Put it on a CD…and maybe do all 4 once your CD has matured?
But..there’s no telling what is going to happen in the future with the economy..so save it!
Thats what I am doing with mine.
oh dear lord this is by far one of the hardest decisions i’ve ever been asked to make…ahhhhhhh! the bed is to die for, i freakin’ LOVE my rebel and i seriously do NOT know what i would do w/out my diamonds!!!! wow, i’m sure that really helped you. what a friend i am!?! love ya xoxo
I’d go for the bedroom furniture. Sometimes people actually SAVE up for furniture. Soooo consider it as using money you would’ve put into savings anyways.
Omg and that’s so important to have! You and your hubby need that so it’s not like a “luxury” expense. That would fall under the necessity category. For sure.
The camera is pretty sweet – but I vote for the furniture!
We still don’t have a headboard/footboard and I think when we move into a new place, that will be a priority. It looks so much better!
Love the bed! If I could I would redo our whole bedroom! So I say the bed!
hmm… well if the furniture goes on super sale…maybe you could split the difference? save half, spend half?
Bedroom furniture for sure!!!
i feel you sista! i hate to be a downer but i would put it en el banco. I put my stimulus check last year in the bank and it comforts me in these panicky uncertain times. I am a tad nervous moneywise, it might just be because Cali is so darn expensive!
oh the camera! the camera! I love taking pictures and have been wanting this camera for ages!
Help stimulate the economy, buy the bedroom furniture! Our just came in and I love it…waiting on our monogrammed bedding from Pottery Barn now.
Save some and spend some on furniture
Then you won’t feel guilty either way!
I would want to buy the camera but I would be thinking the whole time that I should save the money.
Buy the camera!
In situations like this I can never bring myself to save or spend it all, so I put half in savings and half is for spending. That way I get a treat but don’t feel guilty!
Bedroom set! Bedroom set!
I vote for bedroom furniture!! That is the last room in our new house that I will complete soooon!
I’ve been eyeing a really nice suite for almost a year now and am about ready to go for it! 
The Rebel would be great as well…especially since you’ll have a fur baby soon!
ours will be going to pay off a credit card and the rest will be going in the bank (BOO) however if it were up to ME we would buy a new bedroom suit and I LOVE the bed you have pictured!!!
I would definitely go for the canon camera (or a Nikon D90). But I may be biased…I’ve been eyeing one of my own for years!
Camera!! I have one and I absolutely love it!
I’d go for the bedroom furniture. Or maybe the camera. Spend it when you got it, save it when you don’t!
Furniture!!! That bed is to die for!
I’m surely not the person to ask but if it were me, I would buy the things that you want – you can’t take it with you so spend it now! This is HORRIBLE advice but I have to admit that I am a sucker for furniture and diamonds…
We have the Rebel. It was a wedding gift from my parents.
Trust me. Get that.
We’re saving 75% of ours and then using the rest to buy random things for our house. I would buy the furniture and save the rest. Maybe even buy the bed and night stands and save the rest now. Then in a few months you can buy the dresser or the rest of the set.
Buy the bed or the camera– both hold long term benefits!
I love our Rebel, but I also think the bed is just beautiful. I would go with the other blogger who said to spend half & save half–that way you don't have complete buyers' remorse over spending the whole thing. Our refund is unfortunately going half in the bank and half for new tires for my Jeep. Fun fun fun!
I’d do B or C (leaning toward C as I really want a new camera)but my husband would totally do A.
Bed or camera
I actually don’t like my Rebel
so I vote Bed which is amaaaazing 
Go for the bedroom furniture. I see furniture as an “investment”.
You already know what I would pick. I have the diamonds and still want the camera and the furniture. I’ll probably get the camera next — and someday in the far far off future I’ll have a fully furnished house.
Go for the camera!!!
oooo…..all of those choices are so good, I don’t even know. I think i’d go for the camera or the bedding.
We do the Dave Ramsey thing. Save half. Give a quarter. Spend a quarter. Then you are doing something smart in these hard times, and rewarding yourselves for hard work! My buy part of my German taxes will be a camera, so I say go with the Rebel!
