The $38,000 hand bag: if you had more money, how would your lifestyle change?

[Tree-Hugger]

45. Well....

$38,000 a year is downright wealthy to my family. We're currently hovering under $20,000 for a family of four.

If we suddenly came into a ton of money, we would get off food stamps. I would pay off my student loans and my car. I would pay off our medical bills. I would get my brakes fixed on my car so it can pass it's very long overdue inspection.

We would get our first home. I don't want anything huge and I prefer a ranch-style house. I want my kids to be able to have their own rooms, plus a nice yard for play. I would like a decent sized kitchen with good counter space. I would splurge on a Kitchen Aid mixer. I would also splurge on making the home energy efficient and putting in gardens. I would love to grow my own food and have a buttload of flowers.

Big splurges would be a vacation to Massachusetts. It used to be our yearly tradition until we were financially shit on. I would also get a YMCA membership and memberships to local museums and such.

We would definitely put a lot into savings. We would also give to charity. That has always been a big value of ours and it's very important to our family. More money would mean we would be able to give more.

I'd also help my parents out and take a vacation to see my brother.

I would also probably get a decent night's sleep because I would not be up worrying about whether we would make this months rent, car, and utility payments and how we're going to survive, etc. That would probably be the greatest lifestyle change.