If you could buy anything you want...

[frugalbabe]

**Warning explicit mention of TP lust**

I had an interesting conversation with dh the other night and would love to hear fellow "frugalonians" comments as well.
I was looking at a recent Wal-mart receipt and at the top it had one of those spiels that if you go on-line and fill out their survey than you would be eligible to win a $1,000 or $5,000 Wal-Mart gift card blah blah blah. So we started fantasizing what we would do with it if we won. Dh's ideas were he would be looking at the flat screen plasma tv's --which I find interesting since we don't have cable or satellite (but I digress!) And he mentioned maybe a new lap-top and so on and so forth. When he asked me what I would love to buy I answered truthfully my absolute wildest fantasy come true with a sudden windfall would be TOILET PAPER! I would seriously buy $1,000 worth and then roll around in it and I would put it in my stockpile and stare at it. And if I was really feeling reckless maybe throw in a years supply of contact solution, and some OTC kids meds like cough syrup. There aren't many things that I use that are disposable but toilet paper is one of them and we seem to go through it like crazy!
So come on make me not feel so alone: Am I the only one who fantasizes about a free year (or two or three) of toilet paper?!? What would you buy??

[EmilyD]

The "anything" I would want is to pay off the bills so we could truely start over on our frugal life.

When the lottery hits 21 million we tend to do the same thing. And that is always my first desire: pay off the bills....

[dcompton]

Fresh fruits and vegetables without cringing at the price since it was "their" money. I'd probably stock up on some household stuff too. And cheese. Yeah, lots of cheese.

[pollypurebred39]

If the money had to be spent at Wal-mart I would buy. New furniture. New beds(Ours are broken and have springs that poke you), a sofa and chair( Broken and ripped at the seams), a dinining room set(Broken chairs and table sways), a desk(We don't own one) proper storage units(Need I say more), blankets(Sewn within an inch of their lives), sheets(Sewn to within an inch of their lives), towels( Thread bare and full of holes), dish towels (Stained and full of holes), pot holders, a new set of dishware(we are drinking from mason jars and have no bowls for soup or cereal), pots and pans(Just a mish mash of stuff), curtains for the entire house(Washed so often they are falling apart), paint for the house( Needs it), a new bathroom set( Don't have one), would love to cover the hole in our bathroom floor), a sweeper(I don't own one), a hoover floor scrubber( would be a tremendous help), caulk for the tub(it needs it) clear coat for the swing set(it needs it), some area rugs(just because), a light fixture for one of our bedrooms(our is broken) A ceiling fan light fixture for our sons room(also broken) A faucet set for our bathroom sink (ours only has 1 faucet) Some fans(so Everyone can have one in their room to sleep at night), an oil raditator for my son's very drafty room. Some plastic window sheeting, new trashcans (Cracked), laundry hampers(Cracked), a spiberweb brush for the ceiling(Would make my life easier), TP, laundry soap,shampoo,tampons,baby powder, baby wipes,baby oil,cat food, dog food, new animal food bowls(ours are cracked on the sides) garden supplies(For my husband to have what he needs instead of making do), new underwear and clothes!

[justpeachy92]

If I was given/won a $1000-$5000 gift card to walmart the kids would have a really nice Christmas. My oldest would get a laptop, 10 and 11 year olds would get the video games they are wanting and I just might by the 3 yr old that bi stuffed pony that is over $200. Then I would stock the pantry well and buy another freezer. If I could spend the money anywhere else it would go towards another semester of college for me.

[joyofsix]

What I would really do would be pay off the house and put the rest away for the kids' college. If we're talking fun, I'd love a really big kitchen table with benches that we all could sit at. We currently eat at a Lowe's folding table with metal folding chairs. Tres chic, no?

[frugalbabe]

Ok you guys are making me feel selfish now!! I agree if I was given a $1,000 or whatever it would definitely go for debt pay-off but it is fun to imagine having all of my HBA and paper products completely paid off for a year or so!

[Jskell911]

Well, I imagine you Have to spend it at Walmart, so paying down debt really isn't an option. So, I would probably buy DH a laptop because he has wanted one forever and never buys anything for himself.

[Moor]

since using it at walmart is what is required, then i would stock up on things that i use all the time.
TP
tampons/pads for the girls, i don't need them (thank goodness!)
shampoo
conditioner
toothpaste
tooth brushes
socks
underwear
bra's
buy things in bulk like sugar, salt, spices
staple items, coffee, flour, cornmeal, cereal

[tigo]

Dream list- large capacity pressure canner, dehydrator, batteries, nice blankets and for fun- nice stuff for the patio.

[nodmicks]

I can't really think of a thing I'd want so I guess I'd let dh and the boys spend it.

[blitzen]

If I won a gift card to Wal Mart, I'd sell it. I dislike that store that much, I just wouldn't shop there.

[DJ1972]

If I won a gift card to Wal Mart, I'd sell it. I dislike that store that much, I just wouldn't shop there.

yep, I'd sell it too! Then I would go to Target!

[allenwrench]

** What would you buy??

Just staples like you.

I had already bought almost everything I had ever wanted in my prior life. And I found that I was more miserable then than when I had little and lived in a rooming house.

I would like to go back to the USVI for some diving though.

Will save up for a trip maybe next May.

This spending diversity and spending experience was a big help to me. At age 42 I came to the end of the road and realized I had bought everything I ever wanted to in life and was more miserable now than when I had very little and lived in a rooming house 22 years ago. I then knew I need a different route for happiness and joined the voluntary simplicity movement in 1996.

This extensive and complete spending experience is something most spenders and debtors miss out on as they never get to this point of fulfilling all their spending desires and always have visions of false happiness in the wings. I can't say it has perfected me 100%, but at least 85% with the compulsive spending, as things still crop up to distract me, but it is important experience that has served me well many a times. Experiential experience I can summon up to remind me that similar items did not fix me in the past when I put all my efforts in getting them.

[freebs]

Well i have been living on free TP for the last 8-9 years....lol. I dont know what im gonna do when i have to start buying it again. I still have a good stock of it, the pics are in my profile....lol. but i do know what ya mean i love just going to my stockpile and getting tp without having to run to the store!