I did focus groups and surveys for money. I often would just stock up on toiletries from Amazon when I had gift cards. That shit is expensive so it lets my grocery budget breathe.
this post was submitted on 24 Dec 2025
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If nothing comes to mind right away, then perhaps set the money aside for when you do need it.
It's entirely dependent on what you want or need. If you're good right now throw it in savings until you want or need something.
The absolute best use is opening a Vanguard account, putting $75 in VOO, and forgetting you did it for about 20 or 30 years. Even better, put a $10 in there every month as well.
For a gift for myself when I'm not strapped for cash, I use gift cards and cash for something I would never buy myself. It just feels like it makes a bigger impact that way. I remember it.
If going the charity route, go to your nearest unhoused shelter and ask what they need. I volunteer at one that is hanging on by a thread (no real funding other than a small grant from the county, it's just volunteers). Sometimes donations aren't hitting everything we need and something has run out. Hot chocolate packets and cup of noodles are so valuable (easily transportable, usable, stable, and withstand outdoor weather) that we were giving out handfuls yesterday instead of our typical limit of 1 per person per day. It's wild how important those little things are.
To do the math;
$75 x 25 years at (a conservative) 5% = ~$253
@7% it’s over $400.
Probably not worth your time to wait 25 years for that.
However,
$10/mo at 7% is much more interesting: $8,200
And $10/week: $34,500
Over 25 years this isn’t huge, but it’s *something.”
I used a very conservative % because past gains do not guarantee future performance, and one should not put all their eggs on one basket…But VOO over 30 years averaged 10%, so $10/week with $75 start @ 10% for 25 years is just under $55,000. Double it to $20/wk and you've got $108,000.
IDK what’s in store for the world, but for now, people should invest early and regularly. If it all goes to shit even money under the mattress won’t help, so go for the % IMO.
Yea, it would be more about starting a habit that would result in future security. In a perfect world, it starts here with $75 and a tenner every month, then they start putting in $20, then they ramp it up as they're able.
Save it, preferably in something interest bearing. Pretend you never got that money.
Having $75 when you really need it is worth a lot more than spending $75 just because you have it.
Go to a mom & pop nonprofit thrift store. You'll have a fun time and the money often goes to supporting non profits
Buy as many stick on googly eyes as you can and put them on everything you see
Buy where? I want some christopher walken snl sized googly eyes
We have a winner!
Waymond?
Safe bet is corn
Who is that in the image? whats the story behind this image?
That’s a man that used to have $75. Now he has corn.
I’d be rolling in that shit like I was Scrooge McDuck.
ITS NOT LIQUID!
If you're from the Midwest, that's how you get cornbred.
Corn bed
And then corn bred again ;)
In the corn bed!?!
It's probably a hunter leaving bait for deer or something. Hence the orange getup.
Do you have to spend it right now? You could just wait until you need the money and spend it then.
Whatever you spend it on, may I make a suggestion, if you have a little extra money yourself? Spend the gift card money, yes: buy something you'll enjoy, share that joy with the people who got it for you, let them see how happy they've made you.
Then take the card that the giftcard came in, put in $75 cash, and put it in a special place. Do that every time someone gives you money or a giftcard. As I've gotten older, a lot of the people in my life have died, gotten ill, or moved away. Sometimes, when I'm feeling sad or depressed, I'll go to my little drawer of cards and pull one out at random. I'll re-read the message, and think about the person and the love that we shared at that time, and I'll take the money and do something special for myself, to cheer myself up a bit.
Then sometime in the next few days, I'll get the same amount of cash from the bank, put it in the envelope, and replace it in my stash: the caring we felt for each other at that time was true (regardless of how things eventually turned out), so the cards give me a little emotional boost and the cash lets me do something for myself that I'd normally not spend money on. It helps me feel better, even if only for a little time.
[I'll also be honest and say that sometimes I've run out of money, and something will twinge and I'll remember I have this little stash of cash, and having that has helped me get through some slightly tough times. But I always put the money back in the cards when I can afford it.]
That's really beautiful.
Can you use that gift card anywhere? If yes, then first convert it to cash. Your parents may be covering all your expenses, but they still need to buy groceries. The next time they do, ask them to use your gift card and give you the equivalent amount in cash. Now you have more flexibility to do whatever you want with that cash. Buy something nice, save/invest, etc. You have plenty of advice from others on this already.
2rocks and a handy
In the humble words of Bender B Rodriguez, you could buy one 75.00 hookerbot or seventy-five 1.00 hookerbots.
How to wisely use $75.
Step 1) Send it to me.
There is no step 2.
send bank details
Use it for whatever will bring you the most pleasure.
If you (or your parents) like to cook, you could get some choice steaks (or other high-end ingredients) and make a nice meal that the whole family can enjoy.
Could also get a nice game controller if you're into video games. Most first-party controllers seem to cost about $70-$80 these days.
I dunno what the "smart" thing to do with $75 would be; $75 isn't a whole lot of money in the grand scheme of things so investing it wouldn't exactly pay dividends any time soon. Maybe buy 1GB of DDR5 RAM and in a year it might be worth $75,000 if the market continues its current trend.
Classic Lemmy answer. RAM and steaks.
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A nice butt plug ☺️
To be fair, good silicone stuff basically lasts forever. BIFL butt plug time?
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$75 might get you a power washer or a lawn mower, maybe a snowblower depending on your area. Could make that money back real quick if you have a little charisma.
One gallon of gas.
1.25 in may area
Have ok dinner somewhere? $75 won't get you to a good place. But it may get you into an ok one.
Where the hell do you live where $75 doesn't get you a great meal for 1 person?
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Depends on your priorities and needs, but 75 dollars should cover most of the bill if visiting a nice-ish restaurant
This makes me sad. About 15 years ago we could go out as a family of 4 to a nice-ish restaurant for just entrees for just under $50 before tip.
Inflation is 88 percent since y2k. Excited for a 50k a year job out of college in the year 2000? That's 90k now. 7.25 minimum wage from 2000? Should be at least 13 now. It isn't, should be.
People are alway "oh, money doesn't go as far as it used to", but they don't get how dramatic it is.
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Invest it.
Give it to your parents for taking good care of you.
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