Its a toss between the camera and the bedroom furniture…..
Tough decision. Let us know what you decide!!
My worrier side says to put it in savings, but if you have really wanted the bedroom furniture for that long, you should get it. It will be something that you will use obviously all the time and if you really like it, it will be worth it.
look on-line or the camera. Paul just got a thousand dollar camera or our hundred.
Well, I think that furniture is an investment. You will have it around forever! Same with the diamonds. And that camera is supposed to take really good pics. I am so not the person to be asking!!
I would go with the furniture, that way you won’t feel as guilty because you’ll be furnishing your house.
Bedroom Furniture all the way! But I am an interior designer…so maybe I am biased.
Put it in the bank. Wait a month, then if you really can’t “live without” the bed or “diamonds” (my personal favorite) then go and buy it. I’m a saver. I love making my money work for me and earn extra while at it.
Good luck! That’s the worst position to be in
I like the idea of save some and spend some (but since I don’t know how much the possible bonus is I don’t know if you have enough to do both). If so, I say go for the bed. I have really been wanting that camera, but I LOVE having a put together house and that bed is beautiful. It is nice to have a comfy place to lay your head. We would probably put anything extra to school loans, but spending money does help the economy! (as long as you can afford it, which obviously you can – haha, now I’m rambling)
Save most, spend a little.
No fun, I know! I do love the bedroom furniture though…
I love that bedroom furniture! So. Very. Pretty!
Save it! These are unsure times and I am planning on saving any unexpected money I get! It’s no fun, but life isn’t fun sometimes. And that camera is on my list too!!
Buy the bed!!!
I’m going to say…..bedroom furniture. I mean, can you put a price on a goodnight sleep?? ha
I’d for sure go with the furniture! Diamonds are nice too, though! People have to spend money to help the economy…right??
The furniture – your bedroom should be a place of comfort & solace. As NND & SS have pointed out furniture is an investment of sorts.
Plus, if everyone saves their refunds it will just make the economy worse. I'm not saying spend it all, but people have to put money into the ecomony for it get any better.
I say go for the bedroom furniture!
i’d go with the camera. all are amazing, but you have been buying furniture left and right and it won’t be long before you can buy the bedroom furniture. and you have something now that WORKS for bedroom furniture. i really think the camera is a necessity.
Yikes…
Ummmmm, this is tricky.
The saving idea is solid and extremely pratically but…
Putting the finishing touches on your house…the bed would be a great purchase and it sounds like it would complete your house decorating “to-do” list.
The camera…sigh, you know what they say, “a picture is worth 1000 words”…think of the fab memories that would be recorded
The earrings…maybe this is a better idea as a gift you receive? Valentine’s Day is coming up…
What ever choice you make I don’t think you would regret any of them!
I’d say either option a or b. The camera doesn’t seem like a necessity, but I don’t know you.
If we want to save the economy, first the government should give us more so we can spend more.I’m a spender and helping the economy is my excuse. I love all of your choices I would get the camera, I have been wanting to get a new one for awhile now. Then I would put the rest in savings and buy the holidays I would be getting the bed and who knows place enough ” hints” and Santa might bring you something shiny:)
Well, the camera and diamonds are out, because I got both of those for Christmas
I would probably buy the furniture, but my husband would probably make me invest it!
hmm, the furniture or savings.
I’m all about that bedroom set!!
gosh this is tough!!! hmmmmm. I’m no good at saving like I should. I figure you guys have worked hard this year so do something…big or small..for yourself!! xoxo
My vote is BED! Its gorgeous! And, if you’re anything like me, an “unfinished” room bugs me – it will feel so good to be one step closer to a 100% decorated home!
Oh tough choice. I think I would buy the camera – I bet if you check Circuit City they might have it for cheap since they are going out of business…
Buy the bed…probably the most sensible.
This kids timing is a little off
Canon Rebel – it’s the best investment in my opinion
.
I say get ALL 3 for sure. In doing so you’d be supporting our struggling economy, which would be lovely of you!
bedroom set! imagine how accomplished you’ll feel knowing your house is almost complete–probably just as good as if you invested it while wearing diamonds;)
I say go with the bedroom set. It’s the best purchase I’ve made since we’ve been married. I love my king size bed!
I’m hopelessly paranoid about the economy, so I would save it =)
Oh, I’d SO take the camera! I love my Nikon DLSR! If you’re secure in your job and your money situation is good, splurge on yourself!
I would pay my bills off but that is just me…now if I were you, I really liked that Bedroom furniture!!
I vote camera or bed. You need to stimulate the economy. The more we spend the better the economy will be.
I really love my camera…I’ve got the Nikon D60. And, I really love having grown up furniture, too.
(Maybe you could save a percentage of it?)
First of all, YAY for great tax refunds (I’d be on the street right now without mine) and for Big Defense Company’s cool performance sharing benefits! I say go for the BED, girl! Get that house finished so you can bring on the puppy!
xoxo,
Lulu
The camera for sure!
Bedroom set for sure! I just found your blog and I LOVE it!!
i must say my diamond earrings have held their value much better than my 401k..i am impressed you have already done your taxes…i wait until the last minute to write a check to the IRS…nothing fun, especially this year, in giving the government more money
you might want to check overstock.com for the camera
Hmmm…being the fact that my hubby’s a CFP…any extra cash we have goes directly to our Retirement accounts. Yea yea I know, boring answer…but seriously…I wanna retire RICH (and soon)! haha!
I do know Nina is DYING over her Canon Rebel though! It’s a tough choice!
As much as I would love to say get the bed or the earrings – I say save it!
ummmmmmmmmmm OBVIOUSLY we are hanging out next week – how glad I am to have such a fun (real life!!!) friend in Dallas!
Just saw your comments and I know, right? What are the chances!?!?
love the camera
love the diamond earrings
love the blog
btw, i gave you an award
click this
http://marissameester.blogspot.com/2009/01/honest-award.html
I say screw this economy and buy yourself something special! I love the camera, but that is me, with a camera in my hand most times.
I love, love, love the bed you picked out tooo!
The earrings, let hubby buy those! Valentines Day is right around the corner!
C! The camera is so worth it! Trust me!
Definitely the bedroom furniture! I promise, you will love having the furniture you have been dreaming of…
I’d do b and/or c, you’d be getting something you want and helping the economy (maybe even get a good deal). New bedroom furniture was our splurge last year and we love it, and you spend so much time asleep its well worth the investment.
the camera I’d get if I were getting ready to take a vacation or had special events coming up….
wow lots of responses on this one. i don’t know if this has already been said but maybe take a percentage of the extra money and put it towards something fun and save the rest…best of both worlds? if you have to choose between one or the other, unfortunately i’d have to go with the boring choice and say save it…you just never know these days. good luck with your decision! what does mr. mojito think?
I agree with several of the other comments. I would save half of it, and spend the other half on the camera or the bed. The bed is definitely a key piece of furniture, but a great camera is a must!! Good luck! Can’t wait to hear what you decide!
I left you something on my blog:)
I’ll be happy when my tax returns are no longer reserved for paying off credit card debt or wedding plans. I’d want to spend it, but I suppose responsibility also has it’s perks!
Save it girl! You don’t know what’s going to happen. My Mr. Beachy recently lost his new job and I am fearful for mine. I am SO GLAD we didn’t buy the bedroom furniture we were looking at over the holidays.
i have to vote the bed, it’s too lovely!! and can i ask, where it’s from? i would loooove to keep it on file for the future bedroom makeover
You know, honestly, I would probably get the camera
Or the bed!! i love (and would love to have) both!!
I can’t wait to see what you chose dear!!
I’ve been gone from Blogger too long. Missed ya!
Me, personally, have taken the “extra” money we received on our tax return and paid off a few small bills, paid a couple of bills, and went a brought me a flat screen LCD tv…. trying to help the economy, ya know?